Although famed for their amazing safari parks, Kenya and Tanzania are also blessed with stunning beaches with picture perfect white sandy beaches and turquoise blue sea.
Tanzania
Most flights into Tanzania arrive in the coastal city of Dar Es Salam, however if you are looking for great beaches then you may be in for some disappointment. Luckily enough, just a few hours off the coast is the island of Zanzibar, a place with more than a touch of the exotic. From the winding alleys and Arabic architecture of Stone Town, to the spice filled interior and powdery beaches lining the coast it’s no surprise that this is Tanzania’s big tourist draw.
On the island you can chose from the backpacker style beaches of the North, to the honeymoon beaches of the East. The main draw of the North is the town of Nungwi,where accommodation ranges from shared dorms to beach bungalows. Here the beaches are just as stunning as elsewhere; however you are likely to be sharing them with many tourists and also several beach boys who prowl the area selling everything from dhow sailing trips to Masai jewellery. Often after a polite word they will move on, however if you are looking to simply relax this can become a bit of an annoyance.
The East Coast of the island is generally a bit more remote and here is where you will find the more upmarket resorts. If you are looking for an idyllic and romantic end to your holiday then this is the place you should look.
Kenya
Kenya is blessed with many beaches, so you will be a little spoiled for choice when looking for somewhere to relax on your Kenya Adventures!
Mombasa
Mombasa is the most popular coastal area of Kenya and is split into the North & South coast. The North is home to many big resorts providing all the pampering you will need but may not be the best place to soak up the local flavours and come away with an authentic experience of Kenya’s coastline. Areas such as Diani Beach and Tiwi Beach in the South are less built up, making it a good bet if you still want to be close to the airport in Mombasa but away from the mass crowds.
Malindi
Located to the North of Mombasa, Malindi’s big draw is Watamu Beach, the ideal base to visit Watamu Marine National Park, which offers excellent snorkelling and scuba diving. Malindi also has its own airport with flights to/from Nairobi, Mombasa and Lamu.
Lamu
Lamu is one of Africa’s best-kept secrets – a tropical island just off the north Kenya coast. The island was long used as a trading post by Arab seafarers, and the winding alleys of Lamu Town have barely changed for centuries. Sit back and watch traditional wooden dhows drift by and forget about the world for a few days.
Source by Sally Plunkett
