8 Fun Ways To Get The Ultimate Diani Experience!!

Hello there! 😀 Are you yearning a sunny getaway on the beach? Then this blog post is definitely for you… I hope you are pumped and ready to dive into the Diani experience in a unique way!

With its pristine, white sandy beaches, Diani is one of the places that offers a special way to experience the Kenyan Coast! Moreover, the weather in Diani is quite friendly making it a good destination all year round…

My first visit to Diani was about 4 years ago, and it sufficiently left a lasting impression on my heart. 🙂

Tip: Read about our first Diani experience HERE

I have been yearning a return trip for a while now… So, when my friends Immaculate, Eric, Elijah and I were planning this trip, my expectations were quite high… And in many ways, this Diani experience delivered!

I have structured this post to include: ways to make your Diani travel experience stress-free and the fun activities to look forward to!

8 Fun Ways To Get The Ultimate Diani Experience

How To Get To Diani…Take The Convenient Route!

There are 3 main ways to get to Diani- by air, road and via train. And let’s be honest, the quality of your trip can either be improved or diminished by the means of travel you choose .

In some situations, traveling by road is the best way. While in other instances, flying ticks all the boxes: convenient, reliable, fast and affordable!

The fastest, most convenient and direct way to get to Diani is by air. We got to fly in to Ukunda, with Jambojet from JKIA, and the flight takes about 45 minutes. Although we’d experienced some challenges at the Airport, the flight itself was a breeze! The moment you land in Diani, much of that distinct Nairobi stress & tension promptly wears off. 🙂

The second way is by road (bus) covering a distance of over 520Km, plus a ferry connection from Mainland Mombasa to Diani. This option is the most time-consuming and ranks low on reliability due to traffic delays on the road.

You can also opt to take the SGR (train) from Nairobi to Mombasa, connect to Diani via the ferry across the Likoni channel and then drive to Diani beach. This option takes about 7 hours.

>> I would recommend taking a Jambojet flight, as you’ll save on travel time, arrive while still relaxed and get to immerse yourself into the Diani experience for much longer! 🙂

Tip: Book your tickets way in advance as the Jambojet Diani flights fill up quite fast, and you might chance upon cheaper fares.

Choose To Stay At Swahili House Tiwi! 

When most people go to Diani, they choose the places located around the Diani South Beach Road. And while this offers some access to the beach, you’ll have to contend with loads of other tourists and vendors.

If you are looking for a more private and unique Diani experience, then Swahili House Tiwi is perfect for you! 😀

Located about 30minutes away from Ukunda Airport, Swahili House Tiwi is like a hidden treasure… You’ll drive past tribal villages and coconut farms with lush vegetation and low hanging trees forming canopies above you…

Our hosts at Swahili House were kind enough to send their driver, Suleiman to pick us up from Ukunda… And when we arrived, we were warmly received by our hostess Mary together with the in-house Chef Salome.

Set on 20 acres, Swahili House Tiwi overlooks well-trimmed green gardens with palm trees, a glorious pool and undisturbed views of the deep blue ocean stretching endlessly before you. The sounds of the ocean waves beckoning ever so sweetly are irresistible. 🙂

I love that they have a variety of housing options for guests to choose from depending on your budget as well as your number. You can either stay at the Main House, Pent House, or their cottages. 

During our stay, we had the entire Main house to ourselves although we might as well have had the full place to ourselves. The Main house features 3 massive en-suite rooms with queen and king size beds, one single room, and a pent house that can be booked separately.

Meal times at Swahili House Tiwi are a divine affair… You can almost taste the Coastal culture from the tantalising aroma that fills the house when Salome is in the kitchen. And it feels as if each meal is prepared with a huge dose of love! We especially enjoyed dining on the terrace with the ocean as our backdrop…

And at night, you get to fall asleep to lulling ocean sounds…

Swahili House is the kind of place you’ll want to visit with your loved ones and never wish to leave! This was undoubtedly the best part of our trip, for all 4 of us. 🙂

• The Main House can take up to 8 people, and it costs about Kes. 36,000 per night. They have an ongoing offer of 40% off, so it’s certainly the best time to book that holiday!
• You have the option of cooking for yourself as their cottages are self contained. 
• There’s a 10minute drive to the house on a murram road section that is quite manageable.
• Reach out to Swahili House on 0707394384 or bookings@swahilihouse.com for all their rates and to make a reservation.

Get in Some Much-Needed Vitamin Sea Therapy…

Is it a true Diani experience if you don’t have immediate access to the beach? One of my favourite things about staying at Swahili House Tiwi is that it’s located right next to the beach!

There’s a gate that opens up to the beach end of the property so whether you want to go for a morning run, or a relaxing sunset walk on the beach… you can! 🙂

Our evenings at Swahili House Tiwi were spent on their snowy white beach, enjoying the private feel with hardly any other visitors there…

I’d planned to get in some Yoga at the beach, but Swahili House did me one better! I got to practice Yoga with a view of their green gardens and the pool, plus the lulling sounds of the ocean echoing behind me. It was simply sublime!

Travel Stress Free: Book Your Fun Activities With Kilian Tours!

The one thing you can be certain of when you travel is: things will go wrong! Ha! Our Diani trip was no exception!

