Diani Beach is a small resort town that serves lots of gastronomic delights on this part of Kenyas south coast. There is a very wide variety  of cuisine on Diani Beach all squeezed in within a 15km stretch of sugar white sandy beaches.

• Tweet

You probably need to fetch a few supplies or gift items while  on Holiday at Diani Beach. For guests booked into villas with own catering then your shopping list will be populated by vegetables and fresh fruit and probably cereals and a few other house hold items. If you need fresh vegetables you have the option of popping into Nakumatt Diani or getting them from a small vegetable stall operated by a jovial lady at Diani Beach. Her stocks are fresh and replenished daily.

• Tweet

Accessing Diani Beach involves connecting either by flight or road which means crossing the Likoni water channel in the Indian Ocean by ferry.
If you opt to fly to Diani Beach you have two options either flying from the Wilson airport in Nairobi upon arrival in Kenya or from Moi International Airport in Mombasa.
Wilson airport is located 10 km from Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport your most likely entry point is 5km away.
Several local airlines operate flights to Diani Beach at Wilson airport and you can arrive and book the next flight at your convenience. The flight to Ukunda airstrip takes approximately 45 minutes.

Jose Morinho boarding his flight at Ukunda airstrip

On the other hand if you book your flight from Moi International airport to Diani Beach it will take less than 15 minutes to touch down at Ukunda airstrip from where you can transfer to your Hotel.
Ukunda airstrip is a relatively small airstrip that connects tourists to local hotels and National reserves, Moi International airport or Nairobi at the Wilson. Most of the operators run scheduled charter flights to and from the above mentioned areas.

Flights at Wilson Airport to Diani Beach

Crossing the ferry especially during the high traffic hours, Morning and evening can become a hustle and the convenience of flying is reassuring. Since the airstrip isn’t fully developed but has a functional runway most of the charter flights companies operate from either Nairobi Wilson airport or the Moi International Airport. Therefore prior booking is necessarily if your itinerary is known and planned.
Hotel transfers from Diani Airstrip are facilitated by your Hotel. The hotels at Diani Beach are only 5 minutes by road from Diani airstrip.

• Tweet

Diani Beach! December approaches ,it is the high season again and more tourists are expected to visit Diani Beach to enjoy the tranquil beauty of the beach. The area has holiday hotels, resorts , villas shopping areas and other water based recreation activities. Families are already trickling in for the December Holidays.

Diani Beach is an endless picturesque white sandy beach ensconced among green palms that provide a welcome green to the white and blue mix of colour. Diani Beach  has always been famous as a holiday destination for its postcard beach and natural charm coupled with the friendliness of the people.

For those who are still considering, we have picked a few reasons why you should visit Diani Beach for that vacation.
1.    The hotels – There are a couple of word renown hotels at Diani Beach and each one of them varies in size, leisure offerings, exotic cuisines and the luxury that is the main distinguishing factor.  Some of the hotels include Leisure Lodge which is a huge hotel with over 200 rooms and a golf course that is host to the Diani Masters, Baobab Beach Resort, Leopard Resort, Diani Sea Resort & Lodge, Shaanti Holistic offering health related activities key among them Yoga sessions from professionals.

The serene LTI Kaskazi Beach Hotel is a favourite for many guests not forgetting Almanara Beach resort another exquisite getaway, among others.

2.    The Villas – You will find luxurious accommodation in cottages and villas  and they are in plenty among them; Sunset Villa, Villa Kusini, Alfajiri, Flamboyant and Villa Diani House. If you value privacy, this is your best bet for a memorable holiday at Diani Beach.

3.   Weather – Clear blue skies characterize a normal day at Diani Beach. The weather at Diani Beach is no disappointment especially over the high season. What more can you ask for?

4.   Accessibility-  You can fly to the Mombasa International Airport and connect a short haul flight to Diani airstrip or take the ferry linking Mombasa Island and Diani Beach. The road trip is not a four wheel drive affair.

