Turtle Bay Reef [Courtesy]
The boat chunters further out to the sea. We sit on the roof and watch the flying fish that accompany us as we head out towards the reef. Patches of sandy bottom appear, and the boat halts next to a collection of buoys.
As we anchor, I hold my daughter's hand and we leap from the rooftop into the aquamarine sea. Laughing euphorically, we surface, all around us are fish, more than I have ever seen in my life. My daughter, apprehensive at first, fixes her mask and gazes at the world beneath the waves. Her delight is written all over her face… she is six and this is the first time she has snorkelled a coral reef.
Onboard the boat my other kids and friends are fixing masks and leaping jumping into the water, we spend 2 hours peering beneath the waves. Huge parrotfish, batfish, surgeonfish and angelfish dart among the corals. My kids spot Nemo and Dory. We arrive onshore, salty mermaids with enormous grins.
We are in Watamu, the palm tree strewn, white sand beaches of Kenya’s coastline. Just an hour on a plane from Nairobi is paradise. A place of sleeping mangroves and virgin beaches littered with ghost crabs. Dhows traverse the coastline disgorging tourists at snorkelling spots, whilst fishermen take canoes to the water to catch crayfish in the lagoon.
It is a timeless place; peer between the trees to find villages that are little changed in centuries, to spot colonial houses where wealthy Nairobians drink gin and tonics whilst chefs prepared fish suppers. A place of sea and salt and shells, where the seasons don't change. Always hot, tropical and near-deserted, this is as far from the mainstream beaches of Europe and America as you can get. This is the wild place you’ve been searching for since you read The Beach back in your youth. And for us Kenyans, it’s right here on our doorstep.
Back at the house, we are have turned our bodies ‘European pink’ in the sun. Suitably ridiculous looking and in considerable discomfort we leave discussions on the benefit of suntan cream and decide to hit the Crab Shack.
We pile into Tuk-tuks as red as our faces and bump along dusty tracks, through pastoral land to the lagoon. Smiling faces peer from manyattas of straw and mud and children run after us laughing hysterically (pretty sure it was the sunburn).
We arrive at a mangrove boardwalk at the far end of Mida Creek. Palm trees tower over mangrove trees that dip beneath the lagoon waters. We spot hiding mudskippers, terrapins and giant crabs. It is a damp, sticky, windless world of complete languid beauty.
The mangrove boardwalk takes us through surreal forest, and whilst the boardwalk scares the kids at first they are soon running up and down chasing tiny black crabs.
The Crab Shack teeters at the end of the boardwalk with views across the lagoon; this is the best place in Watamu for sundowners. We eat tiny crispy samosas filled with crabmeat and sip on cold beers.
The sun shimmers on the water and the sky turns red. We consider one of the 3kg crabs that they catch in the lagoon for supper but the kids have gleefully pointed out enormous webs in the trees which are festooned with orb spiders. The thought of walking through them in the dark feels less than appealing so we return to the tuk-tuk and head home.
The next day we hit Papa Remo beach. Some of us walk the 6 km there from our spot on Turtle Bay. An easy hour and a half walk it takes us across the 3 beaches that form Watamu. At the southern end, Turtle Bay sits next to Mida Creek and Watamu Marine Park proper.
Walking north we cross a small headline into sleepy and secretive Watamu Beach, a crescent moon of tidal beach and big houses hidden in a tropical forest. Across another headland, we enter a ghost village at the northern end of Papa Remo beach. The abandoned resort is painted black by time and tide, crumbling stone buildings have been taken over by Agama lizards and monkeys. Past the resort and the glittering beauty of Papa Remo beach is revealed to us. This is the best beach in town. Sandbars snake their way between beds of shallow coral and seaweeds. Lukewarm plunge pools lied between the sandbars.
We spend hours chasing blue-spotted rays though the shallows and red crabs up the rocks. A fisherman takes us out to the tidal break where we feed moray eels that are lured out of the rocks by fish on a stick. We collect shells and old sea urchin husks before collapsing in the shallow pools and lying prone beneath the azure blue sky. Time for a drink, we head to Papa Remo restaurant and order giant margaritas cocktails and incredible crispy pizza covered baked eggplant and feta cheese. We are salted, sanded and sated and utterly content. This is the way to holiday.
Watamu is a 90km stretch of white sand coastline that sits opposite Watamu Marine Park. The white sand coves are broken up by rocky headlands and protected by coral islands. 1km out to sea is Watamu Marine Park protected by a reef. Inside the reef, the water is a placid playground perfect for snorkelling and kitesurfing, beyond the reef divers can head down to 28 metres to spot small sharks and barracuda.
The water is alive, even a metre out to sea you can spot rays, eels and all manner of tropical fish. Watamu Marine Park shelters Olive, Ridley and Green turtles and all along the coastline you will see turtle nests protected by a circle of sticks. At the right time of the year, you may see them hatch and scurry down to the shore.
Where to stay
The larger resorts are all on Turtle Bay beach. Family-friendly Turtle Bay, posh and expensive Hemmingway’s, exotic Medina Palms and mid-range Ocean Sports Village. The rest of Watamu is made up of large houses and villas. At the southern end of Watamu is Mida Creek a lagoon that heads 12km inland. Mangroves trees line the lagoon and some large villas can be found here, they are cheaper but in the summer months, Oh! So Hot. This is because there is little wind. Truly the wind is welcome at the coast any time of the year.
Where to eat
Try Pilipan for fresh seafood and a Swahili menu with a view of the lagoon. The Crack Shack for unbeatable samosas or whole crab caught daily. Papa Remo for authentic Italian pizza or Non-Solo Gelato for ice cream to rival any of Italy’s best.
Getting to Watamu
Local flights fly into Malindi, which is the nearest airport and fly several times a day from around 70 USD. Flying from Nairobi to Mombasa is cheaper approx. 50 USD but you will need to take a two-hour taxi journey.
The SGR Train travels from Nairobi to Mombasa twice a day. The morning train takes 6 hours. Local tip: get out one stop before Mombasa at Marikani to avoid the city traffic and reduce time on both the train and in the taxi. Tickets cost Ksh3000 for adults and Ksh1500 for kids in first-class. For second-class, adults will need Ksh1000 and kids would pay Ksh500.
