I’d never been to the coast.

I know that this piece of information might come as a surprise to many, but the truth is I never got to go even on the many school trips. When I envisioned coastal travel, I always thought I’d start with Lamu, but I started with Watamu. 
Lamu is still in my heart so I’ll definitely go back to the coast and explore Lamu. In this blog post, I’ll share ten unique places to visit in Watamu for sunsets, breakfast and of course, the beaches.

Getting to Watamu
There are four options:

• Drive to Watamu. It’s a long drive and may take the whole day or the whole night.
• Book an overnight bus. This might cost you around $40.
• Take the SGR train. This will take you around 5 hours and $10, or $30 if you book the VIP section.
• Book a Jambo Jet flight. This will cost you around $55 one way but might be pricier depending on the season. Travelling on Friday is not recommended if you want to enjoy cheaper rates but play with Jambo Jet’s booking site and go through all the options.

 

Where to Stay in Watamu

There are budget-friendly places and great finds on AirBnB. I highly recommend travelling with a group of people so as to secure cheap accommodation and split costs while sampling what Watamu offers.

Getting around in Watamu

There are no Ubers, but they’re tuk-tuks (rickshaws), motorbikes and taxis. There are taxis outside Malindi International Airport. Our taxi person recommended places to eat after arrival. I highly recommend having some cold Ukwaju to help with the heat!

As for places to sample and visit in Watamu, our host recommended these must-see restaurants in Watamu.

Top 10 Restaurants in Watamu

1. Amici Miei

Location: Jacaranda Road
Phone Number: +254 708 428700
This turned out to be a breakfast spot for us. It’s in front of Blue Marmaled Supermarket and has a lot of pastries. It’s Italian and I liked their pastries a lot! Normally wheat and yeast trigger my gastritis but if I lived in Watamu, It would definitely be a  favourite spot for me.

 

 

Amici Miei opens at 7:00 am. 

I recommend the iced tea (cinnamon and apple) with syrup with a bombolone. It’s an Italian doughnut with cream at the centre.

 

2. Lighthouse – Temple Point Resort

Location: Marine Park Road, Watamu.
Phone Number: +254 707 634098
Temple Point Resort is a bar and restaurant th99at offers a great selection of drinks and food. Their sitting arrangement is colourful, and they have hammocks to aid in watching the sunset. Their hammocks support up to 6 people. 

 

 

If you’re less than 6 people, you can just walk in but you’ll have to wait to sit on the hammocks. If you’re 6 make a reservation first so that you have a  hammock reserved for you. The sunset views were amazing!

 

3. Visiwa Beach Resort, Watamu

Location: Jacaranda Road, Watamu
Phone Number: +254 795 577110

We were not able to check this place out but it came in highly recommended. It features a restaurant, a bar and a shared lounge and garden in Watamu.

 

4. Crab Shack

Location: Mida Creek, Dabaso Village.
Phone Number: +254 725 315562
While the crab shack doesn’t compare to the lighthouse, it compensates for this with nature walks across the mangrove forest to the hotel or food area. There are only 3 tables where one can watch the sunset, so make sure to book 24 hours in advance to reserve one of these tables.

 

 

We just walked in, so we were not able to watch the sunset from either of the three tables which were a bit disappointing.

 

5. Sunset beach

Location: Watamu, Kenya
Phone Number:  +254 725 315562
Sunset beach is a family-friendly resort that we never got to sample because of time constraints. It has a beautiful feel and decor but makes sure to check out the reviews on Trip Advisor before you make reservations.

 

6. Garoda beach

Garoda beach is another one that we did not get to sample but came in highly recommended. Baraka Safari has written a great review of Garoda beach that can be found here.

 

7. Willis Beach

Location:  Watamu Village Road, Watamu, Kenya
Phone: +254 717 625627
Willis beach is locally owned and operated, with no reservations required. It serves local dishes, Italian meats, pastries, curries, and vegetarian plates with a view.

 

8. Papa Remo 

Location: Jacaranda Road, Watamu
Phone Number: 041 2009174
Papa Remo requires no reservation but make sure to carry your masks. We went during the weekdays so it was less busy but the spot looks like it can get busier during the weekends. 

 

 

Visit Papa Remo if you want to wine, dine while looking at the beach. What I loved about Papa Remo is that there’s an option to walk across the water to another island. The water flows across the beach, and you walk vertically across the knee-deep flowing water.

I’m definitely going back there in future.

 

9. Kobe Suite Resort

Location: Turtle Bay Road – Plot 40, Watamu, Kenya
Phone Number: +254 700 951951

With Kobe, make sure to make a reservation a day in advance. We knew of Kobe Resort when it was too late to make any kind of plans or reservations so we went for Papa Remo instead. However, it’s a must-visit when we go back!

 

10. Dhow Ride to Watch the Dolphins

When it comes to the dhow ride, there’s a full-day option and a half-day option. We did the half-day and it turned out to be the best option because most of us could not be in the sea for so long.  There are a lot of people offering dhow rides at the beach and near tourist spots, so make sure you don’t get swindled as we almost did.

 

 

A best practice is to ask your host to recommend someone as this is more transparent.

Back to the dhow ride. Regardless of what you choose, the price is inclusive of transport from your AirBnB to the sea and back. If you choose a full day, lunch will be included. If you are a confident sea swimmer, carry your swimming costumes as the boat docks mid-sea to give people a chance to swim.

 

Other than that, the fish and the pods of dolphins are a sight to behold.

 

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