Information and Curiosities
Watamu, a brief historical overview
Watamu is located on the Kenyan coast approximately 110 km northeast of Mombasa and 15 km south of Malindi. It stretches along the coastline from Mida Creek to the village of Mayungu, and inland to the village of Gede.. The present-day village of Watamu has a relatively recent history, which began in 1937 when an Irish family shipwrecked around Watamu and subsequently settled to live in Turtle Bay. However, significant development occurred around the 1950s-60s when the government started leasing plots of land along the beach, primarily to white settlers from Kenya and interested international visitors. In 1951, the first hotel, Ocean Sports, was built in Turtle Bay, which had started as a beach bar, right where the Irish family lived. Subsequently, Bajuni fishing families also began to settle in the village, and Kenyans could access government settlement schemes, promoting the urban development of the area. The Watamu area is an integral part of the Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve, and more specifically, the Garoda-Turtle Bay beach is protected as a Marine Park because, along this stretch of beach, it is not uncommon to come across sea turtle nests in March. To help the Kenya Wildlife Service keep the beaches of Watamu clean and monitored, the local community, along with some tourism operators in the area, formed the Watamu Marine Association.
Where to find Nyuso za Afrika
The villa is located on Jacaranda Road, approximately 1 km from the town of Watamu. The area is very quiet and surrounded by the greenery of African vegetation, about 500 meters from the beaches of Love Island and Watamu Beach.
For those familiar with Watamu, it's just a couple of hundred meters past the Crystal Bay Resort golf course, heading towards Jacaranda.
Google maps geolocation -3.343192, 40.027292
Distance from major utility points
Village center of Watamu - Coastal Market Supermarket (formerly Mama Lucy's) approximately 1.3 km away."
Shopping and restaurants - Watamu road (main village road) approximately 1.3 km away.
Watamu Mall - 200 meters away (supermarket, pharmacy, bar/ice cream shop, Safaricom telecommunication).
English supermarket Blue Marmalade - approximately 1.6 km away.
Casino about 1.6 km
Banks (Richland area) DTB or KCB about 1.0 km
White Sand Pharmacy - approximately 1.4 km away (main village road - Watamu road).
Indian Ocean, Marine Park, and Distance from the Beaches
The Indian Ocean, which bathes this wonderful land, is also known for the phenomenon of tides, with 6 hours of low tide and 6 hours of high tide, and so on. The timing obviously changes every day, with an approximate difference of half an hour to an hour.
Do not hesitate to encounter any unpleasant surprises; upon your arrival, if you wish, we can send you the tide calendar for the days of your interest via WhatsApp. This way, you will always know, with a minimal difference, whether you will encounter low or high tide when going to the beach at a certain time, in complete autonomy.
The Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve is a protected natural area established in 1968, located in the Indian Ocean off the southern coast of Kenya, south of Watamu. It is one of the oldest marine parks in Africa. In 1979, UNESCO designated the Malindi-Watamu Biosphere Reserve, which includes the national park and reserve of Malindi and the Watamu Marine National Park. In 2019, the biosphere reserve was expanded to 487,278 hectares and now includes the previous reserve and the Arabuko Sokoke forest, under the name Malindi Watamu Arabuko Sokoke Biosphere Reserve.
Love Island or Watamu Beach is located 500 meters in front of the villa and can be easily reached by bajaji or tuk-tuk, or for those who prefer, on foot.
Blue Lagoon is located at the end of the main road of Watamu village, approximately 1.5 km away, easily reachable by bajaji or tuk-tuk, or for those who prefer, on foot.
Garoda is located approximately 3.5 km westward and is easily accessible by bajaji or tuk-tuk.
Blue Bay Beach is approximately 2 km westward and is easily accessible by bajaji or tuk-tuk.
Turtle Bay Beach is approximately 2.5 km westward and is easily accessible by bajaji or tuk-tuk.
Jacaranda is approximately 7 km eastward and is easily accessible by bajaji or tuk-tuk.
