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Dive sites at Diani Beach
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Baobab
A big main reef spreading down south offering lots of fish a place to play. Top reef starts at 14 metres. being the reef with most variety of corals. Turtles, groupers, moray eels and lots of stingrays have found a home here. Stonefish, ghost moray eel and turtles are the highlights of this dive. Macro and wide angle lenses are recommended.
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Maisha Marefuu
Our biggest patch reef (small individual coral reef distributed over sandy bottom) at the south coast. Every single reef offers different species. Small boulders offer shelter for soldier fish, shrimps and big moray eels. Stingrays, sea moth, turtles, snappers, groupers, leaf fish, octopus, scorpion fish, lion fish, trigger fish and whatever you like more to see ... here are the best chances to do so.Top reef starts at 8 mtrs. in the sandy part sloping down to max. 26 mts. Zoom lens best choice.
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Kinondo
Probably our best dive spot for daily departures.Main reef top at 10 metres. down to 31 metres with slopes and walls. Smaller reef in the south at 22 metres. to see "schools" of leaf fish, amazing nudibranches, giant moray eel and lots more. On the main reef giant groupers, fusiliers, barracudas, fish, crocodile fish, leaf fish, octopus, lion fish, shrimps and lobsters as well as the curious red toothed trigger fish are inhabitants which welcome the divers immediately. Bigger fish, sharks and manta rays have been seen. Zoom, wide angle and macro ... for all kind of photography a perfect spot.
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Nyuli Reef
The "creme-de-la-creme" of the Kenyan dive spots along the south coast has Nyuli Reef on the top of its list. Located in the protected National Marine Park Shimoni, where fishing is prohibited by law and protection of the reef not just a word. A "must-go" for divers who have seen the best and for those who always wanted to dive in an abundant fish life, hovering between an amazing variety of soft and hard corals and enjoying big schools of barracuda, snappers, sweetlips and blue striped snappers. Bigger fish can be seen regularly. Manta rays, sharks, stingrays and shovelnose guitar rays are common guests on this reef. Only for experienced divers. Due to the weather conditions, this dive excursion can only be offered during dry season.
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Pink Reef
Probably the most amazing reef in the National Marine Park at Kisiti Atoll. The pink reef is home for lots of glass fish, ghost moray eels, some very rare nudibranches, giant moray eel, blue spotted sting rays and turtles pass by regularly. Its top reef starts at 14 metres. descending to only max. 17 metres. into sandy bottom. A wonderful cover of pink soft corals have given this reef its name. A cloud of colours will welcome you the moment you are near this reef..
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Kisite Atoll Inside
The best place for dive beginners and snorkels. This reef has a wide topreef starting at 3 metres.descending to not more than 8 metres. offering a great variety of fish life and great visibility. Best place to see and swim with Dolphins.
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H.M.S. Hildasy (Wreck)
In 1945 the mine sweeper vessel H.M.S. Hildasay has been called for assistance of her sister ship, ran during this action aground and became a wreck. parts of the ship have been washed ashore where they have been integrated for house building. The complete British-Kenyan crew were rescued without loss. The wreck lies in a depth of 24-17 metres. and offers good shelter for all kind of small stuff. Nevertheless also bigger fish like mantas, sharks, kobias etc.approach the wreck for a visit. Macro lens and wide angle (depending on visibility) are recommended for photographers. Due to the depth, recommended for experienced divers only.
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Coral Reef
A perfect spot for beginners and macro freaks. Top reef starts at 6 metres to a max. of 22 metres. Juvenile Barracudas as well as frogfish, sepia, crocodile fish and lots of school fish can be seen here. A big area full of anemones allows to study the clown fish and their behaviour. Good place to see huge shells. Zoom lens is recommended for photographers. Perfect for beginner divers - easy, shallow dive.
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Tiwi
An amazing reef starting in a depth of 6 metres. dropping down to approx. 25 metres. Very healthy coral growth on the top reef, sloping reef and walls with overhangs and swim throughs. Stingrays can often be seen at the spot. Huge school fish as well as tiny nudibranches and flatworms will not allow any boredom while diving at this spot. Due to the Tiwi River, visibility may vary extremely. Wide angle lens or Macro is perfect for this dive. Best dive time at high tide
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New Place
Not really NEW but well known and loved by divers is this 1,8 km long reef for nice drift dives. A smoothly descending reef slope starting at 6 metres. in the surf zone down to max. 21 metres at the sandy bottom offers a big variety of big coral heads full of life, fish and best of all: TURTLES. This is definitively the best spot to see the Hawksbill and Green Turtle very close. Cowfish, Mantis Shrimp, School of Batfish, Snake eels and also sometimes Dolphins like this reef as our divers do. Zoom lens and wide angle lens are recommended.
