Attractions for the Wasini Island Dophoin Dhow Excursion
- Kisite Marine Park - offers dolphin spotting, snorkelling and diving among spectacular tropical fish. Kisite ecosystem covers a marine area with four small islands surrounded by coral-reef.Major attractions include the coral gardens and it is an important site for snorkeling, diving and bird watching.
- Wasini Island is known for the cultural Wasini Village. Ancient Swahili ruins and the coral gardens, a landscape of exposed coral reefs, are a couple of interesting things to see. An Arab settlement from the 19th Century, features ruins of many of the houses and a Muslim Pillear tomb inset with Chinese porcelain.
- Shimoni is a fishing village and the launching point for Wasini Island. Shimoni was once the headquaters of the Imperial British East Africa Company. Visitors can explore the Shimoni Caves which held slaves before shipment to Arabia. The caves go back 5 kilometers and iron shackles can still be seen on the walls and well preserved wooden crates, used to transport slaves, are still found in the caves. The caves were also used by the Digo people during battles with various hostile tribes. Archeological findings are proof that these coral caves have been inhabited for several centuries
Your Wasini Island Dhow trip begins when your are picked up at your hotel; and are driven to South Coast Mombasa with views of rural villages, tall palm trees, lush greenery, and the smell of the ocean close by while en-route. On yarrival at the Shimoni pier tea, coffee or juice is first served; the diving team is introduced, and a short description of the tour and the options available are explained in different languages.
You then depart on the Wasini Island Dhow to Kisite Marine Park; Kisite is the best and most accessible Marine Park in Kenya. Once out on the Indian Ocean, there are regular sightings of dolphins, often accompanied by their rollicking offspring. Within the Wasini Channel, the rare hump-backed dolphins are also often sighted. Scuba diving and fun-diving guests often meet turtles underwater, too.
Kisite also has a fantastic variety of fishes and coral. Snorkeling is done off the fringing reef of a large rocky islet and a wonderful sand bar, which appears out of the blue ocean at low tide. On top of the islet, is a large colony, in season, of noisy, nesting sooty terns. Provided with masks and snorkels but no fins, snorkels float above what can be compared to a personal, gigantic, tropical aquarium. Assistance is also provided to first timers.
Upon your return at midday to the resort, lunch will be served at Wasini Island Restaurant. The restaurant, built in traditional architecture, overlooks the Indian Ocean towards the distant mountains of Tanzania. After lunch, guests have various options including Guided walks to the Muslim village of Wasini Coral gardens, beds are available in the garden for guest who enjoy an afternoon nap. The dive-base is a great place to sit in the cool breeze, and contemplate the passing fisherman attending to their fish traps.
