Mombasa, Kenya

[andy_j_briggs]

Has anyone been diving in Mombasa, Kenya? My local dive centre is organising a dive holiday later this year, if anyone can let me know about quality of diving, water temperature etc as well as quality of resorts I would be grateful.

 

[MSilvia]

Has anyone been diving in Mombasa, Kenya? My local dive centre is organising a dive holiday later this year, if anyone can let me know about quality of diving, water temperature etc as well as quality of resorts I would be grateful.

I'm planning to dive there later this year myself, but I don't know much about it other than the little I've been able to find online.

 

[britkiwi]

I dived in Kilifi which is an hour north of Mombasa a few years ago. Stayed in a great all inclusive resort called the Mnarani Club. They had there own dive centre managed by a couple of Germans, who were pretty unimpressive.

Allegedly Kilifi has some great caves (?Waitomo Caves) but as I was the only person diving we didn't go there (I find this b...y frustrating and it has happened on a few holidays because of lazy dive centres). Also I went in September and apparently it is better further into the year.

Diving was along fringing reefs. Viz was average for tropical diving (it was off-season too). Reasonable fish life but........ Whales Sharks. Saw whale sharks on two seperate dives and a Manta Ray on peripheral vision.

I'd see Kenya as a dive destination for those taking their non-diving partners and planning a safari (highly recommended) as the main event.
Roger

 

[renpirate]

Has anyone been diving in Mombasa, Kenya? My local dive centre is organising a dive holiday later this year, if anyone can let me know about quality of diving, water temperature etc as well as quality of resorts I would be grateful.

My wife and I were there about two years ago. We stayed at the Royal Safari Beach Club. It's an all inclusive, but not really an impressive place. They had an onsite dive shop through whom we booked some diving. When the day arrived there was a storm brewing on the horizon and their boat looked a tad bit uncared for. We asked them if they thought it would be rough and they smiled and said that everything would be just fine. We decided to trust our eyes instead and canceled the dive. On a cultural note, many of the kenyans we encountered would often just give us the answer they thought we wanted to hear.

Anyway, the water temperture in August was in the 70's and the vis at least from shore looked pretty good.

Also, there is a really nice dinner cruise out of Mombassa on a converted Dhow. The food was excellent and they had a great band.

I hope this helps.

 

[B.Goodwill]

I actually come from Mombasa and have done plenty of diving there.

The diving in Mombasa is what i would describe as "average." The water tempt is warm all year round so you will only ever need a shortie, in the summer the weather can get quite rough with large swells comming in from the Indian Ocean, which reduces the vis dramatically. The best time of year is the winter, around Dec, Jan, Feb, where you will have good vis and calm seas.

I personally would not go to Mombasa just for diving, as in my opinion it is not good eneaugh to justify the the expense of the trip. However, if you go for a weeks beach holiday in Monbasa and get some diving in, and then a couple of days safari "up-country" it is a great package and well worth it.

The best dive operator is Buccaneer Diving, it is run by a guy called Bruce Phillips who has alot of local dive experience, and is a Padi instructor examiner or course director (one of the two.) The operation is very proffesional, and about four years ago they sunk a big ship outside the reef for diving which is supposed to be superb. Buccanner Diving has operations in numerous hotels around Mombasa, on both Nyali Beach and Kenya / Bamburi Beach. I believe they also run trips looking for whale sharks which pass by every winter. Their main base is in Voyager Hotel on Nyali Beach.

If you need any more info you can email me at robertsoper@weststartv.com and i will help in any way i can, do a search on the internet for Buccaneer Diving and you will see their website.

As a footnote there is also some good diving around the south coast "Dive The Crab" is the main operator there, i think they have put down a wreck or two also.

 

[andy_j_briggs]

I actually come from Mombasa and have done plenty of diving there.

The diving in Mombasa is what i would describe as "average." The water tempt is warm all year round so you will only ever need a shortie, in the summer the weather can get quite rough with large swells comming in from the Indian Ocean, which reduces the vis dramatically. The best time of year is the winter, around Dec, Jan, Feb, where you will have good vis and calm seas.

I personally would not go to Mombasa just for diving, as in my opinion it is not good eneaugh to justify the the expense of the trip. However, if you go for a weeks beach holiday in Monbasa and get some diving in, and then a couple of days safari "up-country" it is a great package and well worth it.

The best dive operator is Buccaneer Diving, it is run by a guy called Bruce Phillips who has alot of local dive experience, and is a Padi instructor examiner or course director (one of the two.) The operation is very proffesional, and about four years ago they sunk a big ship outside the reef for diving which is supposed to be superb. Buccanner Diving has operations in numerous hotels around Mombasa, on both Nyali Beach and Kenya / Bamburi Beach. I believe they also run trips looking for whale sharks which pass by every winter. Their main base is in Voyager Hotel on Nyali Beach.

If you need any more info you can email me at robertsoper@weststartv.com and i will help in any way i can, do a search on the internet for Buccaneer Diving and you will see their website.

As a footnote there is also some good diving around the south coast "Dive The Crab" is the main operator there, i think they have put down a wreck or two also.

The package is a week's stay at the Voyager Beach Resort on Nyali Beach, all inclusive for £970, this includes 10 boat dives including tank and weights. For an additional £100 there is an option to go on an overnight safari to Tsavo National Park. Do you know anything of this resort and/or the safari operators in the area?

Andy

 

[hamilton]

Dived there in Feb last year (north end of the Marine Park, I think we left from Watamu, and were staying in Malindi)

Check out when the rainy season is, as the silt gets washed into the sea, with commensurate reduction in viz.

I'd also consider it as a place where diving is a 'nice to have' rather than a raison d'etre... Gede ruins (surface culture) aren't too far away, and worth a look.

Resorts run the gamut from euro-enclaves (Malindi is full of italians) thro' to 'deluxe' all-incs...