Kenya’s south coast

Diani Beach

White coral sand, a sheltering reef and the Indian Ocean — the perfect end to an East African safari.

The setting

Where the day begins

A coral reef holds Diani’s lagoon calm and clear, and the beach runs white in both directions for as far as you can see.

Alfajiri — Swahili for dawn — sits on its edge, facing east, the ocean for sole horizon. Every morning the sun comes up straight out of the sea.

Coastline: 11 miles, from the Kongo River to Galu Beach
Climate: 26.7°C on average, year-round
Time zone: East Africa Time, UTC+3

The beach & the sea

Sand, reef and open ocean

The sand is fine white coral, the water warm enough to swim in every month of the year. At low tide the lagoon inside the reef turns to glass and sandbanks rise from it — walk out to them at dawn, or wade the rock pools beneath the cliff.

Beyond the reef, the Indian Ocean runs deep blue all the way to the horizon.

A sandbank rising out of the turquoise lagoon at low tide

Things to do

In and on the water

Everything Alfajiri can arrange

People & culture

The people of the coast

Diani is more than its beach. It sits where the Swahili world meets the rest of Kenya.

A dhow under sail at dusk, a fisherman at the stern

A fisherman with his basket traps in the boat

The Swahili coast

Life by the tide

For a thousand years this coast has traded by dhow with Arabia, Persia and India, and Swahili culture grew out of that meeting. The Digo have fished Diani’s reef for centuries, and still keep the sacred Kaya forests a few minutes south of the villas.

Before sunrise the fishermen wade their ngalawa outriggers out through the lagoon; by evening the dhows come home under lateen sail.

We can arrange

A morning out with Diani’s fishermen
A guided walk through Kaya Kinondo sacred forest
Mombasa Old Town and Fort Jesus

Camels walking along the white sand of Diani Beach

Getting here

From the bush to the beach

Alfajiri is the natural last chapter of an East African safari — dust of the plains in the morning, the Indian Ocean by the afternoon. Whether you join us from the bush, from Nairobi or straight off an international flight, we arrange every transfer.

By airBy road

From safari
10 minairstrip to villa
Fly into Ukunda
Light aircraft link the Maasai Mara, Amboseli and Samburu with Ukunda Airstrip — scheduled with Safarilink, usually via Nairobi Wilson, or direct by private charter.
From Nairobi
1 hr 15in the air
A short hop to the coast
Jambojet flies to Ukunda from Jomo Kenyatta International, and Safarilink from Wilson Airport, several times a day — about an hour and a quarter in the air.

By airBy road

From abroad
1 hrairport to villa
Via Mombasa
Moi International Airport in Mombasa has direct flights from Europe — Condor and Discover from Frankfurt, Neos from Italy, TUI from Amsterdam — and connections through Istanbul, Addis Ababa and Dubai. The Dongo Kundu bypass brings Diani within about an hour.

Good to know

Questions, answered

When is the best time to visit?

Diani Beach enjoys an average of 26.7°C year-round. July to September and January to March bring the coolest, driest conditions — though there is no bad season on this coast.

Do we need a visa?

Most visitors to Kenya need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), applied for online before you travel. Requirements change, so check the current rules for your passport well ahead of your trip.

Are there any health precautions?

The Kenyan coast is a malaria area. Speak to your doctor or a travel clinic about antimalarials and vaccinations a few weeks before you travel.

What currency should we bring?

The Kenyan Shilling is the primary currency, though US Dollars are widely accepted, as are MasterCard, Visa and American Express.

Plan your stay

The edge of the Indian Ocean awaits

Arrive from safari, stay for the sea.

Enquire now Check availability