Diani Beach is a beach on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is located 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Mombasa, in Kwale County.
| address= | lat=-4.3884 | l39.5465 | directi | ph | tollfree= | hours= | price=20$ | lastedit=2020-01-08 | cSmall zoo with giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, imalas, monkeys, crocodiles, etc. located on Diani Beach Rd. Particularly popular with Kenyan school classes who cannot afford a safari and have the opportunity to see the wildlife of their home. }}
}} | address= | lat= | l | directi | ph | tollfree= | fax= | hours= | price= | lastedit=2018-07-24 | cA day tour to or to Shimba Hills Green Lodge enables travelers to relax in impressive natural surroundings and enjoy a marvelous panoramic view across the Shimba Hills, the Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary and the river valley. }}
There is no reason to be afraid to go out of the resort at night for visiting clubs or restaurants. For security, take a taxi from the hotel and back, not Tuktuk or motorcycle. Every restaurant will call a reliable taxi to bring you back after dinner. All pubs and bars serve decent food (see drinking) and there are a lot of small good restaurants. About 10 percent of the invoice amount is common as a tip, but only if the food tasted good and service was good. In many restaurants it can take an hour from ordering until food is served, as everything is prepared freshly. The following restaurants are excellent, a bit more expensive and for special events.
Simple but typical local restaurants where there is really great food at very reasonable prices:
Night live at Diani Beach is not comparable to the North Coast at Mombasa or Mtwapa. Its more a place to relax than to party. Many hotels offer life music in the evening.
If you want to go back to the hotel at night, you should always order a taxi or let the club do it for you. Every club (not the ladies in the club!) knows trustworthy drivers. Furthermore, it is not advisable to wait in the street until a tuktuk or taxi comes by accidentally. Always wait directly at the hotel/bar/restaurant until the ordered vehicle pulls up. The "motorcycle guys" along Diani Beach Road who do snatch thefts are incredibly fast.
At the weekend, many people go to the Manyatta around 8:00 p.m. (first outside - later inside) and around midnight they go to the Tandoori until the sun rises. On Fridays there are often parties in Soul Breeze, right on the beach (more electro) and on Saturdays in Backpackers.
Some of the most frequently visited places are those listed below: | address= | lat=-4.3225 | l39.5728 | directi | ph | tollfree= | hours= | price= | lastedit=2016-11-23 | cBeach bar and restaurant with good music and other shows and entertainment in the evening. Their food is good and the pricing is fair. }}
The main shopping area with boutiques and souvenirs is located along the 25 km long main road with more than a hundred local shops, 3 large shopping centres, many supermarkets, pharmacies and groceries. During the rainy season there are less shops, but in general you will find all the goods. If you visit Maasai village you may also buy unique souvenirs made of beads. The most popular souvenirs in Diani Beach are paintings, wood crafts, fabrics, kikoy, kanga, statues made of soap stone, hand-made jewellery, traditional African, Arab and Indian clothes and many others.
Money: UK pounds, US Dollar or Euro can be changed in every bank and in hotels. At the airport the rates are low and its better to change only small amount on arrival. At the ATMs which can be found at banks and big supermarkets Kenya shilling can be withdrawn with most credit cards. Ecobank, Cooperative Bank, GT Bank ATMs have No withdrawal fee at their own ATMs. Many other ATMs have a Ksh700 withdrawal fee.
When buying goods at small shops, in the streets or at the beach take care to give the exact amount as sellers often tent to betray with change.
Many travelers use the insecure means of transport to save a tiny amount of money from stinginess or to feel like "locals". You should really consider whether the risk is worth the small savings. Always before the start of the ride, the fare should be negotiated!
People who want to spend their holidays at the wonderful beaches of Kenya and to go on a safari tour have to decide whether to go to South Coast or North Coast, which simply means south or north of Mombasa. While the South Coast has the nicer beaches and more primordial nature the North Coast around Mombasa offers many more activities. Some of the hotels on the South Coast are quite isolated, offering tranquil holidays at the beach and pool which might become boring. Others are closer to night-life and shopping centres. In contrast, the beaches of the North Coast that are close to Mombasa are more crowded but offer a lot of action and activities, sightseeing, sports, night-life (see Mombasa, Mtwapa). The beaches further north (Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi) are like the South Coast, relatively undeveloped and tranquil, not as long and broad as Diani Beach but even more photogenic.
There will be many cultural differences that often lead to misunderstandings between guests and locals. It's advisable to inform yourself (see: Kenya#Respect).
Kenya is known for sex tourism too. Along the beach, in beach bars or in the huts along the beach offering massage you will get in contact with Kenyan women and men who try to attach themselves to a tourist in search of a better life. Money, not sympathy, is what they are looking for. If you choose to partake, take the usual precautions against HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections.
