Watamu Beach

Also known locally as Mapango Beach or Acquarius Beach, Watamu Beach/Bay is the town beach in every sense. This is where Watamu gathers. In the late afternoon, you will find football matches happening on the sand with twenty or thirty players, fishermen sorting the day catch, and families strolling along the waterline as the sun starts to drop.

The beach stretches along the central waterfront of Watamu, easily accessible from multiple points in town. The sand is wide and open, the water is calm most of the year, and the atmosphere shifts throughout the day from quiet mornings to buzzing evenings.

This beach is great for swimming, sunbathing, and people watching, with many beach bar and sunbed options lining the shore. Small gift stalls also line the edge of the beach where you can pick up handmade souvenirs. When the fishing boats return in the late afternoon, the whole beach comes alive as the catch is sorted and sold right on the sand.

Where to Eat

Sunset Lab is the anchor of this stretch. They serve proper Italian pizza from a wood fired oven and host live DJ events on Friday nights that draw a mixed crowd of locals and visitors. KOKOMO next door does Lebanese fusion right on the sand, which is something you do not expect to find in a small Kenyan coastal town but it works perfectly. Several smaller bars and restaurants are found on this beach so you are not short of options! There is definitely more of a bustling feeling on this beach, with beach bars playing music and it often being a little more crowded, it has a great energy....