Marine parks in Kenya : Our beautiful beaches and our unique marine life, which includes dolphins, whales, sea turtles, corals, sea grasses, and sea birds, are both vitally protected by marine parks.
Planning a beach holiday to the Kenyan coast should include visiting Marine National Parks. The top marine national parks in Kenya are listed here for your convenience.
Watamu Marine National Park
One hundred twenty kilometres north of Mombasa is the Watamu Marine National Park. The park is a UN World Biosphere Reserve and was established as a protected area in 1968. Green turtles, unusual coral gardens, and the Gede Ruins are the park’s defining features. This park, which has a surface area of 10 square kilometres, is home to some of Kenya’s best marine life, including coral gardens, more than 600 fish species, 110 types of stony coral, as well as invertebrates, mollusks, and crabs. White sandy beaches, snorkelling, water skiing, windsurfing, and glass-bottom boat cruises are all available for visitors to enjoy. They can also dive into the Canyon to witness rays and reef sharks, as well as endangered green sea turtles, octopuses, and barracuda. The cost of admission is Ksh 125 for kids and Ksh 200 for adults.
Malindi Marine National Park
This stunning stretch of Kenya’s Indian Ocean shoreline makes for the ideal escape, offering activities like windsurfing and zebrafish swimming. South of Malindi town is where you’ll find the Malindi Marine National Park. In 1968, the park was established as a protected area, and in 1979, UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site. It has spectacular resources like coral gardens in the lagoons, bordering reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves, mudflats, marine animals, turtles, and a variety of shorebird species.
In this true paradise, visitors may also take glass-bottom boat tours, go snorkelling, camp, and take a beach walk. To enter the park, adults must pay Ksh 200, while kids must pay Ksh 125.
Mombasa Marine National park
Near the Mombasa coastline, between Tudor and Mtwapa Creeks. Warm turquoise waters, swaying coconut palms, and lovely sandy beaches are the hallmarks of Mombasa Marine National Park. The park was created in 1986 as a maritime park. The park safeguards a range of aquatic species, including birds, plants, and marine life. Birds like the crab plover and roseate tern are among the vegetation, along with sea grasses and marine algae. Crabs, Acropora, turbinaria, and porites corals, sea urchins, jellyfish, sea stars, and sea cucumbers are some of the creatures that make up marine life.
Water sports including windsurfing, water skiing, boat cruises, birdwatching, snorkelling, and diving are all excellent in the park’s azure seas. Access to the park is Ksh 200 for adults and Ksh 125 for kids.
Kisite Mpunguti Marine National Park
South of Wasini Island, amid the coral gardens, is where you’ll find Kisite Marine Park, popularly known as the Home of Dolphins. The Park was created to preserve the magnificent islands and unique habitats of a variety of rare marine species and nesting migratory birds. It is unspoiled, lovely, and sun-kissed. More than 200 dolphins, migratory whale sharks, triggerfish, moray eels, angelfish, butterfly fish, groupers, parrotfish, wrasses, scorpion fish, puffer fish, damselfish, rays, snappers, green sea turtles, and hawksbill turtles are among these. Three small coral rag forest islands (Mpunguti ya Juu, Mpunguti ya Chini, and Liwe la Jahazi) that each have sizable tracts of bordering reef are also included in the park. One of the best snorkelling spots along the coast is Kisite. In addition to sunbathing, visitors can enjoy diving and bird watching. Entry fees are Ksh 200 for adults and Ksh 125 for children.
Kiunga Marine National Park
The Kiunga Marine National Reserve is located further north along Kenya’s breath taking Indian Ocean coastline. About 50 rocky island chains and coral reefs are a part of this pristine environment in the Lamu Archipelago.
The coral reefs, sea grass, and vast mangrove forests, which provide a haven for sea turtles and dugongs, are all excellent places for tourists to explore the abundant marine life. Additionally, the park offers fantastic chances for water skiing, sunbathing, diving, and windsurfing. The cost of admission is Ksh 125 for kids and Ksh 200 for adults.
Water sport activities to enjoy in Marine parks
Snorkelling
In several marine national parks along the Kenyan coast, including Watamu Marine National Park, Mombasa Marine National Park, and Malindi Marine National Park, this entertaining activity of swimming while wearing a snorkel is frequently carried out. These parks offer an unforgettable safari experience and make suitable destinations for family safaris. This involves swimming deep into the ocean water while wearing fins and a snorkel. Similar to a wild game drive safari, snorkelling enables one to study the aquatic life in its undisturbed natural habitat. Numerous tropical species, such as clownfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, starfish, sea turtles, reef sharks, and dolphins are just a few of the creatures that can be spotted when snorkelling.
Kayaking
Kayaking is a water sport that is performed with a kayak. With the exception of the paddler’s sitting position and the number of blades on the paddle, it is essentially identical to canoeing. A kayak is a low-to-the-water canoe-like craft in which a seller sits with his legs in front and faces ahead while pulling back and forth on alternate sides with a double-bladed paddle.
This fascinating water sport is practised in Mombasa by passing down Tudor Creek, underneath the Nyali Bridge, and to the English Point Marina, which is close to Fort Jesus. Usually, it is carried out in groups.
Scuba diving
The Queen of sports activities is another name for scuba diving. About 33 wildlife service parks and reserves are located in Kenya. Mombasa Marine National Park, Watamu Marine National Park, Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park, and Malindi Marine National Park are the five that have been classified as Marine National Parks and Reserves. They are the primary locations for scuba diving, and numerous dive shops are located nearby these national marine parks, with Kilifi being another well-liked location.
Scuba diving is a sport that involves swimming underwater while using a self-contained underwater breathing system, or Scuba. What makes it so unique is that the divers have the ability to stay and move underwater for longer periods of time than surface-supplied divers and for longer periods of time than free divers since they carry their own source of breathing gas, which is often compressed air.
Kitesurfing
The sport of kiteboarding, commonly referred to as kitesurfing, involves pulling a rider over a body of water, land, or snow using wind power and a sizable power kite. Kitesurfing is one of the most accessible and affordable sailing activities. Beginners and experienced kite boarders can both benefit from Diani Beach’s Galu section, one of the best spots for kiteboarding. Kitesurfing vacations are made possible by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, the white sand beach, and the steady breeze. Diani Beach offers two seasons for kitesurfing, from the middle of December to March and from June to September. For beginners, there are kitesurfing instructors available, as well as other water sport equipment that can be rented for a fair price.
