GUIDE FOR SNORKELING TRIPS IN KENYA WITH AFRICANMECCA

Marine conservation efforts along the Kenyan coast ensure that the coral reef and aquatic species thrive in the waters of the Indian Ocean. During your fun-filled beach holiday of Kenya, take some time to snorkel in the area’s many protected marine areas. On your AfricanMecca snorkel tour, you can spend an hour or more simply relaxing on the water’s surface and watching the surreal world below.

Occasionally, and based on your comfort level, take a deep breath and swim to the bottom where you have an up-close view of the active marine life. Each of the four coral islands at Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park, one of the best snorkeling sites in Kenya, are encircled by coral gardens, and Kisite Island is the most engaging snorkeling site of all of the islands.



Wearing only your swimsuit, snorkel and mask, you watch varied fishes like zebra, angel, snapper, butterfly, scorpion, rubber, puffer, damsel and too many other species to name! The fish dart about so quickly that you may have difficulty discerning between the various species, and occasionally a slow moving form may catch your eye. Perhaps it is a grouper, ray or another large underlife creature.

Schools of spinner, humpback and bottle-nose dolphin are known to interact with snorkelers and divers, and the marine park in Kenya are recognized for having a variety of sea turtle, including loggerhead, ridley, green, leatherback and hawksbill. From the later part of June through December, humpback whales migrate through the area, and seeing one of these magnificent mammals in the wild is an awe-inspiring experience. With more than 360 species of fishes and 45 varieties of coral, you are sure to be enchanted by all that you see.

If you want to see turtles on land too, a visit to Watamu Marine Park will satisfy your curiosity as the nesting grounds for these wonderful animals are located close to the park. Other locations for snorkeling are Mombasa Marine Park and Malindi Marine Park. You can also snorkel at varied coral reefs at Manda Toto, Kiunga Marine National Reserve and Kiniyka in the Lamu archipelago. The best time to snorkel at these locations is two hours before or after low tide. Knowing the optimum locations, though, is a key part of your unparalleled beach trip to East Africa.



At Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park, the most popular snorkeling site is the main coral gardens at the edge of the anchorage area. At the north end of Watamu Marine Park, pickhandle barracuda is frequently spotted in an area known as The Larder, and we recommend Turtle Reef for turtle lovers. Another location that we recommend is The Pothole. The main coral gardens are located in the central portion of the park, and at the south end are the Rock Cod Caves.

Neap and low tide are the best times to snorkel at the caves, and AfricanMecca can secure the necessary permission for you to snorkel at the site. Another interesting site is a large inlet at the northern end of the North Reef of Malindi Marine Park where parrotfish, moorish idol, small octopus and other species are found after high tide. There are varied hotels located close to the marine parks in Mombasa, Funzi, Chale, Lamu, Watamu, Malindi and Kilifi.



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