A brief Overview of Southern Beaches
The main two areas that have become known along the coast are the regions to the north and to the south of Mombasa. Mombasa itself, while still offering plenty of beach options, has, in our view, become so over run these days by the larger, package companies, that it is not somewhere that we tend to recommend.
With a little research and perseverance, there are plenty of smaller, family run operations that are well worth a look, in particular the lodges to the south of the city and on through to Diani on the Tanzanian border.
Do see our best camps & lodges in Southern Beaches picks for 2026/27 on this page.
North of Mombasa
The main beach to consider to the north of Mombasa is called Watamu and is the home to the infamous Hemingway’s Hotel, made famous by the fishing exploits of its famous namesake. The beach and the hotel are still firm favourites both with tourists and locals, mainly for its stunning 4 mile beach, and the annual run of large sailfish that pass just offshore.
Year round, the hotels in the area are humming with activity and so it is definitely in with a strong mention for those looking for a few of the larger hotels that the coast has to offer.
Do see our best camps & lodges in Southern Beaches picks for 2026/27 on this page.
South of Mombasa
South of Mombasa run a series of small, privately owned and managed lodges, set on quiet coves, away from the general melee of the more well known beaches. A few of the less known, but truly fantastic lodges along this coast, between Mombasa and Diani, are Msambweni House and Kinondo Kwetu… both being ideal for either families or honeymooners.
Other than these, Diani beach is in a similar vein to that of Watamu… an absolutely stunning, white beach running along the coast for as far as the eye can see with perfect blue waters. Again, this areas is also a good place to base yourself if you are a keen fisherman and, with restaurants such as the Forty Thieves nearby, Diani is a really good option for those looking for a little more than just a beach.
Do see our best camps & lodges in Southern Beaches picks for 2026/27 on this page.
Best time to visit Southern Beaches
As with Lamu Island to the north, the best time to visit the southern beaches is dictated by the rainfall and the trade winds, the Kusi and the Kazkazi that blow along the coast.
As a general rule, the dry months between June and October and again from January to March are reliably warm and without rainfall. The Kusi winds tend to be the stronger and blow from mid-May to the end of October, bringing choppier waters and stronger winds.
Do see our interactive best time to visit Southern Beaches guide on this page as well as on our parent guide to kenya page for more in-depth information on when to go.
Or call us on +44 1525 840 149. That’s what we’re here for.
Need more help?
As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on USA +1-917-336-2937
This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.
With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.
Alternatively please feel free to › send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.
Get help with a Safari to Southern Beaches
As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on USA +1-917-336-2937
This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.
With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.
Alternatively please feel free to › send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.
Where is Southern Beaches?
Southern Beaches
