A visit to Kenya’s Diani Beach area has long been high on our list of things to do in East Africa. We finally made it there for a couple of days last September and it already has and will continue to influence the advice we have for prospective travelers to Kenya. While we previously may have primarily mentioned Zanzibar as an attractive option to spend a few days at the conclusion of a Kenya trip as a beach and culture (Stone Town) destination, that is no longer the case.

While Zanzibar certainly remains an option, we think visitors have several other excellent spots to choose from, including two properties which we visited this last summer, being Almanara and Kinondo Kwetu, both south of the town of Diani Beach. Yet more options – but not quite as ‘beachy’ as either Zanzibar or Diani Beach, are the towns of Lamu and Shela in the north, along the Swahili Coast.

Almanara Villas and Boutique Hotel

Of the two Diani Beach resorts which we visited, Almanara offers probably the most convenient accommodation option for older or less mobile guests, with several rooms inside the main boutique hotel, on ground level, or just one flight of (large) steps up from the lobby area and the inside-outside restaurant, with the pool being close by as well. From the lobby it is a short walk to the beach, and likewise to the adjacent Sails restaurant, which is operated as a separate entity. You will likely be invited to enjoy dinner there one night, in lieu of the daily in-house options included in the price at the hotel. We found the food at Almanara to be exceptionally good and could not fault a thing.

The beach at Almanara is pretty, with a huge wide stretch of white sand, but depending on the tide situation, not always swimmable. At low tide the water recedes a good 200 meters or so from the edge of the beach. To be sure, there were some ‘beach boys’ around who were keen to sell us something/anything, but a firm no is all you need to be armed with. Almanara has security personnel at the edge of the property to keep an eye on hotel guests. And on the beach boys, one would imagine.

Our spacious room at Almanara (complete with WiFi in the room) had a couple of lounge chairs in a wrap-around verandah overlooking the pool, with the edge of the ocean perhaps 100 meters away. Always there but with the view partially obscured by trees and palms. Almanara has a beautiful and well maintained pool with crystal-clear water. It may be a little close to the front verandah and restaurant seating area of the main building but not right on top of it.

Kinondo Kwetu

Kinondo Kwetu, the other option for a few days in Diani Beach, is considerably more ‘hands on’ in terms of the degree of personal attention from the management and staff, and the place really runs like a Swiss watch. The Swedish owners have built it up into a showpiece of a property with easily the best resort pool we have ever seen, anywhere. Just stunning. There is also a smaller ‘adults only’ pool closer to the beach. Meals were superb and every single one was served in a different location, either on the edge of the beach, on the verandah just outside your room, or somewhere secluded and romantic. Some of the rooms involve a bit more in the way of stairs than the ones at Almanara, but the rooms are beautifully decorated and have lots of charm. Very much in the style of ‘old Africa’, with everything built and decorated in Swahili style, with local artifacts and fabrics. Tasteful and stylish, yet comfortable.

There are horses, tennis courts and several optional activities available at Kinondo Kwetu but we were perfectly content to spend time at the beautiful pool and to walk along the beach – it’s spectacular despite some seaweed which drifts in overnight at certain times of the year. Ocean bathing is at its best when the tide is in, but there is a concrete pathway leading off the beach at Kinondo Kwetu so it is possible to walk to the edge of the (shallow) waves during low tide to swim. The beach was super quiet, and we didn’t see a single vendor or kite surfers like elsewhere in Diani Beach. Anna, the General Manager, was as helpful and courteous as she could possibly be, particularly when one of us came down with some sort of malaise.

Diani Beach is easily reached by air from Nairobi on a scheduled Safarilink flight and the flight on the day of departure connects with most evening flights out of NBO. Two other reasons to choose Diani Beach or the Lamu-Shela area over Zanzibar: no need to obtain yet another costly visa (for entering Tanzania) and the recently introduced mandatory trip insurance required for entry into Zanzibar. Nothing less than a brazen money grab in our opinion.

Shela, Lamu and Manda Bay

The small village of Shela is a 15-minute walk or short boat ride from the town of Lamu. Lamu is fascinating on many levels; but it is best experienced with a guide. Shela, on the other hand, is 100% relaxed and ideal for simply poking around on your own, finding little boutique shops and coffee vendors, petting a baby donkey, photographing the amazing doors, spending some time people-watching at the Peponi Hotel, and more. We would usually suggest including a few guided activities (a guided village walk, dhow cruise and interactive lunch) but Shela really lends itself to exploring and taking in the atmosphere, the people and the setting.

To me, spending a few days in Shela at the end of a recent November trip to Kenya was the best thing we’ve done in quite a while. Every minute was absorbing and filled with new and exciting experiences. These included having kikoi pants tailored for us, enjoying an interactive samosa-making lunch in a local home, and being taken on a guided tour of Lamu. The entire area was fascinating.

In the same area, Manda Bay is a private island lodge in a quiet, beautiful spot in the Lamu archipelago, a 30-minute boat ride from Lamu and Shela. Manda Bay would be the ideal spot for the last few days of a Kenya trip to experience the beach and the water. It is family run and there will almost always be some of the owners’ friends and family around, making for a fun and relaxed environment.

Ask Bert about spending a few relaxing days on the Kenya coast, at the conclusion of a Kenya safari.  bert@fisheaglesafaris.com – or leave a message at 713-467-5222.

Manda Bay photo courtesy Manda Bay/Kerry Roberts