Kisite-Mpunguti

Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park

Since the 1970s, Kenya has established a network of protected marine parks and marine reserves along its coastline. Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park and Reserve was officially created in 1978 to protect the region’s rich marine biodiversity.

The protected area includes Kisite Island and the Inner and Outer Mpunguti Islands. Kisite Marine National Park covers approximately 11 square kilometres, while the adjoining Mpunguti Marine Reserve extends over 28 square kilometres.

Location and Access

The marine park is located about 100 kilometres south of Mombasa. Visitors usually reach the park by boat from Shimoni, a small fishing village in Kwale County, close to the Tanzania border.

The boat journey from Shimoni to the coral reefs takes approximately 4 to 8 kilometres. Along the way, visitors pass the beautiful Wasini Island, which is known for its unspoiled scenery and traditional Swahili culture.

Best Time for Snorkelling

For the best snorkelling experience, it is recommended to visit the reefs around low tide. Water visibility is often clearer, and sea conditions are generally calmer during this time.

Because tide times change every day, it is a good idea to check the local tide tables before booking a dhow trip to Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park. Planning your visit around the tides will help you enjoy the best underwater conditions.

Snorkelling at Kisite-Mpunguti

Traditional dhows usually anchor near the coral reefs in water that is 4 to 8 metres deep. From there, visitors swim to the reef to explore the underwater world. Most tour operators provide life jackets and other flotation devices, making the experience suitable for both confident and less experienced swimmers.

After a few hours of snorkelling, visitors can enjoy a fresh seafood lunch. Depending on the tour you choose, lunch is served either on the dhow or on Wasini Island. In the afternoon, if the weather and tides are favourable, the dhow often returns to Shimoni under sail, offering a relaxing end to the trip.

Before leaving Shimoni, many visitors also explore the historic Shimoni Slave Caves. These caves were once used as holding areas during the East African slave trade and provide an important insight into the region’s history.

Marine Life

Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park is home to an incredible variety of marine life. More than 250 species of fish and over 40 species of coral have been recorded in the protected area. The clear waters make it one of Kenya’s best destinations for snorkelling and scuba diving.

Visitors may encounter colourful parrotfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, triggerfish, moray eels, groupers, wrasses, scorpionfish, pufferfish, damselfish, snappers, and several species of rays. The park is also an excellent place to spot green sea turtles, hawksbill turtles, and playful dolphins in their natural habitat.

Dolphins visit the marine park almost on a daily basis and it’s possible to jump in from an engine powered boat and take a swim with the dolphins for a limited amount of time. At Shimoni caves and Nyuli reef large marine life is always seen and sharks and stingrays are common sights. Also there are chances to spot humpback whales and whale sharks in Kisite-Mpunguti between August and October.

Corals like staghorn, brain, mushroom, liliac-blue, and lavender coral present great photo taking opportunities and the colorful beauty of the coral, complimented by the large number of yellow and red tuna and snappers are virtually unmatched. Parrotfish and hundreds of other species of fish in caleidoscopic colors live around the coral reefs in Kisite-Mpunguti. Fishing is not allowed in the marine park but deep sea fishing lovers can travel further out into to the Pemba channel to catch large barracudas, marlin, sailfish and kingfish. If you are not much into diving or snorkeling, we still recommend going on a tour to Kisite-Mpunguti because the surroundings are so beautiful and despite being a bit costly, it is wonderful to spend a day on the sea and maybe see some dolphins playing in the Indian Oceans deep blue waters.

Booking a trip to Kisite-Mpunguti can be done at some of the larger hotels along the (south) coast and they will provide transportation to Shimoni by bus and from there you will board on the dhow to reach the marine park. You can save a bit of money by booking with someone on the beach but chances are they are not authorized.

If you book with one of the dhow tours, the crew will provide you with a mask and snorkle of fairly good quality (fins are discouraged as they might harm the corals), but if you want to be sure to have equipment that fits you well, you might consider bringing your own. If you wear spectacles and don’t like to use contact lenses, a mask with built in dioptrics to fit your prescription will provide a much better under water experience.

Camera and maybe binoculars would be great to bring with you on the boat and when you snorkle or dive, you would also wish to have an underwater camera to capture the incredible beauty and caleidoscopic colors of the underworld and its hundreds of fish and corals because this is something you rarely will find and there’s no doubt amongst the locals; Kisite-Mpunguti has some of the finest coral reefs in the world and it’s up there with the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.