One of our favourite excursions in Kenya was our diving trip to visit the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park and Reserve. This protected area of the Indian Ocean is one of the best places for diving in Kenya. The marine park is only 51 miles from Mombasa and takes 2 hours to reach by car. From our hotel in Diani Beach it was an hour’s drive to the village of Shimoni. This is where you board the boats to get around the marine park.

We wanted to visit Kisite Marine Park for one reason, in the park lives several pods of wild dolphins. As the marine park is protected, the dolphins are too and they love being the centre of attention. Kisite marine park is one of the best places to see wild dolphins in Kenya. There are also many small islands within the marine park which you can stop on, we stopped for lunch on Wasini island which is one of the best for viewing the dolphins.

We booked a diving trip to see the dolphins in Kenya through pilli pipa dhow safari tours. The full day included transportation, a dolphin Dhow Safari around the marine park, 2 scuba dives with full scuba equipment and dive guide and 3 course Swahili lunch on Wasini Island.  A dhow is a traditional Arab fishing boat, common throughout the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

We chose this dive centre based on our checklist of criteria as they only allow a maximum of 6 divers with 3 divers per guide. When we arrived we discovered that we were the only scuba divers on our tour, so it was a great personal experience.

They also had a strict code of conduct with regards to interacting with the dolphins, including a no touching policy. We really liked this fact, as we only participate in ethical animal tourism.

The rest of our tour group were able to snorkel in the marine park and drinks and snacks were provided on the dhow safari boat.

The water was quite rough and stormy when we went so, we would recommend taking motion sickness medication if you get sea sick.

The Dive

The scuba diving equipment was in good condition and the guys on the boat were more than happy to help us get kitted up and into the water.

Our guide was very experienced and knowledgeable, and the water was comfortable at around 24-26 degrees celcius.

On our first dive we saw lots of fish and some turtles. There was also a moray eel hiding under a rock that wasn’t happy about being disturbed.

On the second dive we saw more turtles, a couple of rays and lots of beautiful shoals of fish but unfortunately no dolphins. The visibility in the marine park wasn’t very clear because of the bad weather but we were happy with our experience diving in Kenya.

Once the second dive was over, we got back on the boat and as we were getting dry the dolphins arrived.

Typical.

They were so playful jumping in and out of the water around the boat, we were glad to see them but sad that it wasn’t while we were in the water diving. We watched the dolphins playing around the boat for 30 minutes before they moved on, it was magical to see them in their natural habitat.

After the morning of diving and dolphin watching we headed to Wasini island for lunch. The dhow boat was too large to dock near the island so instead we climbed into smaller boats and made our way to the island.

When we were near we realised there was no dock and we had to jump out of the boat into the shallow waters and wade onto the shore. This was fun for us as we had shorts on and we didn’t mind getting them wet, but some other tourists didn’t look very impressed.

We then had to climb a sandy path and up some steps to the dining area where there was a place to leave shoes and a foot bath to wash the sand off your feet before entering.

Lunch Time

Before the meal there was a traditional Kenyan dance and song, the meal was delicious with lots of traditional Swahili delicacies to enjoy.

First course was a homemade fish soup and chapati bread. The main course was served buffet style and consisted of whole crab, fresh fish goujons, chicken, cassava, coconut rice, salads and vegetables. Dessert was a lemon pudding and selection of pastries, followed by traditional citronella tea or Kenyan coffee.

After lunch was over we had time to sit and relax on the many comfortable sitting areas, or around the pool and admire the colourful birds on the island. Before long it was time to head back to the small boats and onto the dhow. This time we had a short 10-15 minute walk through the small jungle area on the island. On the walk we stopped a few times to marvel at the sounds of the birds and the peaceful waves all around us. We followed the path through the trees to the other side of the island where there was a small dock and a ladder down to the boats.

It was certainly an experience and not for the athletically challenged.

More to see in Shimoni

Back on the mainland the driver asked if we wanted to stop at the nearby village of Shimoni and see the historical slave caves. We were feeling tired by this point and wanted to get back to our hotel and get showered, so we declined.

The slave caves are a community project and features British colonial ruins and the caves which apparently housed the slaves before their journey from the port across the seas, you can visit for a small fee of 400 Kenyan shillings (£2.70/$3.60US) and all proceeds go back into other community projects.

The area where the bus was parked had a public bathroom to use before the journey back to the hotel. There were also lots of wild baboons around which was fun to watch while waiting for other people.

The overall trip cost $160US each for everything which we thought was very good value. If you are not a scuba diver you can still enjoy the tour and snorkel and see the Wasini island dolphins for a reduced price. You can book your tour here.

Whenever you plan to go scuba diving we recommend having travel insurance that covers you for any accidents or injuries. Check out World Nomads for comprehensive scuba diving insurance.

Have you been diving in Kenya or to Wasini island to see the dolphins? Let us know in the comments if you have seen wild dolphins before!

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