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The tide will shape every day you are here
Nobody mentions it in the brochures, and it is the single most common surprise on the Kenyan coast.
What happens
Diani sits behind a fringing reef, with a tidal range that is large by the standards of most beach holidays. At high tide the sea comes up close to the hotels and the swimming is superb — warm, clear, calm inside the reef.
At low tide the water withdraws a long way, exposing sand flats and sections of reef. On some stretches you can walk out several hundred metres. It is beautiful and quite different from what people expect.
What it means practically
| Activity | When |
|---|---|
| Swimming in the sea | Either side of high tide |
| Walking the flats, rock pools, urchins and starfish | Low tide — bring reef shoes |
| Boat trips and dhow cruises | High water, because the boats need depth to get out |
| Diving and snorkelling trips | Usually timed around the tide by the operator |
| Kitesurfing | Wind matters more than tide, but more water helps |
| Long beach walks | Low tide — the sand is firm and endless |
Three things that follow from this
A hotel pool is not a luxury at Diani; it is what you use when the sea is out. Check there is a good one.
Reef shoes are worth packing. The flats have urchins and the coral fragments are sharp.
The tide advances about fifty minutes each day, so the pattern shifts through your stay. A week covers the whole cycle.
Is it a problem?
No — and most people end up liking it. Two quite different beaches in one day, and low tide is wonderful with children, who will spend two hours in six inches of warm water finding things.
It is only a problem if nobody tells you, you have three nights, and you have pictured swimming at four in the afternoon on all of them. So: now you know, and we will check the tables against your dates when we quote.
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