KILIFI BEACH

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Kilifi, the capital of Kilifi County, was not a popular tourist destination until recent years. Despite its stunning inlet and Bofa Beach, it was primarily a retreat for Nairobi residents, British expats, and a few Italians who preferred Kilifi’s peaceful ambiance over Malindi’s bustling tourist scene. However, the town has undergone sustainable development, with the addition of boutique hotels and sports activities such as kitesurfing, jet-skiing, and deep-sea fishing, which have attracted younger tourists. Kilifi now offers a diverse and inclusive entertainment scene, with nightclubs such as Distant Relatives and Salty’s and the Food Movement at Kilifi Plantation. The town also has serene nature-based establishments like the Italian White Star, the historic Mnarani Club, Baobab, and Kilifi Beach resorts, which have enhanced its reputation as an alternative to Malindi and Watamu.

Kilifi is located between Mombasa and Malindi, at the mouth of a picturesque inlet that has served as a safe haven for ships for centuries. It is the capital of Kilifi County, extending from Mtwapa to Mambrui. The town has fewer inhabitants than Malindi but is strategically significant. The Kilifi Ferry, which was used to cross the Kilifi creek until 1991, was replaced by an elevated bridge built by the Japanese. Kilifi’s village is situated towards Malindi, while the district of Mnarani is to the south, encompassing the ruins of the town dating back to the 15th century. The ancient mosque, one of Kenya’s first, overlooks the sea and is surrounded by majestic baobab trees. Kenya Cashnuts and Kilifi Plantation have also been essential to the local population for over 20 years, with the latter providing milk to most of the coast.

Aside from the previously mentioned places, Takaungu, a few kilometers south, with its small beaches, bays, and islets, is also worth exploring. The hinterland, particularly towards Kaloleni, boasts impressive hills, forests, and waterways where the Mijikenda ethnic group’s historical traditions, including the Unesco World Heritage Site of the ‘kaya’ prayer caves, are still preserved.

Things to Do in Kilifi

Most people come to Kilifi to unwind, relax and do not a lot. But once you’ve had enough lazy beach time, there’s plenty to keep you busy during the day and night.

Sunset Dhow Trips

Dhows are traditional Swahili sailboats that once dominated trade and transport on Kenya’s coast. Busier beach towns like Diani and Malindi may have replaced dhows with loud jet skis and speed boats, but not Kilifi.

Renting a dhow is the most relaxing few hours you’ll spend in Kilifi, sailing through the creek as the sun sets in the distance and your troubles melt away.

You can book a dhow trip directly by speaking to the captains sailing around the creek every day or through your accommodation.

Watersports

Kilifi is becoming increasingly popular for various watersports on both the creek and the open ocean. You can try out kitesurfing, sailing, paddle boarding, snorkeling, and much more.

Two locations in Kilifi are popular with kitesurfing enthusiasts. The water on Kilifi Creek is flat and works excellent for kitesurfers. However, the winds can be gusty, and you need to watch out for boats and canoes. Out on the ocean side, Salty’s Kitesurf Village has a launch site with wide open spaces on the beach, with shallow warm water and very little traffic. It’s perfect for Kitesurfers of all levels.

Kilifi has some of the best dive spots in Kenya, with two purposefully sunk shipwrecks that have created stunning artificial reefs. Expect to spot giant groupers, barracudas, and parrotfish. More advanced divers can explore the underwater caverns below Vuma Cliffs. Check out

Vuma cliffs

30 minutes from Kilifi Town are the Vuma Cliffs, a beautiful area that feels like the edge of the world. The rumbling force of the Indian Ocean’s waves crashing into these craggy tall black coral cliffs raises sprays as high as 60 feet. You can take stunning photos here, meditate for hours on end, or even fish for yellowfin tuna off the cliffs.

Day Trip to Watamu

45 minutes’ drive north of Kilifi is Watamu, another delightful seaside town with a much different vibe to Kilifi. Watamu has plenty of great attractions and restaurants that are well worth the drive, like Gede Ruins (pictured).

If you leave Kilifi in the early morning, book a boat trip on Watamu Marine Park for a chance to swim with the local dolphins.

The Crab Shack, a community project on Mida Creek just south of Watamu, is one of the most popular restaurants on Kenya’s coast, serving delicious, fresh seafood. The restaurant is built on stilts, accessed via a 100m boardwalk into the mangrove forest. The Crab Shack also provides canoe tours on the creek.

Deep-Sea Fishing

The Kilifi Boatyard (sometimes called the Yacht Club, depending on who you ask) is the launch site for some of the best big game fishing in Africa. If you’ve never hooked a marlin, you likely will in Kilifi.

Golf

Further up the road from Kilifi is Vipingo Ridge, a gated community with a par 72, 18 hole golf course. Theirs is the only PGA rated golf course in Africa. I have it on good authority that they frown upon golf cart racing, so… don’t.

Kilifi Beaches

Kilifi is blessed with an abundance of stunning beaches, each one possessing a unique charm. Even better, the beaches in Kilifi have been spared the over-development that has transformed (ruined?) more popular destinations to the south.

Bofa Beach

No matter how many times you make it to the shore in the morning, each sunrise on Bofa Beach will feel like your first. You could spend your entire day on Bofa Beach, from sun-up to sundown, and still never get enough of it. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more pristine and beautiful beach.

The water is warm and calm and has become a favourite spot for kitesurfers from around the globe. Despite rivaling the more famous beaches in Africa and the world, Bofa Beach is rarely ever crowded. You can sit on Bofa Beach for close to an hour and not see another person.

Fumbini Beach

Fumbini Beach is nestled within Kilifi creek, offering total tranquility and stunning sunsets.

The water here is calm throughout the day and night, with just a gentle current you can barely feel.

Every night, particularly during the new moon, the water at Fumbini Beach is full of bioluminescent plankton. Swimming in the creek sets off a reaction in the plankton, causing it to glow brightly as you swim. It’s a truly magical experience and impossible to do justice with words.

Red House Beach

Red House beach is a tiny stretch of sand jutting out of the rocks, where Kilifi creek meets the Indian Ocean. It’s probably the least visited public beach in Kilifi and offers spectacular views of the sunrise – if you can get up that early!

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