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Info required for Watamu Beach Hotel (Kenya) (1 Viewer)

400mark

Well-known member
Hi all, i'm off to the East Kenyan coast in a few weeks :cool: & was wondering if anyone could help with any info for birding around the hotel area.

I have found a couple of good reports for the Watamu area including one on Bird Forum by "Andrew". Most reports are from people staying at the Turtle Bay Beach Hotel & they mention a "bird walk" outside the hotel.
We will be staying at Watamu Beach Hotel, as it is considerably cheaper.

As well as a couple of organised trips, I
am hoping to do a bit/lot of birding in & around the hotel area & wanted to try & get a bit more info on the area in & outside the Hotel.
I don't know if the Watamu Beach Hotel is near to the Turtle Bay Hotel? Or if there are any good areas within walking distance worth heading for.
Perhaps someone has stayed at the Watamu Beach Hotel & has some advice?

I have found it difficult to get a detailed map of the coastal area, it could be that the hotels are close together or miles apart. Does anyone have any info to help or know of any internet sites where I could find out more info on the coastal strip?

I have attached a copy of the best map I could find!

Any help or advice is appreciated.

Many thanks


Mark
 

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Hi,

Quite a while since I've been to the Kenyan coast, but there are many good birding spots - I would recommend having a look at www.birdtours.co.uk - despite its name, it is not a tour company, but an excellent site with trip reports from all corners of the world, including Kenya.

A word of warning, before wandering around with expensive optics on the Kenyan coast (or in Nairobi), check the safety situation - these two parts of Kenya have built up quite a bad reputation ...but maybe things are better now.

I spent six months in Kenya, excellent birding everywhere, but midway through those six months I got attacked on the coast in broad daylight by three guys with machetes and lost my binoculars (in return got multiple cuts, exposing the bone). Sounds nasty, but don't let it put you off - check with your hotel (or latest Lonely Planet) for current situation.
 
I second Jos here. I grew up in Kenya, back in the old days when safety wasn't an issue (at least on the coast). Now, you have to be very, very careful. I got jumped at my mom's place a couple of years ago. She owns holiday cottages on the South Coast, and hears almost weekly about somebody getting robbed. Those Dudes will not hesitate to use their knifes, either.

Having said that, you'll be perfectly OK inside the hotel grounds. Also try and organize a trip to Arube Sokoke Forest, not too far from there, or Shimba Hills on the South Coast.

Next time I go back, I will confine all my birding to National Parks. They also have predators, but it is the two-legged kind I find really scary.
 
Thanks for your advice.

Jos, www.birdtours.co.uk has a trip report, I have e-mailed the writers, thanks!
Your ordeal sounds nasty, the sort of thing that could put you off your travels to some countries!

I will be careful, all the holiday reports I have seen have mentioned how friendly local people are, they only mention some hassle from people selling stuff on the beach. I will play it by ear when I get there, ask the rep & hotel for advice, stay close to tourist areas.

I guess there is always a risk of being mugged almost anywhere in the world nowadays.
 
Hi Mark
I stayed in Mombasa two years ago and to be honest the hawkers on the beach were terrible, so much so nobody from the hotel was using the beach! To be honest mine was a family safari/beach holiday, we all agreed we would stick to the safari in future, but from a birding point of view, you didn't really have to stray far from your hotel for good birding, I used to sit by the pool watching the birds, they somehow like the locals don't seem so wary of the guests, so sitting at one of the poolside bars birdwatching, (also watching the antics of the monkeys including some colobus monkies) somehow made up for the lack of beach access.
Another thing to watch, not sure where your hotel is , but we left Mombasa airport and our taxi ride had to take a short ferry ride, Keep your windows closed and doors locked! Firstly they will try selling stuff, but there were some trying to grab bags and valuables through the open windows, I would especially keep cameras and stuff out of sight.
As Hanno pointed out the predators in the national parks are much better risk than the people on the ferry etc.
 
Kenya

Hi,

I only know the area of Mombasa north ( like area of Sun and Sand Hotel ) and Mombasa south.
On low tide You can walk by Your on on the beach. In some areas the water is 1 kilometer away from the beach. There are lots of small whole in the sand with water. You can see lots of small fishes, sometimes a Murena walk from one water whole to another. Also nice mussels, seastars and urgins is possible to see.
And finally lots of birds look for fish, crabs on so on.
Do not forget snorkeling gear !!!

