Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch
Traveler rating
4.2/5
Based on 33 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch worth booking?
Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch is a 9.5-hour experience in Mombasa, Kenya, from $154 per person. It scores 62 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 4.2/5 rating across 33 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 62 / 100
- Rating
- 4.2/5 (33)
- Duration
- 9.5 hours
- From
- $154 per person
Enjoy your Day trip excursion to one of the finest Kenyan Beach Safari, located north of Mombasa, the small coastal village of Watamu is renowned for the Watamu Marine National Park. The park boasts three sparkling bays, white-sandy beaches and an underwater coral wonderland offering one of the best snorkeling and diving experiences on the East African coast. This charming paradise is surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty fringed by lush tropical rain forests and mangroves.Get close and swim with dolphins which are normally found in the area.Proceed to sudi island and get to meet the locals who live there and take a canoe ride deep into the mangrove forest within the island and see the creatures which co exist there.
What you get
About this experience
Enjoy your Day trip excursion to one of the finest Kenyan Beach Safari, located north of Mombasa, the small coastal village of Watamu is renowned for the Watamu Marine National Park. The park boasts three sparkling bays, white-sandy beaches and an underwater coral wonderland offering one of the best snorkeling and diving experiences on the East African coast. This charming paradise is surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty fringed by lush tropical rain forests and mangroves.Get close and swim with dolphins which are normally found in the area.Proceed to sudi island and get to meet the locals who live there and take a canoe ride deep into the mangrove forest within the island and see the creatures which co exist there.
What's included
Included
- Carbonated beverages
- Private transportation
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- All Fees and Taxes
- Canoe guided tour into sudi island mangroove forest
Not included
- Snacks
- Tea and coffee
- Alcoholic beverages
- Items of personal nature
What you'll see and do
Watamu National Marine Park
Our driver guide will picked you from your hotel or desired pick up point early in the morning,then drive North towards Watamu via the Mombasa Malindi rd.Its 100kilometers from Mombasa and it will take roughly one and a half hours to reach watamu. On your way you will be able see different land scape and plantations along the road. At around 9:30 am we arrive at the Marine park Watamu.Your driver will hand you over to the captain/guide who will make sure your marine park fees is paid, and then you will board a motorized 2 decor glass boat so you can lay on the top deck and bask in the sun or just relax on the lower deck and enjoy the underwater life as you cruise towards the Marine park.Your excursion will begin with dolphins sighting where your captain/guide will take you to the hot spots where according to his experience you will be able to see and swim with the dolphins, remember this is for the adventurous souls. Once the dolphins stop moving around you can put on your snorkeling equipment (to be provided on board) and jump into the ocean so you can get close up with the gentle creatures. After the mad fun, once again board the glass boat and continue towards the marine park. The Pristine white-sand beaches and reef-protected lagoons line the Watamu National Marine Park and Reserves, which are the oldest in East Africa and cover over 229 kmsq. It is one of the best kept secrets in the world with only the Great Barrier Reef itself having a bigger species list and that only in a far greater expanse! The marine protected area in Watamu is also recognized internationally as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This means that the area is designated as a site of natural excellence, and should demonstrate how local people and the environment can coexist through careful stewardship of our natural marine resources and human assets. The Marine Park and Reserve is renowned world wide for its natural beauty and boasts a rich marine life. It is virtually impossible to snorkel without seeing at least a few dozen species inside the main reef; divers outside the fringe reef stand an excellent chance of viewing the magnificent whale shark and Manta Rays that are seasonal visitors. November is best for spotting these animals. The Park is also home to three species of sea turtle who also nest on the Marine Park beaches. The Park and its coral gardens are one of the main justifications for visiting Watamu. Some of the more commonly seen fish include of course the parrot fish, whose digestion of the coral reefs over the millennia, have produced the white sand beach itself. Angelfish, groupers, file fish, lion fish and snappers are just a handful of the easily seen species within this superb, brightly colored underwater world. One of the best routes your captain is going to follow in this for exploration is a gentle cruise to the Larder in Turtle Bay. Head out in between the two rocky islands directly south of the KWS Blue Bay HQ. As the glass boat floats gently over the eroded coral ledges, there are numerous damsel fish, young butterfly and angelfish, morays, groupers and octopus. Through the seagrass pass you'll find blue spotted rays, mullet and snappers. Once you get to the edge of the grass area, around 100metres out, turn right and follow the grass edge along its contour line. After about 100m you'll find the Larder to your left; a series of 6 or so large coral heads which are the home of hundreds of sweetlips, snappers and drummer fish. You'll also find lion fish and crocodile fish if you look closely. Another