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Shark Alley
This reef has been named after its famous "guitar sharks" and white tip reef sharks. Very good conditions for beginners since the reef starts shallow at 7 metres. Always an interesting dive: leaf fish, crocodile fish, blue spotted stingrays, sweet lips, snappers, barracudas are only a few to name. Lucky ones may see dolphins, whale sharks or even whales. Zoom lens is the best choice here. Shallow area for beginners, deeper parts for experienced divers
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Dive Sites at Watumu
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Moray Reef
This site is the home of 'George' the semi-tame giant moray! The buoy line is tied off at a depth of 9-11 metres, near the top of the reef. The drop off is a short swim away, during which, you are lkely to spot octopus, several smaller species of moray, scorpion fish & crocodile fish.The reef, which is encrusted with a wide variety of hard & soft coral, drops off to a sandy bottom at 28-30 metres. George's haunt is half way down the drop off, amongst the overhangs, which also house various other reef creatures - such as leaf fish, stone fish, nudibranchs & perhaps if you are fortunate- frog fish! The dive will take you either north or south of here, along the edge of the reef which is alive with various species of reef fish such as angel fish, butterfly fish, groupers, tangs.
It is also possible to see large honeycomb morays, lobsters, turtles and the larger pelagics such as kingfish, barracuda, rays, napoleon wrasse etc.
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The Canyon
The Canyon is a wonderful divesite combining deep drop-offs with coral gardens, overhangs and an arch.The buoy line here is tied off at a depth of 11-13 metres at the edge of the drop off which descends to a depth of 26-28 metres. Here there are a series of overhangs and an arch filled with glass fish and soft corals, underneath which you are likely to see an uncommon creature - the ribbon eel. South of the buoy is the'canyon' itself - a sandy channel with steep drop offs on two sides. At certain times of the year it is possible to see black or white tipped reef sharks lying in the sand at the bottom of the'canyon, or large groupers & rays cruising down the channel. The reef on the other side is alive with large schools of trevallies, fuseliers, snappers, spade fish or sometimes, something larger passing by in the deep water! On the top of this reef is a prolific 'coral garden', where it is often possible to see turtles.
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Brain Coral
This dive site is named after a very large piece of 'rose' coral (!) which is situated next to the buoy line at a depth of 11-13 metres.
The 'rose' coral is home to many different species of marine life - octopus, scorpion fish, lion fish, nudibranchs - to name a few! The reef slopes down gently on either side of the 'rose' coral to a depth of 13-15 metres on the landward side & 21-23 metres on the seaward side. In the channel on the north side of the coral, the sand is 'alive' with garden / sand eels & you can also occasionally see blue spotted & thorn-tail rays. South of the buoy is a beautiful example of the vivid pinky-red 'fire' anemone. Further south are several overhangs laden with white & yellow soft corals which play host to many of the smaller species of marine life. Here you will also swim through vast 'clouds' of anthias (jewel fish) & glass fish - it is not unusual to be caught amongst these fish when huge schools of trevally and emperor fish power their way through in their quest for food. It is also here that we have had most of our underwater dolphin 'experiences' - though these are not a common occurrence!There are often sightings of turtles & large napoleon wrasse in this vicinity.
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Drummers Reef
This is a shallow diving site, suitable for beginners or a second dive of the day. The buoy line is tied off at the edge of a shallow sandy channel at a depth of 9-11 metres. A careful look around the sandy channel (dotted with coral heads) will reveal blue-spotted rays, moses sole, false stonefish, crocodile fish & the occasional larger ray. The seaward side of the sandy channel drops down over a series of overhangs to a sandy bottom at 26-28 metres. Here it is possible to see lion fish, morays, scorpion fish, leaf fish, turtles, napoleon wrasse and occasionaly dolphins, mantas or other pelagic rays. The landward side of the sandy channel is surrounded by a profusion of eye-catching hard corals such as staghorn coral, boulder corals, table corals etc. Here you are also likely to encounter turtles and maybe a passing barracuda.
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Mida Wreck
The Mida wreck is an ex-shrimp trawler. Because the wreck is close to the mouth of the salt water Mida Creek there are substantial tidal water movements around the wreck so dives can only take place at high neap tides. It is a small (20+ metres), steel hulled trawler, which lies on it's side in sand at a depth of approximately 14 metres - making this an ideal dive for those who have never visited a wreck before. The boat went down in about 1988, & it is interesting to note the coral growth & the marine life that has established itself here since it sank. You will see snappers, sweepers, leaf fish, lobster, scorpion fish, stone fish, octopus etc. It is also possible to see large grouper lurking in the old refrigeration rooms. The wreck is not suitable for penetration.
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Bamburi Beach Area
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CORAL GARDEN:
This site is inside reef, excellent for beginners and courses; 7 meters
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BRAIN CORAL
: A good chance to play with a octopus, the large brain coral is at 18 meters
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LOBSTER BANK:
Watch the lobsters but don't catch them
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GREEN TURTLE
Lots of green turtles can be seen ;also breeding in season. 10 - 22 meters
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SHARK POINT:
White tip reef sharks cruise by most days 12 - 21 meters
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MTWAPA CREEK:
Only for experienced divers, with giant groupers, black sting ray, barracuda. 17 - 25 meter
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GLOBE STAR:
A beautiful wreck at 7 - 10 meter
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THE WALL:
a nice drop off 14 - 35 meter
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