Abiri Kenya

Beaches I Creaks I Coves in Kwale

Gazi Beach: A Fascinating Backwater

Gazi Beach lies within the limit of the 18 km2 Gazi Bay, 2 km west of Chale Island deep in the wind-tickled palm plantation cognate to its veiled history. Destroyed during WW1, it was built anew in 1916 but never got back its glory days. Even so, the 3 km long Gazi Beach is never crowded and it is a lie-low escape if you are looking for privacy during your holiday. It is of the jungly, untamed and uncharted kind close to the self-same little sleepy fishing village laid out with a network of footpaths zigzagging around neatly arranged mud-walled huts and a few dukas.

In 2009, the local community at Gazi, Mikono Pamoja, rallied together to give rise to conservation initiatives as a way to foster tourism in this backwater. Mangroves are essential for villages like Gazi whose natives rely on the forests to build boats, houses, furniture, and for use as firewood, ergo some of the villagers who still ascribe to the traditional Wadigo religion have erected shrines inside the forest.

All the more important, in consideration of how things stand with the climate crises and the efforts to upend adverse effects, the mangroves at Gazi Bay are a part of the UNEP Blue Forests Project working in partnership with seven other countries [Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mozambique, UAE and USA] to prospect approaches to coastal ecosystem conservation and promote mangrove carbon finance. The novel Blue Forests Project is a global partnership that improves the management of coastal carbon and ecosystems.

As a result, Gazi’s mangrove forests are now available on the voluntary carbon market with support from the Global Environment Facility and partners. The Blue Forests Project has been able to grow the carbon market for blue carbon offsets by over an order of magnitude. Profits from carbon sales in Gazi Bay are already supporting community projects like improving water points and renovations to the local school. Together with blue carbon sales at Vanga, the partnership has brought in a total of 1,500 hectares of mangrove forests to the voluntary market.

Another highlight of their efforts is the 450 ms Gazi Women Mangrove Boardwalk, a perfectly short activity done in less than an hour led by a super local guide. Also of interest at Gazi, if you can find a local guide to take you there, is the yester years former palace of Sheikh Mbaruk, a popular figure of the Mazrui Rebellions of 1895. Although Gazi lacks popular beach resorts as at Diani Beach, it’s contiguous with Msambweni Beach which has several resorts. Gazi is situated 22 km past Ukunda.

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Kenya is renowned for its stunning coastline along the Indian Ocean, offering a variety of beautiful beaches that cater to different preferences – from bustling resorts to quiet, secluded coves and picture-postcard creeks. Diani Beach, known for its powdery white sands and turquoise waters, is, perhaps, the most popular. Yet, each offers a unique experience, in almost always perfect tropical weather.

Index of Beaches, Creeks and Coves in Kenya



Busia County - Port Florence, Marenga Beach, Homa Bay County - Takawiri Island Beach, Kilifi County - Mtwapa Creek, Kikambala Beach, Takaungu Creek, Vuma Cliffs, Kilifi Creek, Bofa Beach, Mida Creek, Watamu Beach, Turtle Bay, Garoda Beach, Malindi Beach, Mambrui Beach, Kisumu County - Luang'ni Beach, Kwale County - Tiwi Beach, Diani Beach, Gazi Beach, Msambweni Beach, Munje Beach, Lamu County - Kizuke Bay, Lamu Beach, Shela Beach, Kizingoni Beach, The Manda Toto, Kiwayu Beach, Ras Kitau, Migori County - Muhuru Bay, Lake Victoria Sanctuary, Mombasa County - Tudor Creek, Shelly Beach, Nyali Beach, Bamburi Beach, Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach, Shanzu Beach

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Located along the Kenyan coast, and a hub renowned for its pristine beaches, rich cultural heritage, and breathtaking landscapes, Kwale County uniquely combines two of Kenya’s unsurpassed offerings – beach and safari. Kwale County is also a melting pot of coastal traditions, modern development, farming and trade to boot.

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A Guide to Kwale County



A Summa Digest of Kwale 

About Kwale Way Back When

85 Destinations in Kwale County, arranged as one would visit these - north, south, east then south - with aid of in-depth narratives, images, maps and distance chart:

Shelly Beach, Time Out Art Camp, Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, Kutazama Lodge, Mandhari Lodge, Kimerimeta Safari Lodge, Baraza Park, Kwale Town, Shimba Hills National Reserve, Shimba Hills Lodge, Elephant Lookout, Sheldrick Falls, Shimba Hills Organic Farm, Nyalani Dam, WWF Nursery, Tiwi Beach, Diani-Chale Marine National Reserve, Kongo Mosque, Twiga Mosque, Diani Mosque, Diani Beach Art Gallery, Diani Bikes, Center Point Mall, Diani Beach, Almasi Art Agency, Diamond Leisure Beach & Golf Resort, Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant, Kenya Kite Masters, Kite Festival, Funguo Wreck, Swahili Beach Resort, Raydon Water Sports, Colobus Conservation Trust, Sails Beach Bar & Restaurant, H2O Extreme, Nomad Beach Bar & Restaurant, Baobab Beach Resort, Lantana Galu Beach, Galu Ruins, Bora Bora Wildlife Park, Skydive Diani, Kalista Bar & Restaurant, Kaya Kinondo (Forest), Kinondo Kwetu (Resort), Chale Island, Tulia Eco Garden, Gazi Beach, Gazi Mangrove Boardwalk, Gazi Ruins, Msambweni Beach, Munje Beach, Munje Beach Villas, Munje Ruins, Munje Octopus Closure, Funzi Island, Shirazi Ruins, Fikirini Caves, Hormuz, Pongwe, Shimoni Caves, Betty's Camp, Shimoni Ruins, KWS Shimoni Cottages, Wasini Island, Wasini Ruins, Wasini Boardwalk, Charlie Claw’s, Chambocha Cemetery, Wasini Dolphin Tours, Pilli Pipa Dhow, Blue Monkey Cottages, GVI Mkwiro, Mwaozi Tumbe's Gravestone, Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park, Sii Island, Mrima Hill, Maji Moto Springs, Vumba Kuu, Vanga, Vanga Ruins, Nyika Plateau

Know More About Kwale County: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - including strip maps, Airports, Climate & National Monuments

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