SOUTH COAST

Although all the beaches, which lie to the south of Mombasa form part of the "south coast", the phrase always conjures up Diani Beach, about 40 km from Mombasa where the majority of the hotel and resort development is centered. The exceptions are Likoni, better known as Shelley Beach, just across from the Mombasa island ferry, Galu and Msambweni not far south of Diani, Tiwi and Shimoni close to the Tanzania border. A good paved highway serves the whole of the south coast, and there is a tarmac airstrip at Ukunda serving the Diani resort area.

Diani Beach is 10 kilometers long, a vast uninterrupted stretch of white sand lapped by an opal ocean joining up with Tiwi Beach. Many of the hotels along this beach nestle in cleared beachfront areas of the Jadini forest - still the haunt of leopard and monkeys as well as a brilliance of forest birds. In addition to the hotels, there are private houses, some available for renting, and several self-catering "villages". Most marine activities are available which include windsurfing, water skiing, scuba, snorkeling and deep-sea fishing.