Although you might associate Kenya with big game safaris and other inland adventures, the country is also a great place to go scuba diving.
With over 300 miles of coastline along the warm Indian Ocean, more and more people are discovering why scuba diving in Kenya makes for an incredible trip.
One of the best places to go is the Watamu Marine National Park, located around half an hour north of Mombasa.
This well protected area of the Kenyan coastline is home to the endangered green sea turtle.
The turtles lay their eggs on the beaches at Watamu and can be seen throughout the reef in the park as well.
There are several outfitters in the area, but one that comes highly recommended is Dive Kenya.
Another good place to go is Malindi National Park, just up the B8 road on the coast in Malindi.
Located just off the beach, it’s no wonder that scuba diving around Malindi is such a popular activity.
The outcrops of coral and the various reefs make this a haven for brightly colored fish.
And in the deeper waters, there are shoals of pelagic fish.
South of Mombasa, Diani Beach is more known for its luxury resorts, but also makes a great place for diving.
Dive Diani offers daily trips off the coast with the Baracuda Diving Team to over a dozen dive sites in the area, including several shipwrecks.
Of course, one doesn’t even need to leave Mombasa to go scuba diving.
The Mombasa Marine Park and National Reserve is a coral island located just off the coast where you can see lots of marine life, including whale sharks (pictured above).
Due to the warm water of the Indian ocean, it doesn’t really matter where or what time of the year you go, as ocean temperatures are always between 75-85F (24/30C).
