Home to the indigenous Digo people, Ukunda is a small coastal town in the south-east of Kenya. It’s located on the route that connects Mombasa with the Tanzanian border and serves as a gateway to Diani Beach, one of the most popular resort towns on Africa’s Indian Ocean coast.
Things to do in Ukunda
Kick back on the blindingly white sands of Diani Beach, which extends for 17 kilometres from the Kongo River to Galu Beach. The shallow, crystal-clear waters are ideal for swimming while the offshore coral reefs offer exceptional snorkelling. A variety of water sports are available at Diani Beach, including kite surfing and jet skiing.
For a bird’s eye view of Diani Beach and Ukunda, join the team at Skydiving Diani for a tandem jump. Alternatively, you can venture below the water’s surface with one of the local dive operators to marvel at sea turtles and whale sharks. In addition to exploring the fascinating MV Funguo wreck, you can get up close to a variety of macro critters such as nudibranchs and frogfish.
A short drive inland from Ukunda is the Shimba Hills National Reserve, which encompasses a large area of coastal rainforest, woodland and grassland. More than 50% of Kenya’s rare plants are found within its bounds and it provides important habitat for native birds and butterflies. The Shimba Hills National Reserve is renowned for its large number of elephants and hosts Kenya’s only population of sable antelope.
Getting around Ukunda
Ukunda Airport lies on the edge of the town and has regular flights to Nairobi and Mombasa. By road, Mombasa is one hour away and is connected to Ukunda by regular buses. The centre of Ukunda is compact enough to explore on foot while renting a car is the most convenient way of getting around the region.