5.  Affordability – Budget travelers to Diani Beach can check into cheaper hotels, still within Diani Beach, going for USD100 per night. Meals and drinks are moderately priced.
6.    Buzzing nightlife – Entertainment is a rejuvenating option after a long day at the beach and most of the hotels have in-house entertainment comprising of cultural shows. But the main attraction as dusk sets in has got to be Ukunda which is less than a kilometer from Diani Beach where bars and clubs come alive with crowds of revelers mainly locals and the foreigners mixing freely amidst the great music.

7.    Beach activities – A host of beach activities and sports are available at Diani Beach. Snorkeling is among the major attractions, scuba diving, kite surfing, golfing, deep sea diving and bike riding.

8.    Visits to reserves and marine parks nearby – Game reserve tours are synonymous with Kenyan safari thus around Diani Beach there are several game parks and reserves. The most visited is the famous Maasai Mara National where the wildebeests hoof their way to a world spectacular with daily flights from Diani airstrip, Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park where you will see sharks, whales, corals and sea turtles. Towards Tanzania still on the Kenyan side, is Masai Mara which is the origin of the millions of wildebeests that cross to Kenya’s Maasai Mara here you will get to see 400 bird species and about 80 different animals.

9.    Communication& power – Communication at Diani Beach is supported by a robust mobile phone service platform and high speed internet. Power is constant from the main country grid. The main GSM player Safaricom offers 3G connectivity via USB modem on pay as you go terms, in addition most hotels offer wireless Wi-Fi  internet.Hotels at Diani Beach have installed three square pin sockets as power sources in the rooms thus compatibility for your electrical appliances will not be a problem.
10.    Celebrity’s favorite – Finally, world celebrities prefer to sneak into Diani Beach for a well deserved holiday away from the glare of the paparazzi. Jose Mourinho the flamboyant football coach, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Naomi Campbell are some of the celebrities you could bump into.
Wait no more, get to Diani beach this and every season and find out what Africa’s best kept secret is all about, first hand.

• Tweet

Planning a vacation revolves around the hotel in which you will stay, while the rest of the itinerary is centered on your accommodation whether you are staying at Diani Beach or Hawaii. However, a good reputable hotel can have short falls as far as your expectations are concerned. Diani Beach is no exception in this instance.

So, what brings satisfaction to you as a guest in a hotel?

Is it the concierge? Is it the chef who even takes time to mingle with revelers? Or is it the waiters and room service who deliver sterling service?
All the above are  subject to your lifestyle and taste but the basic elements that should never be comprised in a hotel of whatever star rating are food, hygiene & general cleanliness of the premises and lastly, quality of service.

No particular order or preference is factored in this list so don’t read between the lines.

1.   Leisure Lodge Beach Hotel – Huge space utilized to create a hundreds of rooms that attracts the most cosmopolitan guest list at Diani Beach. The food and drinks are as varied as the guests who patronize the hotel. The main attraction here is the championship golf course. With such amenities the management can’t afford to goof on any component of their service offering making Leisure Lodge a world class resort.

2.   LTI Kaskazi Beach Resort – Two things stand out for this establishment; service and location.  The beach area is rocky but nonetheless it is popular with many overseas guests.

3.    Baobab Beach Hotel – For the wide repertoire of activities available here the Hotel is worth the stay. Accommodation comes in different packages that enable you to budget for a lavish stay or scaled down budget holiday. The experience should be satisfying for the food and drinks sections at Baobab Beach Hotel.

4.    Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa – Well maintained stylish rooms for the various classes with a rich cuisine on offer at the hotels restaurants and a  Great Spa. It is a favourite of many people.

.
5.    Leopard Lodge Beach  Resort – Exclusive luxury defines this Hotel at Diani beach. Service remains top class and dedicated. You can skip the leisure activities they offer to be spoiled by the staff from the comfort of your room or by the tranquil beach.

6.    Diani Palm Hotel – If you love expansive and populous hotel’s this is not a place for you. But if you value service then book your stay here. With less clientele to serve they accord you royal treatment that makes you feel honored. Maybe that’s me but give the place a try this season if you haven’t been there.

7.    Papillon Lagoon Reef – With a troop of collobus monkeys on their lawns the Hotel could pass for an out-in-the-wild getaway but the Swahili architecture announces your arrival at the Kenyan Coast anyway. The food is possibly the best attribute of this hotel.

