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» Culture & Art
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» Coast Marine Parks
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» Coast Game Parks

Kinunga Marine Reserve

This is Kenya’s most remote marine park, located in the Lamu District with an area of 270 km2. With just two luxury tented tourist camps by the beach, Kiunga is a simple sophisticated tropical paradise of coral reefs, warm clear waters and sand dunes. Not for backpackers, but for dedicated hedonists with some spare cash.
The marine ecosystem incorporates a chain of about 50 calcareous offshore islands and coral reefs in the Lamu Archipelago, running for some 60km parallel to the coastline and adjacent to Dodori and Boni National Reserves on the mainland.
The larger and sheltered inner islands are covered with thorny vegetation including grass, aloes and creepers. The small outer islands provide nesting sites for migratory seabirds. The reserve conserves valuable coral reefs, sea grass and extensive mangrove forests and is also a refuge for sea turtles and dugongs.
Major attractions include Sea turtles, Olive ridley, Reef fish, Lobsters, Sea urchins and Sea star. It is an unspoilt site for wind surfing, diving and snorkeling, water skiing and sunbathing.
 
Kiunga is a remote, unspoilt village on the mainland about 50 km north east of Lamu. Visitors normally fly in to a small airstrip or take a boat ride from Lamu. Kiwayu Island is the only inhabited island in the Kiunga Marine Reserve. At present the park does not operate a smart card system. Entry is by cash only (KSH or US$) There are two luxury tented lodges on Kiwayu
Munira Island Camp: 2 kms north of Kiwayu village, this is a group of simple Bandas with restaurant and bar facilities
Kiwayu Safari Village: nestled on a pristine palm- shaded beach this exclusive camp offers grass- thatched cottages, luxurious amenities and water sports. You need the bare essentials. Sandals or flip flops and T-shirts.  Snorkel, mask, fins, all of which are available for hire.

Malindi and Watamu Marine National Parks. 261sq km

Both marine parks are incorporated in the same Marine National Reserve which have long stretches of casuarinas fringed white sandy beaches. Both Malindi and Watamu are world class for accessibility, beauty and diversity of marine life which live just off-shore on Barracuda and North Reef coral reefs and Turtle and Whale Islands.

Watamu Marine National Park includes the Mida Creek mangrove forest where young coral begins its existence before the tides take it out to the reefs beyond. The forest roots are rich in fish, crabs, prawns and oysters and are also excellent for birdwatching.

The coral reefs are home to over 140 species of hard and soft corals and are the breeding grounds for fish and other marine life. Coral is a vital barrier against the force of the sea, protecting marine organisms and tourists, they keep out dangerous sharks common to the deeper waters, and their colour and the exotic coral fish they support provides a major attraction for tourists.

Tewa Caves, near the mouth of the creek, are partly underwater where Giant Groupers (up to 800lbs) co-exist with many other tropical fish species. Floating slowly over the coral beds you may see brilliantly coloured marine fishes of bizarre shapes, spiny fish urchins, brightly hued seas slugs, crabs and starfish.

Shore birds include; sanderlings, curlew sandpipers, little stints, whimbrel and greenshanks and three species of plovers: grey, great sand and mongolian sand.Non-breeding visitors include terns and gulls. They are; swift, lesser crested and saunders' little terns and the sooty or hemprich's gull.

Mombasa Marine Reserve

Mombasa Marine Reserve was formed to protect coral heads and their resident marinelife from damage by over-fishing and trophy collecting (relics, shells, coral etc). Coral species include: branching (acropora), encrusting (turbinaria) and massive (porites). The National Park opened with the support of local hoteliers to prevent further stripping of the natural treasures from the reef in order to preserve its ecological and tourist attraction. The beaches with marine park access include Nyalibeach Bamburibeach and Shanzubeach.

Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park 28 sq km

At the southernmost point of Kenya’s 500kms coastline lie some of East Africa’s most colourful coral gardens. Located 4-8 kms. Out to sea from Shimoni and next door Wasini Island, noted for its coral gardens, the Kisite Marine Park is beautiful and intact.

The entire Marine Park is in shallow water. It can be reached easily, by motor boat or traditional dhow from Shimoni. The Kisite coral reefs are estimated to be 3-4kms long running along the near and outer edges of the reefs from Mpunguti Island to the tiny coral island of Kisite itself. The reefs at Kisite and Mpunguti Marine National Park are scientifically important habitats, one of the most complex eco-systems on this plant.

A large number of coral varieties have so far been identified including: staghorn, brain, mushroom and pencil species which are easy to goggle over and deep enough to avoid damage from human contact. The sheer numbers of fish (over 250 species recorded) feeding around the coral is an amazing sight. Kisite is a feast of colour and movement with eye-catching coral fish including butterfly, parrot, rockcod, angel fish and rays.

Dolphin are common, as are big shoals of bonito and frigate mackerel. Nearby, Shimoni is home to many families of porpoises which cruise in and out of the Kisite Marine Park and are frequently seen in the channel between the mainland and Shimoni.