Twelve kilometres of white coral sand on Africa's Indian Ocean coast
Diani is a strip of beach 30km south of Mombasa, on Kenya's south coast. Twelve kilometres of fine white coral sand, a turquoise lagoon protected by a fringing reef, and a band of palm forest behind. Travel & Leisure has named it Best Beach in Africa multiple times. Tripadvisor put it in the global top 25 in 2024.
Almond Safaris is based in Diani — Ocean Mall on Ukunda-Ramisi Road. We don't sell beach holidays as a generic package. We build them around what you want: pure beach time, a kitesurfing week, a yoga retreat, a family with children, a couple's anniversary. The price below is from a typical 5-night mid-range stay with airport transfer and one excursion. Tell us what you actually want and we'll quote it properly.
Diani's reef sits a kilometre offshore, creating a sheltered turquoise lagoon — safe for swimming, perfect for kite-surfing, and a snorkelling site at the reef edge for stronger swimmers. Boat trips to the reef break run year-round.
The endangered Angolan colobus monkey lives in the coastal forest. Colobus Conservation runs canopy bridges over the road to stop them being killed by traffic. Most beach hotels have resident troops in the trees.
Diani has the most reliable wind on the East African coast — the kashazi season (June–September) brings 15–25 knot trade winds. Kite-surfing, windsurfing, kite foil schools all operate here. World-class without the world-class crowds.
More restaurants per kilometre than anywhere else on the Kenyan coast. Italian (a long-running connection), Swahili seafood, Indian, French. Ali Barbour's Cave Restaurant is in a 180,000-year-old coral cave — book a week ahead.
"The reef makes the lagoon. The lagoon makes the beach. The beach makes the holiday. Twelve kilometres of it, mostly empty." — Travel & Leisure, on Diani
A typical itinerary — but flexible. Tell us how you like to travel and we'll adjust pace, accommodation tier and activities to suit you.
Airport pickup from Mombasa Moi International (45 min via the Likoni ferry / Dongo Kundu bypass) or Ukunda Airport (10 min). Check into your hotel. We deliberately leave Day 1 free — most flights arrive tired. Beach walk, sundowner, early dinner.
Morning at leisure on the beach. Lunch at the hotel or at one of the recommended cafés. 3pm: visit Colobus Conservation (15 min from most hotels) for an hour-long guided walk through the rescue centre and forest. Sundowner at Sails Beach Bar — book the front row.
8am: traditional dhow leaves the beach for a half-day on the reef. Snorkelling at the reef edge (kit included), swimming, lunch on the boat. Back to the hotel by 1pm. Afternoon free — many guests book a massage or rest.
Choose: a Wasini Island day (dolphins, marine park, seafood lunch, see Wasini page) or Shimba Hills (sable antelope, waterfall hike). Both are full-day excursions and both are recommended. Most guests pick Wasini for marine, Shimba for forest.
Beach, pool, optional kite-surfing lesson (3-day beginner course possible), sunset dhow cruise, dinner at Ali Barbour's. Most guests sleep in.
Airport transfer (or extend with a Maasai Mara fly-in safari, page link below). Most guests we send home say they wish they'd booked another three days.
We work with all of these properties directly. Pricing below is per person, twin-share, all-inclusive of meals and game drives where stated.
158 rooms set in coastal forest right on the beach. Three pools, four restaurants, watersports centre, kids' club. The reliable mid-tier choice — solid 4-star, fair value, walking distance to most Diani amenities.
All-villa boutique resort, 14 villas with private pools and direct beach access. Adults-focused, exceptional service. Best balance of intimacy and quality on the beach.
Three exclusive-use villas (Cliff Villa, Beach Villa, Garden Villa), butler service, private chef, in-villa dining. The most expensive and the most private. Used to host honeymoons, anniversaries, and small-group families. From $1,800 per villa per night.
No deposit to enquire. We'll confirm availability, hold your dates for 48 hours, and send a tailored quote within one business day.
All prices below are in USD per person, twin-share, for the same 5 nights flexible package. Bigger groups pay less per head — same trip, same lodges, same vehicles, just shared between more people. Kenyan-resident rates available — ask us.
📌 What's included: Mid-range hotel package, BB. Airport transfers + 1 included excursion. Hotel options below.
Groups of 10+ or special requests? We arrange private vehicle convoys, exclusive-use lodges, weddings, incentive trips, school groups and family reunions. Send a WhatsApp message to +254 797 036 943 or email booking@almondsafaris.com for a custom quote within one business day.
Prices below are per person, per night, twin-share. Single travellers add roughly 30%. Children 2–11 years usually 50% of adult rate (varies per hotel — confirm at booking). All prices are flexible — we hold direct contracts with these hotels and pass through any current promotion.
Big resort feel, three pools, four restaurants, dive centre, kids club. Walking distance to most Diani amenities.
158 rooms in coastal forest, direct beach, watersports centre, Maasai Beach Bar (Diani institution).
Swahili-Omani architecture, infinity pools facing the Indian Ocean, Aqua Spa, adults-friendly.
All-villa boutique, private pools, butler service, direct beach access. Romantic / honeymoon choice.
Three exclusive-use villas (sleeps 6–8). Private chef, in-villa dining, full staff. Ultra-luxury / family.
Quieter end of Diani at Galu, 37 rooms, excellent restaurant (Nomad), reef-edge yoga deck.
B&B = bed & breakfast · Half-board = breakfast + dinner · Full-board = all meals included. Hotel rates above are accommodation only — they are part of the full safari/holiday packages quoted above and don't get added on top. We can also arrange these hotels as standalone bookings without a tour package — same direct-contract rates.