8.    Diani Sea Lodge – This one passes the food, cleanliness and service test without a doubt for me. The staff is apt in their job. The food is more than satisfactory while the rooms and grounds reflect hygiene standards in a five star.

Are there more hotels that you would like to see in this list? Well, don’t hesitate to let us know.

• Tweet

If you intend to visit Diani Beach, then you probably will connect from Mombasa from the airport, bus or train station.  Mombasa is an Island and the shortest way to get to Diani Beach and the rest of the south coast is by crossing the Likoni Channel on a ferry.

The crossing has been done with ferries for many years with the  channel getting bad press for the delays and constant breakdown of  the big vessels that have facilitated travel between the two points. Currently there are two new ferries operating between the North Coast end and the South Coast end. Recently acquired by the Kenya Ferry Services, the 60m long vessels can take up a huge cargo load including people for each short haul journey to the other side.

Inside Ferry

The journey is an experience to behold  as people  with luggage on their heads, handcart pushers, motorcyclists, and other vehicles compete for space on the ferry. The traffic can be overwhelming especially in the morning and evening due to people going to and from work.

Thankfully though, the new ferries are reliable and are doing the crossing in about 7 minutes whereas the old vessels took 15min. If you are a first time visitor you are advised to cross in a car and keep the widows up  and the valuables away from sight.  The Likoni ferry crossing is an experience to enjoy especially now that there are fewer hiccups than before.

After settling in, the view is glorious depending on the deck you travel in with fantastic views of the Indian Ocean and the nearby port.  The ferry runs on a 15 minute schedule during the day and on hourly basis from 10pm to 5am. It is free for pedestrians but vehicles are required to pay a small fee based on weight. The average car pays approx $2 for the crossing.

Inside Ferry top deck

When the vehicles and people get to the opposite side(the South Coast) , its a rush to disembark and hit the 35km road again towards Diani Beach through Likoni  and Tiwi Beach.

The journey back also takes you through the same route.

There  is an alternative route to Diani Beach that does not involve crossing the ferry, but it is hardly used because it is longer through gravel roads . The Likoni Channel crossing is the cheapest and quickest way to get to Diani Beach unless you are flying in.

• Tweet

Entry visas to Kenya are the first travel requirements you have to fulfill before travelling to Diani Beach.

You have three options, getting a visa online, visiting your nearest Kenyan Embassy or travelling and applying for the visa on arrival at the immigration offices at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Moi International airport.

Each option has its pros and cons. For those who like travelling with minimal delays you can obtain your visa from your country of origin which could take 1 – 3 months depending on the embassy’s location. The US and UK embassies are pretty efficient and it takes less than five working days to get your visa processed.

The online option is convenient but could take almost the amount of time it takes to acquire your visa through the embassy.

The first and last options are your safest bet though the last option is the most preferred for those with very busy schedules or without quick access to an embassy to serve them. Business and tourist visas can be issued upon arrival as long as you have the relevant documents ready. It takes approximately 20 minutes. Visas can be obtained by most nationalities on arrival.

Visas processing on arrival can delay the passenger if the currency the passenger uses isn’t convertible or the Passport isn’t valid for the period of stay.

It is therefore advisable to obtain a visa in the country of origin to avoid inconveniences and delays on arrival. A transit visa costs $10. Required by all passengers are onward or return tickets, documents needed for next destination and sufficient funds for length of intended stay (at least US$500).

Visas cost between $25 -$50 (including processing fees) for single entry options and are valid for a period of 3 – 6 months while the multiple entry visas cost $100 – $150.

The following are the Kenya entry requirements listed by country:

1. Americans: United States citizens require a valid passport and a visa.
2. UK nationals: British citizens require a valid passport and a visa.
3. For Canadians: Canadians require a valid passport and a visa.
4. Australians: Australians require a valid passport and a visa.
5. South Africans: South Africans must have a valid passport. No visa is required for a stay of up to 30 days.
6. New Zealanders: New Zealand citizens require a valid passport and a visa.
7. Irish nationals: Irish nationals require a valid passport and a visa.

• Tweet