I’ve never been so grateful to have a reliable Travel Agency having my back as I did on this trip!

Thanks to ever-changing Airport policies, we had challenges boarding with our drone (story for another day). Thus in trying to find a viable solution, our plans kept changing by the day, sometimes by the hour.

Thankfully, our amazing friends at Kilian Tours & Travel were helpful each step of the way… Our assigned Kilian Travel partners for the trip: Joy and Bakari were not only understanding, but also responsive and flexible, ensuring that we didn’t miss out on any activities. 

The next time you are planning a trip, consider working with a reliable Travel Agency like Kilian Travel. It helps to have someone handling some of the logistics, especially when things go wrong and will help mitigate on the risks.

Many thanks to Kilian Tours for ensuring that our Diani experience was still fun & adventure-filled! 😀

Fun Things To Do In Diani!

Go On a Dhow Cruise: The Wasini Island Tour

The Wasini Island Tour is a must when you visit Diani! The day long tour starts with a 1 hours’ drive from Diani to Shimoni.

Our guide Bakari, from Kilian Tours, picked us up bright & early together with the driver Omar. The drive to Shimoni is beautiful with views of green farmlands and glimpses of how the coastal people live.

In Shimoni, we boarded the dhow (Kaudhar) for a 1 hour cruise to Kisite, while looking out for dolphins. It is quite the scenic trip with the Indian ocean carrying you on its belly and the dhow dancing to the tune of the winds and waves. 🙂

If you like learning more about the regions you visit, then you’ll enjoy this… The Kaudhar dhow operators are knowledgeable, constantly offering fun facts as the cruise progresses.

Tip:

• Carry your National ID card or passport to gain entrance into the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park.
• They hire out flippers at about KES. 500/- for the snorkelling.
• If you usually get sea sick, you may want to get nausea medicine in advance.

Dance and Swim With the Dolphins!

The Kisite Marine Park is one of the best places to go dolphin spotting in Kenya.

Dolphins are some of the friendliest sea mammals in the world… On a good day, the dolphins will show up and put on a spectacular show for you. You might even get to swim in the ocean with them.

But like with anything concerning Mother Nature, this one is a bit of a gamble… And as it happened, we didn’t get to see the dolphins on this trip. Hence all the more reason to go back!

A whole new world: Go Snorkelling!

The Kisite Marine Park is home to approximately 250 known fish species, sea turtles, 70 dolphins, whales, corals and more. And thanks to its shallow waters, it is the perfect spot to go snorkelling and experience a whole new world down under! 🙂

As part of the Wasini Island Tour, you’ll get to go snorkelling and swim in the crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean. If you are a non-swimmer, it’s okay because the guides will accompany you.

Our friends Eric and Elijah had splendid time in the water… You could almost see the look of rejuvenation on their faces after swimming with the fish! 🙂

The thing I loved most about this experience is that the snorkelling spot is next to a small unspoiled island with whitest sandy beach you’ll ever see! And since I was feeling a little seasick, it was healing to be back on the firm ground again. I stayed there with the wet sand sifting through my toes and made peace with the ocean again. Pure bliss! 🙂

Quick Tips:

• The snorkelling gear is usually shared among guests so bring your own, if you can.
• Alternatively, sanitise the snorkelling gear carefully before use.
• Put on water resistant shoes if possible.

Bonus: Eat Like a Local Delicacies!

The Wasini Island Tour ends with a visit to Wasini Village for lunch. Here you’ll get to sample the local Coastal cuisine. The menu includes the fresh catch of the day or chicken, served with coconut rice (wali wa nazi) and coconut sauce. This is included in the overall cost of the tour.

You can also choose seafood items like: grilled lobster, Octopus (grilled or cooked in coconut sauce) prawns or deep fried shrimp, all at an extra cost.

>> Reach out to Kilian Travel to book your Wasini Island Tour on +254 792080300/ 725272222

Fly On Water: Go Jet-skiing! 

If you are an adrenaline lover then Jet-skiing is right up your alley!! Kilian Travel organised a Jet-ski experience for us at Freetyme Fishing and I was feeling both excited and nervous at the same time… mainly because I can’t swim!

This activity involves riding a Jet-ski machine on water, and the beauty of it is that you can either do it solo or with an instructor. To be safe, I chose the instructor route.

Before you begin, they’ll give you a safety brief on how to operate the Jet-ski in a safe way. Surprisingly, I found that the Jet-ski is easy to operate! And once you overcome the initial butterflies, it feels like you are flying on water!! What a thrill! 😀

Tips:

• Wear sturdy water-resistant shoes.
• Dress comfortably in something like shorts that you won’t mind getting wet.
• Jet-skiing costs KES. 4,000/- per person.
• Contact Kilian Travel on +254 792080300/ 725272222 to book your fun Jet-ski experience!

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Many thanks to our partners: Jambojet, Kilian Travel and Swahili House for making this trip an excellent experience! 😀

Photography By:

Erick Kabuthia

Elijah Gitau

&

Marion Mithamo.

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Thank you for reading, I hope you found this blog post on the Diani Experience useful! I would love to hear from you… Do leave your comments/question and inputs in the comment section down below!

Stay safe and see you on the next one!

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