Diani Beach: Kisite Marine Park Snorkeling & Wasini Island Lunch
Two Snorkel Sites, One Dhow, Dolphins Probable
You're picked up from your South Coast hotel, driven to Shimoni, and board a traditional dhow for two snorkel sessions in Kisite Marine Park with chances to see dolphins, turtles, and reef life. All snorkeling equipment, park fees, morning tea, and snacks are included on the boat. Lunch is a fresh seafood buffet on Wasini Island with beer or wine, then a minivan returns you to your hotel by late afternoon.
Step-by-step itinerary
Snorkeling and lunch at Wasini Island
- Transfer from hotel to Shimoni
- Board dhow to Kisite Marine Park
- Snorkel at two dive sites
- Watch for dolphins en route
- Sail to Wasini Island
- Enjoy traditional Swahili seafood lunch
- Return transfer to hotel
What’s included
Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off from South Coast Diani hotels, the minivan drive to Shimoni, use of the traditional dhow, entry to Kisite Marine Park, all snorkeling equipment (masks, fins, life jackets, prescription masks available), morning tea and snacks on board, two snorkel sessions at separate reef sites, lunch on Wasini Island with fresh seafood or vegetarian options, one beer or white wine with lunch, and bottled water throughout the tour. Professional marine guides and snorkeling instructors are on board.
Times
- Every day No fixed time
Before you book
Operated by Pilli Pipa Dhow Safaris
Prices and times updated 18 days ago
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The experience
You step into a minivan at your Diani hotel before dawn breaks, and within an hour you're boarding the Pilli Pipa dhow at Shimoni. The boat is smaller than you'd expect. That's intentional. They run two dhows to keep groups under control, which means you're not packed in with thirty other tourists fighting for the same patch of reef. The captain and marine guide know the water here. They've been running this route to Kisite Marine Park for years, and they know where the dolphins tend to move through in the morning. Nothing's guaranteed, but they see them regularly enough that you should keep your eyes on the water as you sail out.
The first snorkel site hits around mid-morning. You drop into warm water over pristine coral, and the fish come fast: moray eels tucked into crevices, stingrays gliding past, turtles moving through like they own the place. The reef here is dense and alive in a way that doesn't photograph well because your phone can't catch the scale of it. You get maybe forty-five minutes in the water, then back on the dhow for tea and snacks while the boat motors to the second site. The second dive is deeper, more open water, and if the dolphins haven't shown up yet, this is where they sometimes appear. The guide will point them out if they do. If they don't, the coral and fish make the second site worth it on its own. Two hours of actual snorkeling time across both sites, with all equipment provided: masks, fins, life jackets, even prescription masks if you need them. Everything's imported from the Netherlands and serviced regularly, so you're not wrestling with old, leaky gear.
After the second site, the dhow sails to Wasini Island and a private restaurant right on the beach. Lunch is buffet-style seafood (fresh fish and crab, cooked that morning) with a cold beer or white wine included. Vegetarian and chicken options are available if you order ahead. You eat under shade, feet in the sand, and the pace slows down completely. This isn't rushed. You've got time to sit, drink water, let the sun dry off, and actually talk to the people you came with. Then the dhow brings you back to Shimoni, and the minivan returns you to your hotel by late afternoon. The whole day runs about eight hours door-to-door, but most of that is water time and a proper meal, not sitting in traffic.
One thing to know: this tour picks up from South Coast hotels around Diani, Msambweni, and Tiwi. If you're staying on the North Coast near Mombasa, the drive to Shimoni is long and ferry delays can pile up, so they don't normally collect from there. Ask when you book if they can make an exception. Diving is available at extra cost if you're certified. Fun dives work too if you're not. Pay for dives on the day.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want to snorkel a healthy reef without arranging your own transport, park permits, or equipment: the fixed itinerary and small group size mean you're in the water within hours of leaving your hotel, not spending the morning sorting logistics.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
How long is the drive from Diani Beach to Shimoni?
About an hour by minivan from South Coast hotels.
Are dolphins guaranteed?
No, but they're sighted regularly. The guide knows where they typically move through the park.
What's included in the price?
Hotel pickup and drop-off, Kisite Marine Park entrance fees, snorkeling equipment, morning tea and snacks on board, lunch on Wasini Island, and one beer or white wine with lunch.
Can I do scuba diving instead of snorkeling?
Yes, if you're certified or willing to do a fun dive. Diving costs extra and is paid on the day.
What if I'm vegetarian?
Vegetarian and chicken options are available for lunch if you order in advance at booking.
What if I'm staying in Mombasa?
Pickup from North Coast Mombasa hotels isn't normally offered because the drive is long and ferry delays are common. Ask at booking if they can arrange it.
How much time do I spend actually snorkeling?
About two hours total across two different sites, with breaks on the boat between them.
Diani Beach: Kisite Marine Park Snorkeling & Wasini Island Lunch
8h–9h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 135 per person
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