Diani Beach is the resort coast south of Mombasa, across the Likoni ferry, with a fringing coral reef offshore. Boats reach 29 dive sites within a 40-minute ride, among them Kinondo's barracuda and snapper schools, the purpose-sunk Alpha Funguo wreck and the drift at Dzinani, with most dives between 10 and 25 m. Divers come for the chance of whale sharks from November to February.
About diving in Diani Beach
Diving at Diani is by boat, with daily trips to the reefs and the wreck. The sites are spread along the fringing reef: some lie a few minutes out, Mwanyaza is a 15-minute ride, Kinondo a 30-minute ride, and 29 sites fall within a 40-minute run. Diani-Chale is among the Kenyan marine parks that protect the fringing coral reef along this coast.
Underwater the sites are gently sloping fringing reef, coral ridges and strings of coral on white sand, plus a fishing trawler sunk as an artificial reef. Kinondo carries schooling barracuda, yellow- and blue-lined snappers, groupers, moray eels and Napoleon wrasse. Dzinani mixes coral life with unusual critters such as pegasus dragonfish and leaf fish, Igloo holds ghost pipefish, mantis shrimps, ribbon eels and cuttlefish, and frogfish and nudibranchs turn up on the wreck.
Diani suits divers who want reef fish and macro life in warm water on short boat rides. Newer divers have Mwanyaza and the shallow western side of Dzinani, while Kinondo, the wreck and the deeper eastern side of Dzinani are rated for intermediate and experienced divers. Photographers after small subjects should ask for the wreck, which is especially good for macro photography.
Best time to dive Diani Beach
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime |
The sea is calmest from October to March. Late November to mid-March is the best time to travel, and whale sharks pass from November through February, so December to February brings calm water and the chance of the headline animal together. March stays calm as the season tails off. The main rainy season runs from April to June and is the worst time to travel. July to September falls between the rains and the calm season, and October brings the settled water back ahead of the whale sharks.
Dive types & marine life
Whale sharks pass from November to February, when there is a chance of swimming alongside one, and dolphins often accompany the boats on the ride out. Turtles are resident on the reef, with green turtles at Dzinani and turtles and stingrays on Mwanyaza, while Kinondo holds the schools of barracuda and snappers.
- Reef
- Wreck
- Drift
- Muck & macro
- Whale sharks
- Sea turtles
- Dolphins
- Barracuda
- Groupers
- Napoleon wrasse
- Stingrays
- Frogfish
- Nudibranchs
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Macro critters
- Trevally & jacks
Best dive sites in Diani Beach
- 1
Kinondo
Reef with the biggest fish population on Kenya's south coast and the best chance of pelagic fish.
- 2
Alpha Funguo Wreck
Former fishing trawler sunk in 2002 as an artificial reef, lying at 18 to 29 m with an abundance of fish.
- 3
Dzinani
Drift dive, easy on the shallower western side and for experienced divers on the deeper eastern side.
- 4
Mwanyaza
Sloping reef with turtles and stingrays, a drift dive for beginners and experienced divers alike.
- 5
Igloo
Reef named for an abandoned underwater habitat, home to a large population of sweetlips.
Site guides
Wreck
A purpose-sunk trawler carrying frogfish, nudibranchs and batfish
Drift
Coral ridges and sand channels with leaf fish and pegasus dragonfish
Reef
Barracuda schools over the most fish-rich reef on the south coast
Reef
Turtles and blue-spotted rays on a long sloping reef
How to get to Diani Beach
International flights land at Mombasa, either direct or via Nairobi with an onward flight, train or bus. From Mombasa the road south crosses an estuary on the Likoni ferry, which runs around the clock, and the trip takes 1 to 1½ hours. Ukunda has a small airport between the beach and the main road. Two dive schools work from Diani Beach.
Photos from Diani Beach
Bernard Picton · CC BY-SA 4.0
Bernard Picton · CC BY-SA 4.0
Giorgio Montersino · CC BY-SA 2.0
Dive videos
Kenya, Diani Beach, scuba diving Galu · BLUE-recording.com on YouTube
Diving @ Kenya (Diani Beach, Dezember 2016) · Trips & Dives by Benjamin Krueger on YouTube
Questions divers ask
When can whale sharks be seen at Diani Beach?+
From November to February, which overlaps the calm season of October to March and the best travel window from late November to mid-March.
Is Diani Beach diving suitable for beginners?+
Partly. Mwanyaza and the shallow western side of Dzinani are easy dives, while Kinondo and the Alpha Funguo wreck are for intermediate and experienced divers.
How do divers get to Diani Beach?+
Most fly into Mombasa, then drive south with a ferry crossing of the estuary, a trip of 1 to 1½ hours. A small airport at Ukunda sits between the beach and the main road.
Is the diving from shore or by boat?+
By boat. The rides run from a few minutes to about 40 minutes, with 29 sites in range of the beach.
Sources
- Alpha Funguo Wreck — Diving the Crab
- Kinondo — Diving the Crab
- Igloo — Diving the Crab
- Mwanyaza — Diving the Crab
- Dzinani — Diving the Crab
- Diani Marine — Diani Marine
- Diani Beach – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
- Coastal Kenya – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
- Mombasa average sea temperatures — SeaTemperature.org
- Diani Beach – Wikipedia — Wikipedia
- Kinondo and Diani dive sites — Scubago
Photo credits
- A slender orange and white sea slug with magenta spots and frilly orange gills, photographed against a black background. by Bernard Picton, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- An oval white sea slug with black stripes running its length and a row of black dots around its edge, on a black background. by Bernard Picton, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Two men push a wooden outrigger canoe with a large white sail through shallow turquoise water, with a low wooded shore behind. by Giorgio Montersino, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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