White sand and calm turquoise water at Watamu beach, with small coral islands and a dhow offshore

Your independent guide to Kilifi County

Kilifi County: coral reefs, mangroves and Swahili ruins

Between Mombasa and Malindi, Kenya’s north coast is a place of white beaches and coral gardens, mangrove creeks full of birds, a rare coastal forest and the ruins of Swahili towns. Honest advice, hand-picked tours and everything you need to plan your trip to Watamu, Malindi and Kilifi.

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Why Kilifi County?

More than a beach holiday

The north coast pairs some of Kenya’s best beaches with reefs, forest, history and wildlife, all within an hour of each other.

Snorkel among parrotfish in the morning, walk through the streets of a lost Swahili town after lunch and sail through the mangroves at sunset. Then add a day in Malindi, a sunset over the Marafa canyon or a safari inland to Tsavo East.

We help you choose the right tours, find a good place to stay and time your days around the tides.

1968 the year Watamu and Malindi became marine national parks
1498 the year Vasco da Gama landed at Malindi
420 km² of coastal forest at Arabuko-Sokoke

A small wooded island in Watamu Marine National Park, seen from a boat on the blue sea

Traveller favourites

The best tours & boat trips in Kilifi County

Top-rated experiences booked through Viator, from snorkelling in Watamu and dhow cruises on Mida Creek to the Gede Ruins, Marafa and Tsavo East. Tap any tour for live prices and availability.

A small mangrove-covered islet in the clear green water of Watamu Marine National Park

Boat trip Year-round; calmest from December to March

Watamu Marine Park snorkelling trip

2–3 hours
Watamu

Snorkel the coral gardens among parrotfish and angelfish
Glass-bottom boat views for non-swimmers

Check availability

A dhow with a large triangular sail on the water off the Kenyan coast

Boat trip Year-round, depending on the tide

Mida Creek sunset dhow cruise

2–3 hours
Watamu

Sail through the mangroves as the sun goes down
Wading birds on the sandbanks at low tide

Check availability

A ruined coral-stone house with arched niches at the Gede Ruins, among tall trees

Day tour Year-round

Gede Ruins and Arabuko-Sokoke Forest tour

Half a day
Watamu or Malindi

Walk the streets, palace and mosques of a lost Swahili town
A drive or walk in the forest with a guide

Check availability

The bow of a boat heading out over the blue sea in Malindi Marine National Park

Boat trip Year-round; calmest from December to March

Malindi Marine Park glass-bottom boat

2–3 hours
Malindi

Coral, reef fish and sea urchins through the glass
Time to snorkel in the lagoon

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Sunset over the eroded red gullies of the Marafa canyon

Day trip Year-round; dry seasons are best

Marafa Hell’s Kitchen sunset tour

Half a day
Malindi or Watamu

A walk through red, pink and cream sandstone gullies
Sunset over the canyon with a local guide

Check availability

A pair of Sokoke scops owls perched on a branch in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest

Guided walk Year-round; best early in the morning

Arabuko-Sokoke Forest birdwatching walk

3–4 hours
Gede, near Watamu

Look for rare birds such as the Sokoke scops owl and Clarke’s weaver
Elephant shrews, butterflies and forest trails

Check availability

A leopard sitting on a rock among dry grass in Tsavo East National Park

Safari Year-round; best in the dry seasons

Tsavo East safari from Malindi or Watamu

A full day to 3 days
Malindi, Watamu or Kilifi

Red elephants, lions, giraffes and buffalo on the plains
Day trips or overnight stays in safari lodges

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Calm blue water of the Indian Ocean under a cloudy morning sky off Vipingo

Fishing trip Best from about November to March

Deep-sea fishing from Watamu or Malindi

Half a day or a full day
Watamu or Malindi

Sailfish, marlin, tuna and dorado in the deep water off the reef
Tag-and-release fishing on many boats

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Where to go

Must-see places in Kilifi County

From the coral gardens of Watamu and the mangroves of Mida Creek to the Gede Ruins, Malindi and Marafa.

Coral islets off Watamu beach at low tide, beside a beach building painted with fish

Marine park

Watamu Marine National Park

Coral gardens and turtles

A protected stretch of reef, lagoon and coral islets off Watamu, with coral gardens for snorkelling, glass-bottom boats and sea turtles, run by Kenya Wildlife Service.

Mangroves

Mida Creek

Birds, mangroves and sunsets

A wide tidal inlet behind Watamu, fringed with mangrove forest, where wading birds feed on the sandbanks at low tide and dhows sail at sunset.

Forest

Arabuko-Sokoke Forest

Rare birds and elephant shrews

The largest surviving block of coastal forest in East Africa, home to rare birds, elephant shrews and forest elephants, with trails and a visitor centre near Gede.

