Mombasa, Nyali & Bamburi · Kenya · Coral garden · Reef
Nyali Reef
Shallow coral gardens a short ride from the city
Photo: Victor Ochieng · CC BY-SA 2.0
Nyali Reef is the city-adjacent reef of Mombasa, lying in the national reserve on the north coast. It is a shallow and calm dive of no more than 12 m, with coral gardens full of angelfish and butterflyfish, and it is the easy option on this coast for newer divers.
Where it is and how deep
4.0623° S, 39.7123° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive stays over coral gardens no deeper than 12 m, where angelfish and butterflyfish crowd the reef. The water is shallow and calm, which makes this an easy reef for beginners close to the city.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Mombasa, Nyali & Bamburi: November to March brings the calmest seas and the best visibility; the southeast monsoon from May to October adds wind and current.
Sources
- Mombasa diving — TripBase
- Nyali Reef, Mombasa, Kenya — Coral Trait Database
- Diving in Mombasa — SSI
Photo credits
- White sand beach lined with palms beside a turquoise lagoon, small boats moored in the shallows and darker reef water further out by Victor Ochieng, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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