Coral islets, dolphins and clear reef water off Kenya's far south coast, with car-free Wasini Island alongside
Kisite-Mpunguti lies off Shimoni at the southern end of Kenya's coast, a few kilometres south of Wasini Island. The protected area covers about 39 square kilometres and combines Kisite Marine National Park, where no fishing is allowed, with the Mpunguti Marine Reserve, where local fishermen may use traditional methods. Four small islands ringed by coral reef rise from the shallows, and the surrounding water supports parrotfish, angelfish, groupers, moray eels and rays, along with green and hawksbill turtles.
The park is best known for its dolphins, which are regularly seen in the Wasini Channel and around the reefs; humpback whales and whale sharks pass through in season. Wasini Island, about 7 kilometres long, sits between the park and the mainland. It has no cars or roads, only footpaths between two small villages, Wasini and Mkwiro, and a community boardwalk that winds through coral gardens and mangroves.
Wasini was settled by Swahili and Shirazi traders, and the Shimoni area across the channel became a slave-holding port from the 18th century, with captives reportedly held in the coral caves near the shore. The trade declined after the British ban and the Sultan of Zanzibar's acceptance of it in the 1870s. Today the Shimoni Slave Caves are run as a community tourism project whose income supports local schools and health care.
Kisite-Mpunguti was gazetted in the 1970s and is managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service from its base at Shimoni. In 2021 the Marine Conservation Institute gave it a Blue Park award, recognising it as an effectively protected marine area, the first in Kenya to receive the status.
Around 3,000 people live on Wasini, almost all of them Muslim, and life follows the tides, fishing and seaweed and coconut harvests. Goods are carried on foot or by wheelbarrow, since there are no vehicles. The women's group that runs the boardwalk uses the income for student bursaries and other community needs. Grilled fish, crab and coconut rice are the staples of island lunches. Dress modestly in the villages and ask before taking photographs of people.
Most visitors join a full-day dhow trip from Shimoni: the boat heads out to the Kisite reefs for snorkelling or diving, with dolphin spotting on the way, then returns to Wasini Island for a seafood lunch and a walk along the coral-garden boardwalk. Divers can explore deeper reef walls, and some travellers stay overnight on Wasini or at the KWS campsite at Shimoni to experience the area after the day boats leave. The Shimoni caves make a short, sobering stop before the drive back north.
Calm seas and clear water make October to March the most reliable period for snorkelling and dolphin watching. The long rains from April to June bring rougher seas that can cancel boat trips, and the windier mid-year months reduce visibility. Humpback whales are seen seasonally, mainly in the second half of the year.
Checked against the sources on 29 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
Shimoni village, with its jetty and the Shimoni Slave Caves, is the gateway to the park. Diani Beach is the main base on the south coast, about an hour or so to the north, and the Shimba Hills National Reserve lies inland. Funzi Island and the mangrove creeks along the coast are other options for boat trips, and the Tanzanian border at Lunga Lunga is close by.
Kenya · 7 nights4★ LodgeKenya · 9 nights4★ ResortThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 29 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