Ruins

Gede Ruins

A lost Swahili town

The ruins of a walled Swahili town in the forest near Watamu, with a palace, mosques, houses and pillar tombs, abandoned in the early 17th century.

Town

Malindi

Beaches and Swahili history

A historic Swahili town and beach resort, where Vasco da Gama landed in 1498, with a long beach, a marine park, an old town and a lively mix of cultures.

Canyon

Marafa Hell’s Kitchen

A red sandstone gorge

A maze of eroded sandstone gullies and pinnacles in red, orange and cream, about an hour inland from Malindi, best seen at sunset with a local guide.

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A thatched beach hotel building and loungers on the sand at Turtle Bay, Watamu

Where to stay

Beach resorts, creek-side lodges and town hotels

Where you stay shapes your trip. We compare four areas, with the trade-offs of each and direct hotel searches.

Watamu for the best beaches and snorkelling
Malindi for the most choice and a real town
Kilifi for a quiet creek and Bofa Beach
Vipingo and Mtwapa for an easy hop from Mombasa

Read the accommodation guide Search Kilifi County hotels

Stories & guides

Latest from the blog

Itineraries, reefs, ruins and practical tips for your trip to the north coast.

A red starfish held up on the beach at Watamu at low tide

Itineraries

One day in Watamu: coral gardens, the Gede Ruins and a sunset on Mida Creek

October 30, 2026

A perfect day in Watamu: snorkelling in the marine park at low tide, lunch by the beach, the Gede Ruins in the afternoon and a dhow cruise on Mida Creek at sunset.

The Kilifi Bridge seen from below, rising over the blue water of Kilifi Creek

Itineraries

Three days on the Kilifi coast: Watamu, Malindi and Marafa

October 29, 2026

A three-day plan for Kenya’s north coast: Watamu’s marine park and Mida Creek, the Gede Ruins and the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, then Malindi and a sunset at Marafa.

Snorkellers wading out over the shallow reef at low tide off Malindi

Outdoors

Snorkelling in Watamu and Malindi marine parks: tides, trips and tips

October 28, 2026

How to snorkel the coral gardens of Watamu and Malindi marine national parks: when to go, how the tides work, what you will see, park fees and how to protect the reef.

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Plan like a local

Free Kilifi County travel guides

A dhow with a white sail on the calm water of the Kenyan coast, with another dhow behind

Tours & Tickets

Our pick of tours and day trips in Kilifi County: snorkelling, dhow cruises, the Gede Ruins, Marafa, Malindi and safaris to Tsavo East.

The terminal building and control tower of Malindi International Airport

Getting There

Flights to Malindi and Mombasa, the train from Nairobi, the coast road and getting around by tuk-tuk, matatu and taxi, explained.

A wooden railing above rocky coral cliffs and the Indian Ocean at Watamu

Travel Guide

Seasons, tides, money, health, safety and customs: what to know before you visit Kilifi County.

Plan your coast trip

Coral reefs, mangroves and Swahili ruins

Snorkel the coral gardens of Watamu, sail Mida Creek at sunset, walk through the ruined Swahili town of Gede or watch the sun go down over the Marafa canyon. Compare tours and book in a couple of taps.

Browse coast tours Compare all tours

Good to know

Visiting Kilifi County: your questions answered

Is KilifiCounty.com the official website of Kilifi County?

No. KilifiCounty.com is an independent travel guide. We are not the County Government of Kilifi, Kenya Wildlife Service, a tourism board or a tour operator. When you book a tour through our links, you book with our partner Viator and the tour operator, who handle your booking, changes and refunds.

Where is Kilifi County?

Kilifi County lies on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast, north of Mombasa. It runs from Mtwapa in the south through Kilifi town and Watamu to Malindi and beyond. See getting there.

What is Kilifi County known for?

For the beaches and coral reefs of Watamu and Malindi, the mangroves of Mida Creek, the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, the Swahili ruins of Gede and the red canyon of Marafa. See Watamu Marine National Park.

Should I stay in Watamu or Malindi?

Watamu for the best beaches, snorkelling and a quieter village feel; Malindi for more choice, a real town and the airport. They are only about 30 minutes apart. See where to stay.

When is the best time to visit?

December to March brings hot, sunny weather and the calmest, clearest sea. July to October is also dry, a little cooler and windier. The long rains fall from about April to June. See the best time to visit.

Is the Kilifi coast safe to visit?

Most visits are trouble-free. Take normal care with valuables, use registered taxis or tuk-tuks after dark, and do not walk on empty beaches at night. Check your government’s travel advice before you go. See our travel guide.