Back in a cold, grey November in Blighty, we’d hatched a plan to reward ourselves with a few days holiday on the Kenya coast after spending time visiting project partners in Nairobi, the Masai Mara and the Mathews Range.
The soft white sand, gently swaying palms and warm waters of the Indian Ocean are the perfect contrast to time spent on safari.
Set directly on Diani Beach, around 35 kilometres south of Mombasa, Waterlovers is a perennial client favourite and best described as a place where life slows to the rhythm of the tides.
Getting to Waterlovers Diani Beach
The simplest way to reach Waterlovers is by flying from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to Diani Ukunda Airstrip, which is only a few minutes from the hotel.
Unfortunately, our carefully plotted journey didn’t quite go to plan.
Engineering works at Wilson Airport over-ran and resulted in our flight being cancelled at the last minute, leaving us on an alternative service into Mombasa instead.
The drive from Mombasa to Diani takes a little over an hour thanks to the improved road network, but our pre-arranged transfer was, understandably, booked for Ukunda. Faced with few options, we climbed into one of the ageing yellow airport taxis (something I probably wouldn’t recommend).
Our cab looked as though it had already lived several lives. Rust had eaten through sections of the bodywork, some of the doors barely closed, the windows didn’t work properly and there definitely wasn’t any air conditioning! On a sweltering March afternoon, the journey became something of an endurance test. To complete the experience, on arrival in Diani, our driver admitted he had absolutely no idea where Waterlovers was!
We arrived eventually – hot, windswept and laughing – but it reinforced one simple lesson: if possible, arrange an official transfer. It’s money very well spent.
First Impressions of Waterlovers
Any lingering travel stress disappears remarkably quickly.
Guests enter via a gently winding wooden boardwalk beneath the enormous shade of a magnificent 500-year-old baobab tree that dominates the gardens. Beyond it, glimpses of the Indian Ocean sparkle through the palms, immediately creating a sense of calm. There is a central pool overlooking the beach, surrounded by a deck with the bar off to one side.
Four two-storey cottages housing eight suites are staggered along the boardwalk so that each enjoys a view of the ocean. Turtle, Elephant, Lion and Hippo sit closest to the pool, while Leopard, Rhino, Zebra and Giraffe are tucked slightly further back alongside Bird’s Villa. To one side of the property, above Tides restaurant, sits the spacious Ocean Penthouse.
There is something wonderfully understated about Waterlovers. It feels intimate, low-rise and genuinely welcoming from the moment you arrive. General Manager Peter somehow looked impeccably turned out every day, even in the hottest weather, always appearing in a crisp white shirt just as we were heading for the water!
Originally created by an Italian couple, Waterlovers still has a distinctly Mediterranean feel, from the food to the relaxed style of hospitality, blended effortlessly with the laid-back atmosphere of the Kenyan coast.
Staying in the Ocean Penthouse
Travelling as a group of four, we stayed in Waterlovers’ Ocean Penthouse, a spacious apartment above Tides Restaurant.
With three air-conditioned bedrooms, an additional open-air loft room, generous living space, a small kitchen and beautiful ocean-facing balcony, it’s perfectly suited to families or groups travelling together.
That balcony, with the amazing view, quickly became our favourite place.
Whether watching dhows with a morning coffee or enjoying a glass of wine as the tide slowly retreated across the reef, it provided the perfect breezy vantage point at any time of day.
Although the apartment includes everything needed for self-catering, we rarely felt the need to cook. A nearby supermarket was ideal for picking up fresh fruit, snacks, lunch supplies and a few bottles of wine, while Waterlovers own restuarnt, and the surrounding area took care of everything else.
Breakfast, included with our stay, was consistently excellent. The beachfront bar serves relaxed lunches including Caesar salad, fresh tuna tacos, wraps and burgers, while complimentary afternoon tea bridges the gap before dinner. Daily specials often feature freshly landed seafood, making it easy to eat at the hotel throughout your stay. At the time of our visit, lunch in the bar (tuna taco, burger, salad or club sandwich) cost around KSh 1,550–1,650 (roughly £10). Dinner ranged in price with the seafood platter dinner special priced at KSh 2950 (about £17).
Diani also has plenty of restaurants within easy walking distance. One evening we simply collected takeaway pizza and carried it back to the penthouse and enjoyed dinner on the balcony overlooking the ocean – proof that sometimes the simplest evenings are the best.
Life on Diani Beach
Complimentary paddleboards and kayaks are available, and one of our favourite mornings was spent paddling across the shallow lagoon towards the sandbar that emerges at low tide.
With hardly another person around, we snorkelled over patches of reef before wandering the sandbar searching for colourful sea stars and sea urchins. We stayed all morning until the incoming tide slowly reclaimed the sand, leaving us to paddle leisurely back to the hotel.
The beach itself offers excellent swimming for much of the tidal cycle, with warm, calm water that’s perfect for simply floating and unwinding.
What About the Beach Boys?