bonus here are the large barracuda which hang around near the seabed in large groups. They are nocturnal feeders and sleep during the day so are easy to approach. There is an exceptional shoreline with Watamu voted one of the top ten beaches in the world; steeped in natural fauna and flora and with three stunning bays, Watamu, Blue Lagoon and Turtle Bay. Here you will also be allowed to get into the ocean for snorkeling and shallow diving into the ocean floor to see the magnificent coral caves hidden under the blue water.Get a chance to swim and touch hundreds of schools of fish and turtles After snorkeling next stop will be amazing, white sandy beach with crystal clear blue waters where you will be allowed to step off the boat for a swim on this magical waters for a while before returning to the boat and sail off to sudi island while enjoying the lush green mangroves along the creek side. At around -1:00pm we will arrive at Sudi island where you will receive a warm welcome to the island followed by a little entertainment from the natives. The captain and his crew will then quickly start preparing for where they will grill and serve fresh and delicious sea food with varieties like ; lobsters,king fish,baracuda,and crabs etc(chicken is available for these who don’t eat seafood).. After lunch you can choose to take a canoe ride into mangrove forest on the island with a guide and learn a little history about the island and the creatures found there For these who choose to remain on the island can take the opportunity to swim on the islands shores or just busk in the sun and take photos.Take some time and capture your last moments on the sandy beaches. Enjoy your last moments at the island and its environment. At 4:30 its time to board the boat and head back to mainland where your driver will be waiting to drive you back to your hotel or desired drop off point in time for dinner. End of our program!!
480 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 180 minutes before departure.
Options you can book
Pick up from Mtwapa
Pick & drop from Mtwapa Pickup included
Pick up from Mombasa
pick & drop from Mombasa: You will be provided with all round private transportation from Mombasa area to Watamu & back. Pickup included
Pick up from Tiwi & Diani
Pick & drop from Diani Beach Pickup included
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 6 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- AFRICAN NATIVES TOURS & TRANSFERS
Know before you go
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Kindly note that dolphins in Watamu are seasonal. They can only be seen from October to April.
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 33 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
6 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Food and drink
6 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Photo opportunities
3 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Value for money
2 mentionsTravelers feel they got more than they paid for.
Traveler reviews
33 verified traveler reviews for Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Thieves of watamu
Don't book any type of trip with this thieves they took my money and didn't take me on a trip, they didn't refund me and it has been weeks.
via Tripadvisor
Safari Blu
Clean beaches, corals, fishes the best experience. Best sea food delicious foods with best chefs @Seahorse. Interior canals best view with canoes welcome all book with Filippo Bassa Marea
via Tripadvisor
Not for us
If you’re looking for an incredible day out, look elsewhere. We felt very underwhelmed by several factors of this excursion. The communication and pickup was faultless. Very friendly, kind and accommodating. We are easy going, as were the hosts of this tour. Once we arrived to the boat location, we boarded a very busy boat. We were then chaperoned to de-board and get on a different boat for some unknown reason. Which brings me onto one of the largely unfavorable parts of this tour. Which is that (perhaps we got unlucky?) but no one would speak English to us, or let us know what was going on throughout the day. The primary language spoken appeared to be Italian, which is great! However, we were left behind, as we do not speak Italian. My partner and I are early thirties, and we’re a very friendly and outgoing couple. We invited conversion so many times with numerous people but it was not well recieved, and very short lived. The tour as a whole felt very Italy-centric, which again, is not a criticism, but it felt disappointing to be left behind as the only English speakers on board. Throughout the day, there were numerous interruptions and delays, which were considerably extended. I’m not just talking a few minutes, perhaps 30-45 minutes at a time. Which would prompt us to ask what was the hold up in the nicest way possible. The tour itself consisted of a really quite random and slow zig-zag boat ride across to the mangroves. This was another thing that felt as though it was done in an effort to kill time and make the day last a full day. This was the first part of the day, and definitely did not set things off well. Once arrived in the mangroves area, we take a steady cruise deeper into the mangroves, seeing very few wildlife, perhaps a few birds, to make a u-turn back the way we came in to exit the mangroves. Following that, a 30 minute stop in shallow waters to take a dip, this was nice. The general atmosphere on the boat, was dry, and left ALLOT to be desired. We felt the other passengers were feeling it too. But this really stems from poor coordination and control from those who are running the tour. Which brings me onto how the tour is run. It appears upon booking you are allocated a “tour guide” per group or per booking. And on the boat and through the day, that person stays with you making sure you don’t get lost. Perhaps we got unlucky… Our tour guide was very lovely and a sweet