The offshore Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve has impressive marine life, although it cops some pollution from industry in the area. You can hire glass-bottomed boats for a couple of hours for around KSh2500 (excluding park fees), but you'll need to be seriously silver-tongued to whittle the price down that low.
Mombasa Marine National Park & Reserve
South Coast
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
5 MILES
This 16th-century fort and Unesco World Heritage treasure is Mombasa’s most visited site. The metre-thick walls, frescoed interiors, traces of European…
26.91 MILES
This park is among the easiest to visit in Kenya, within spitting distance of Diani Beach, with numerous driving routes and a couple of hiking trails. Its…
-
22.4 MILES
This sanctuary is a good example of community-based conservation, with local people acting as stakeholders in the project. It was opened in October 1995…
-
28.77 MILES
This forest, sacred to the Digo people, is the only one of the area's sacred forests that's open to visitors. Visiting this small grove is a nature walk,…
-
5.15 MILES
These Swahili ruins, just north of Mtwapa Creek, have as much archaeological grandeur as the more famous Gede ruins. Jumba la Mtwana means ‘Big House of…
-
1.25 MILES
This lovely wildlife sanctuary, part of the Baobab Adventure complex, includes a fish farm and reptile park. Guided walks around the park last about 1½…
-
24.57 MILES
Just outside the village of Takaungu, you fly on the back of a motorbike down dirt roads, past spiky fields of sisal and giant baobabs towering above…
-
25.33 MILES
Notice the monkeys clambering on rope ladders over the road? The 'colobridges' are the work of the Colobus Conservation Centre, which aims to protect the…
Nearby South Coast attractions
1 MILES
Busy with vacationing Kenyan families and snack sellers peddling their wares, Kenyatta Beach is the place to come if you're looking for a totally local…
1.17 MILES
This attractive strip of white sand practically disappears at high tide – particularly its northern end. At the southern end of the beach, look out for…
1.25 MILES
This lovely wildlife sanctuary, part of the Baobab Adventure complex, includes a fish farm and reptile park. Guided walks around the park last about 1½…
1.59 MILES
Lined with a couple dozen hotels, Bamburi Beach is a 6km stretch of palm-shaded white sand. Outside low tide, the waters are good for swimming, and there…
5. Mamba Village Crocodile Farm
2.89 MILES
This is the largest reptile farm in Kenya, with guided tours taking you past several pools where you can see the crocs in various stages of development:…
4.9 MILES
Founded in 1570, Mandhry Mosque in the Old Town is the city's oldest, and an excellent example of Swahili architecture, which combines the elegant…
5 MILES
This 16th-century fort and Unesco World Heritage treasure is Mombasa’s most visited site. The metre-thick walls, frescoed interiors, traces of European…
5.06 MILES
Dating from 1902, the old law courts on Nkrumah Rd have been converted into an informal gallery, with regularly changing displays of local art, Kenyan…