Best regards
Dieter
 
I spent a summer (June-mid August) in Watamu in 1992. It's a wonderful area. I spent much of my time in Mida Creek which was really rich. I also spent as much time in Sokoke forest which I cycled to from Watamu. Other than that, the garden of the house I was staying in was really good so as others have said, around the hotel would be pretty productive. Had no problems from hawkers on the beach but this was some time ago of course. When I was there, the most local problems were from Lamu - a most established holiday centre. Things may have changed.

Other birding areas - Shimba Hills is a good day trip away, Lake Jalori actually in the forest is really good if you can find you way there. Again, pretty close to your hotel. The other place I wnet is to the north but only an hour or twos drive, Sabaki estuary.

Have a good trip

Richard Bashford
 
Thanks for all your comments & advice.

I do not have any snorkelling gear but I may get a pair of goggles out there. I am looking to buy a single use under water camera just in case I find something interesting in the rock pools.
 
Kenya

Hi,

again, there is lot of small pools ( do not know Watamu, only Mombasa ).
In this pools a lot of fish and also lot of very nice mussels.
You can take pictures under water, but also pictures from outside.
Snorkeling gear I suppose You can lend there ( have to check if it fits, take the mask over the eyes and nose and breave in, the mask should not fall down ).

Best regards
Dieter
 
I had an e-mail back from the couple that visited the Watamu Beach Hotel in Jan this year, they said:

"We always enjoy walking and birding morning and afternoon and relaxing throughout the rest of the day. There are birds around the gardens and at the back of the bluff. There are also many waders and other water associated birds etc out on the reefs when the tide is out. The walk out to the reef is a long way but its very pleasant. As far as safety goes, we never had a problem. You will undoubtably have hangers on wherever you walk, but we found them to be quite harmless. Be freindly and polite and usually a firm NO THANKYOU, or something like WE WISH TO WALK BY OURSELVES will suffice. Under no circumstance should either of you walk about bedecked in jewellery or carry money with you that could be snatched. Be sensible and you will have no problems".

They also advised that the Turtle Bay Beach Club is about a 35 minute walk away.
 
Walk on beach

Hi,

if You walk on beach ( e.g. low tide ) take care off hidden things like urgins, sharp parts of corals, sharp parts of vulcan stones and finally scorpionsfish.
Quite good are plastic shoes ( ofter old people wear this on swimming pool ).
I think diving shoes are not save anough.
For sun cream I used ph 5,5 ( ph - worth of the skin ), waterproof for children. Childrens cream is the most waterproof, because they often play in or at the water. This cream is almost impossible was away with normal soap, hair shampoo is needed.
For snorkeling also an old t-shirt is useful.

Best regards
Dieter
 
The hotels at Watamu are pretty close one to another and a pleasant walk along the beach. I was there a while back- the birding was fine but did not quite compare with snorkelling offshore with a Whale Shark.

There are (were) plenty of boat trips around around Mida Creek- worth it for sandplovers, Terek and so on.

If you are not also going on safari, worth considering a day trip from Watamu into Tsavo- sounds touristy but Tsavo is (was) uncrowded and spectacular.
 
And in particular Tsavo East, which is much less crowded (and closer to Watamu, going via the "back road" is a spectacular drive).
 
Best thing to do is ask for Jonathan to be your guide when you go to the wildlife desk in the Turtle Bay hotel and he will sort all the transport out for you.
 
There is a lot of interesting information on this thread, I have already bookmarked the area in my travel agenda. My only beach hotel vacation was in Turkey, Side and it was a great experience for me, I would repeat that without having second thought but in the same time I want to experience more places and my next stop might just be Kenya.
 
Did you happen to meet any of the others with Spinetails Safaris?

I'm in the initial stages of planning a trip, and I'm curious in case David Ngala isn't available/has retired.

David is now a conservation officer at A-S forest (see here: http://davidngala.wildlifedirect.org/ ).
I think he still does some guiding work with the other Spinetails guys (Albert & Willy -who are both excellent). He can be quite difficult to get hold of. I've sent him texts and Emails which are very rarely answered though he has phoned me on occasion (-once at 0300 am!!! :eek!: ).

Transport is the big issue as none of these guys have their own vehicle & so a vehicle + driver also needs to be booked (either by yourself or through them) increasing costs substantially.

Try to organise two full day trips to the A-S forest (with early starts) & one evening trip for the owls. Malindi creek is also a must visit -preferably on a low but incoming tide.
If possible a visit to Sabaki rivermouth should also be undertaken (we saw Dwarf Bittern, various tern species, African Skimmer and numerous other good birds here with the localised Malindi Pipit being found 30 mins drive to the north).

Which hotel do you plan to stay in?
 
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