person, but barely guided us, as we kept having to ask time and time again, what is going on, where are we going next. What’s happening. Which became a drag. The other groups on the same tour as us, appeared to have better luck, as there were guides on the boat who were very active and engaging with their groups, albeit in Italian, which sadly we do not speak. We stopped to have lunch on Waka waka island. This was lovely. The food was excellent, the locals very friendly, all round the highlight of the day. Some dancing with the locals. Plenty of food to go around, fruit, and beverages. The canoeing part of the excursion was completely cancelled for unknown reasons. All was told to us is “there is no time”. Which is baffling when the entire day, the passengers including ourselves had been patiently waiting for things to happen, and everyone had generally been prompt with following instructions. Lastly, the snorkeling, arguably the most important part of the day, was borderline dangerous. They take you way out of the cover of the land, close to where the sea merges with the back waters, and drop anchor. The currents in the water were incredibly strong, quite literally drifting you away at quite a pace from the boat. If you are not a strong swimmer. This is an absolute no go for you. And even if you are, you need stamina to get back to the boat. There were a couple of times within our group where tourists cried for help for buoyancy aids, as the undercurrents of the sea had overwhelmed them. It was risky, and I really think this should not be conducted when the sea state is as unstable as it was, or perhaps there should be an alternative more covered spot for this activity to take place, or the entire tour to be rescheduled. Overall, we were left feeling underwhelmed, and bored. It’s sad to say it but that’s our truth! If you decide to go on this trip. I hope you have a better experience than we did.
via Tripadvisor
Even without dolphins a great experience
Wonderful experience. We had an amazing driver Jimmy who was very friendly and funny. A great companion on the road. Even though we weren't able to see the dolphins due to high waves and raining season it was still a wonderful experience, worth it!
via Tripadvisor
Great tour
Such an amazing trip- great guides. Lots of dolphins. We did have weather on our side but the guides were amazing Derrick and Jim were so insightful and kept us comfortable.
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 9.5 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $154 to $172
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 12
- Verdict
- Solid Choice
Who runs this experience
Operated by AFRICAN NATIVES TOURS & TRANSFERS, who run 5 experiences we rank across 1 city, with an average Outty Ranking of 49.3.
See everything AFRICAN NATIVES TOURS & TRANSFERS runsWhy this scores 62
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Mombasa.
How much does Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch cost?
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Prices start at $154 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Mombasa usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch take?
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Plan for about 9.5 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Mombasa is not rushed.
Is Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 62 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.2/5 across 33 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Mombasa, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 9.5-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch?
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Around 12 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Mombasa can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Mombasa and add a light layer if any part of the 9.5-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Mombasa within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Mombasa?
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On Outty we rank every Mombasa experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Mombasa City Tour, Walking Tour Through Old Town Mombasa and Fort Jesus, Visit to Fort Jesus and the Old Town of Mombasa. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Mombasa?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Mombasa?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch?
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Included: Carbonated beverages; Private transportation; Use of snorkeling equipment; Bottled water; and Lunch. Not included: Snacks; Tea and coffee; Alcoholic beverages; and Items of personal nature. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 252 listed pickup locations in and around Mombasa. Be ready about 180 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch offered in?
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It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Not recommended for pregnant travelers. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch if the weather is bad?
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This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
What do travelers say about Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch?
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Across 33 reviews averaging 4.2 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, food and drink, photo opportunities. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
What booking options are available for Watamu Marine Park & Sudi Island Mangrove Forest Canoe Ride.With sea food lunch?
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There are 3 options to choose from, including Pick up from Mtwapa, Pick up from Mombasa, Pick up from Tiwi & Diani. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.
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