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Home  Kenya's Coast Marine National Parks and Reserves |
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Marine National Parks and Reserves
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Kisite Marine Park & Mpunguti Marine Reserve
Mombasa Marine National Park & Reserve
Malindi & Watamu Marine National Park & Reserve
The marine and coastal environments of Kenya include Indian Ocean territorial waters and the immediate hinterland areas that border the sea. Another feature of the coastline is the fringing coral reef which runs between 0.5 km and 2 km off-shore with occasional gaps at the mouths of rivers and the isolated areas facing the creeks.
The shoreline is dominated in most areas by beaches, cliffs or mangrove forests. The coral-reef system and mangrove swamps serve the most important ecological role and the former is a major attraction next to the sun, sea and sand.
KISITE MARINE PARK & MPUNGUTI MARINE RESERVE
FACT FILE
* Area Kisite Marine Park: 11 km2
* Area Mpunguti Marine Reserve: 28 km2
* Distance from Mombasa: ca 120 km
* Opened: June 1978
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HIGHLIGHTS
* Exotic coral gardens
* Shallow water reefs
* Mpunguti, Wasini & Kisite Islands
* 250 species of marine life
* Dhow trips, snorkelling, caving |
 At the southernmost point of Kenya's 500 km coastline lie some of East Africa's most colourful coral gardens.
Located 4-8 km out to the sea from Shimoni and next to Wasini Island, noted for its coral gardens, the Kisite Marine National Park is beautiful and intact.
The entire Marine Park is in shallow water. From Shimoni, it can be reached easily by motor boat or traditional dhow. The Kisite coral reefs are estimated to be 3-4 km long running along the inner and outer edges of the reefs from Mpunguti Islands to the tiny coral island of Kisite itself.
The reefs at Kisite and Mpunguti Marine National Park & Reserve are scientifically important habitats and are amongst the most complex eco-systems in the world. It has been a center of discussion for European marine biologists because of its increasing number of new fishes species and corals being documented and particular because of the marine environment still being intact.
The pristine coral varieties are impeccable; forty-five varieties have so far been identified. They include staghorn, brain, mushroom, liliac-blue and pencil coral and present unique photo topportunities as the coral is easy to goggle over but deep enough to avoid damage from human contact.
The colorful beauty of the coral, complimented by the large number of fish (more than 250 species recorded), is unmatched; the sheer numbers of fish feeding around the coral is an amazing sight. Species include butterfly, parrot, rock cod, angel, manta ray; turtles and reef sharks are also seen.
 Dolphins are common and Shimoni is the home of families of fresh water porpoises which cruise in and out of the Kisite Marine Park and are frequently seen in the channel between the mainland and Shimoni.
An alternative to an underwater diving excursion are traditional dhow trips. They are an excellent way of exploring and discovering the beauty of the marine park and its islands from the decks of traditional dhows. Snorkeling gear is provided.
MOMBASA MARINE NATIONAL PARK & RESERVE
FACT FILE
* National Park area: 10 km2
* Marine Reserve area: 200 km2
* Distance from Nairobi: 487 km
* Opened: December 1986
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HIGHLIGHTS
* Delicate coral reefs
* Variety of exotic fish
* Water sports
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Mombasa, a coral island off the coast of Kenya, has beautiful coral reefs and marine life; this makes the whole experience of diving and snorkeling awesome. Mombasa has also a deep harbor called the Kilindini, which serves as a docking station for vessels serving the East African trading regions.
The national park opened with the support of local hoteliers to prevent further stripping of natural treasures from the reef in order to preserve its ecological and tourist attraction.
The area where the diving and snorkeling occur is north of Mombasa, extending from around the Mtwapa creek all the way south to the entrance of Likoni; this area is called the Mombasa Marine Park and National Reserve. In 1986, the Kenyan Government officially extended Mombasa Marine Parks and National Reserve to its well-deserved status. Mombasa Marine Park encompasses 4 square miles, while the National Reserve extends 77 square miles.
The marine life at the Mombasa Marine and National Reserve is incredible. Plenty of diverse fish life can be seen by snorkel or diving; for instance look out for brightly colored fishes like snappers- both yellow and red camouflaging with similarly colored corals and sometimes even completing the white corals which present an unrepresentative beauty well-deserving of picture taking.
The reefs are of different types; there are multicolored hanging reefs and large corals, which complement the soft smooth sandy bottoms. Snorkeling in shallow depths will display the coral reefs close to surface, providing sustenance to small marine life which otherwise would be unable to survive.
MALINDI & WATAMU MARINE NATIONAL PARK & RESERVE
FACT FILE
* Area Malindi Park: 6 km2 & Reserve 213 km2
* Area Watamu Park 10 km2 & Reserve: 32 km2
* Distance from Mombasa: 118 km
* Opened: both March 1968
* Kenya's first ever Marine Park & Reserve
* Designated World Biosphere Reserve
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HIGHLIGHTS
* Series of Coral Reefsand Lagoons
* Sea grass beds home to turtles & dugongs
* Mida creek mangrove forest
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This Marine Park & National Reserve is part of a complex of marine and tidal habitats on Kenya’s North coast stretching from Malindi town to beyond the entrance to Mida creek. It is enclosed by the Malindi Marine National Reserve which also encloses Malindi Marine National Park.
Habitats include inter-tidal rock, sand and mud; fringing reefs and coral gardens; beds of sea grass; coral cliffs, platforms and islets; sandy beaches and Mida Creek mangrove forest. The park was designated as a Biosphere reserve in 1979.
The coral reef running along the shoreline plays a diverse role. As well as bio-diversity strongholds, it provides breeding grounds for fish and other marine life. It also serves as a vital barrier against the force of the sea protecting marine organisms and the beachfront alike. By keeping out dangerous sharks common to the deeper waters the reef makes the beaches save for tourist recreation.
Where there is coral, there are coral fish seen in colorful crowds. Perhaps the easiest to pick out will be the Moorish idols. Their striking black and yellow stripes, pointed snout and long trailing dorsal fin would be hard to miss in any crowd and their stately progress sets them apart from the general bustle. Little black and white coral fish, sometimes called bulls-eyes or sergeant-major fishes are found hovering round a clump of madrepore coral; the beautiful anemone fish, pinky-gold with a pale dorsal stripe, make their home among the tentacles of stinging sea anemones.
 Also seen, the clown fish, similar in shape to the anemone fish but its colors are rich brown, a couple of sky blue stripes and orange fins, which lives among the tentacles of the anemone. A third fish to be found with anemones is the domino fish, marked, as its name implies, with three white spots on a black background.
Mida creek is a large, almost land locked expanse of saline water, mangrove and intertidal mud. This forest is where young coral begins its existence before the tides take it out to the reefs beyond. Mida Creek forest is rich in fish, crabs, prawns and oysters and is also excellent for bird watching. Its extensive forests are gazetted as forest reserves and the extreme western tip of Mida Creek is part of the Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve.
Tewa Caves, near the mouth of the creek, are partly underwater - here giant rock cod (‘Tewa’ in Swahili), weighing several hundred pounds, live with many other exotic fish species.
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