One question that comes up frequently when people research Diani is the presence of the local beach vendors, often referred to as “beach boys.”
Yes, you’ll almost certainly meet them.
Whether you’re walking at sunrise or leaving your sun lounger for a dip in the ocean, they are never far away and you will be approached, particularly when you first arrive. Beach boys are keen to offer excursions, souvenirs or boat trips. They can be persistent, and they’ve perfected the art of striking up conversation, but on the whole a polite, friendly yet firm “no thank you” was normally enough. After a couple of days, they knew to leave you alone.
One advantage of Waterlovers is its layout. The hotel sits slightly elevated above the beach and is accessed via a short flight of steps. Once inside, guests can relax around the swimming pool or gardens without interruption. There seems to be a mutual understanding that vendors don’t enter the property, creating a peaceful sanctuary whenever you want a break from the beach.
More Than Just a Beach Holiday
One thing we really enjoyed about Diani was that there always seemed to be something happening along the shoreline.
Early mornings belonged to local fishermen launching their boats. Throughout the day there were yoga classes on the sand, ‘ploggers’ collecting litter as they jogged, paddleboarders heading out across the lagoon, acrobats performing for tips, camels carrying tourists along the shoreline and, of course, the daily dance between visitors and beach boys.
Although we didn’t quite manage the jogging part, we happily joined in with a little beach clean-up ourselves. Compared with my previous visit in 2018, I was genuinely encouraged to see far less plastic litter than before. There’s clearly still work to do, but the improvement was noticeable.
Snorkelling and Marine Conservation with the Whale Shark Trust
One of the highlights of our stay was a boat trip with the Whale Shark Trust.
I’d arranged a day on the water through its founder, Volker Bassan, whose research has transformed understanding of the whale sharks that seasonally visit Kenya’s coast. Although marketed as ‘Whale Shark Adventures’, it’s probably more accurate to think of them as marine megafauna adventures. Whale sharks are always a possibility during the season, but sightings are never guaranteed, and that’s exactly how wildlife experiences should be.
The best chance of seeing a whale shark is between mid-January and mid-March, although encounters remain relatively rare along this stretch of coastline. The Trust operates a microlight aircraft that surveys the waters between Tiwi and Chale Island. If a whale shark is spotted, Volker and the team head out to carry out identification photography, health assessments and, where appropriate, tagging. Visitors lucky enough to be on board may be able to observe this work first-hand.
Instead, the ocean rewarded us with something equally memorable. We snorkelled alongside a relaxed and inquisitive pod of more than forty dolphins, including young, in beautifully calm, clear water – not once, but twice. Their curiosity meant we were able to drift quietly alongside them without feeling we were interrupting their behaviour, making it one of the most memorable wildlife encounters of the whole trip. Later in the day we found another pod actively hunting. We stayed in the boat this time, watching them carve effortlessly through the water as they worked together to corral fish.
We also visited Diani’s famous Tiwi Wall, just in case any whale sharks were in the vicinity of Tiwi. Sea conditions were a little rough and visibility wasn’t at its best, making it a fairly long swim for relatively modest rewards! We finished the day with one final snorkel over a shallow sandbank before tucking into enormous wedges of watermelon on the boat as we drifted back towards shore.
Spending time with Volker and the team was fascinating. His passion for marine conservation is infectious, and it served as a timely reminder that Kenya’s conservation story extends far beyond the savannah.
If you’re visiting between January and March and have an interest in marine life, I’d recommend looking up the Whale Shark Trust as long as you go with an open mind about what you might see!
Things to Know Before You Visit
We visited in early March during Kenya’s shoulder season.
Most days were hot and sunny, although a couple of evenings ended with spectacular tropical thunderstorms. One arrived just as the team had laid out a wonderful beach dinner for us – a reminder that March weather on the Kenyan coast can still be wonderfully unpredictable.
We also had the chance to look around Waterlovers’ four-bedroom villa, located a little further back from the beach. While it doesn’t enjoy quite the same ocean connection or natural light as the penthouse, it offers plenty of space, with a large terrace making it a good option for larger families or groups.
Our Honest Review of Waterlovers Diani Beach
Waterlovers isn’t trying to compete with the large all-inclusive resorts scattered along parts of Kenya’s coastline.
Instead, it offers something altogether more appealing.
It’s a boutique hotel with genuine character, good food, welcoming staff and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere where the Indian Ocean is always the star of the show.
Were there negatives?
Very few. I’d definitely recommend flying into Ukunda if possible rather than relying on a taxi from Mombasa, and visitors should be prepared for the inevitable beach vendors when walking along Diani Beach. Neither issue detracted significantly from our stay, but both are worth knowing before you arrive.
For us, Waterlovers struck exactly the right balance between comfort, authenticity and value in this price bracket. It’s the sort of place where mornings disappear on the water, afternoons drift by beside the pool with a good book, and evenings end watching the moon’s rays dance on the ocean.