Short Beach is approximately 5 km westward and is easily accessible by bajaji or tuk-tuk.
All beaches, except Short Beach, Blue Bay Beach, and Turtle Bay Beach, are equipped with paid sun loungers, umbrellas, or sunshades. It is possible to have lunch by booking with the appropriate staff and purchase snacks and/or drinks at an additional cost.
How to get around the area
For short distances, you can choose to travel by motorcycle (bajaji) or tuk-tuk (closed three-wheeler). The bajaji accommodates two passengers in addition to the driver, while the tuk-tuk accommodates three.
Most of the roads are paved except for those leading to the interior, which are dirt roads.
Both services are available during both day and night hours and are on call.
Assistance
There is always Italian staff present at the villa, available to answer your questions, provide advice, and help you organize your days.
Assistance for visa issuance through the website etakeny a.go.ke for which you will be provided with a personalized receipt confirming the reservation.
Starting from January 2, 2024, to enter Kenya, it is necessary to apply for the new electronic travel authorization.(eTA) in the website etakeny a.go.ke
Entering the 'Apply Now' section allows you to proceed by reading the required documents and accepting the terms and conditions.
At the same time, the website reminds that those who have already applied for the 'old' visa online will be accepted upon entry into Kenya throughout 2024. The same portal evisa.go.ke is operational and may remain so for some time; however, the eTA, besides being faster and issued more quickly, is cheaper. The cost, including fees, should be around 31 euros, 20 euros less than the evisa.
The Kenya eTA is a semi-automatic system that determines visitors' eligibility to travel to Kenya. Authorization through eTA does not determine the traveler's eligibility to enter Kenya. Immigration officials will determine travelers' eligibility upon arrival.
The application to obtain the eTA collects biographical information and responses to questions on admissibility and can be submitted at any time before travel, although travelers are recommended to apply for it as soon as accommodation and transportation tickets are booked.
The eTA is mandatory for all foreign visitors, except for citizens of the East African Community (EAC) member states who wish to travel to Kenya.
Every individual is required to apply for an eTA before commencing the journey.
It is mandatory to use the official Government website to submit the application. Applications submitted through third-party websites will be automatically rejected. For individuals under 18 years of age, the legal guardian, parent, or accompanying adult is responsible for completing the application.
The eTA is valid for a single entry into Kenya. For the next trip, it will be necessary to apply for it again.
Medical assistance
Given that it is recommended to arrive with medical assistance from one's country of residence, for any medical needs, the facility contacts doctors operating in local clinics. The service is chargeable and can be received directly on-site.
Useful tips
Smoking is strictly prohibited in airports.
It is always advisable to carry your passport with you and never leave your bags unattended when going to the beach.
The locals are very friendly and smiling; they will meet you and greet you with a 'jambo,' which means hello, to which it's nice to always respond with the same word. You may be 'escorted' by locals to go shopping; it's their way of earning some shillings from shop owners. They may also ask you for something; offering 100 or 200 shillings is a fair 'reward.' If you don't wish to be accompanied, say it kindly and firmly, but unfortunately, this may not guarantee success.
The village of Watamu is predominantly inhabited by Muslim Kenyans, so in respect for the culture and religion, people are advised to dress soberly, absolutely not recommended to walk around in a swimsuit, always carry a sarong or buy a kikoi (it is a traditional rectangle of woven cloth originating in Africa, considered part of Swahili culture, the kikoi is worn mainly by coastal men, light and colorful, also recommended as a beach towel) to cover you.
It is strictly forbidden to go topless on the beach, and it is also frowned upon to wear tiny swimsuits always respecting Muslim culture and religion.
It is also forbidden to break or collect the coral and live shells, admire them in the beauty of their natural environment and leave them there, by the way it is strictly forbidden to take them home with you, in fact at the airport you could risk a very hefty fine or even arrest. Always with the utmost respect for this wonderful ecosystem, do not touch or remove starfish from the water.... Yes, it is true, taking home as a souvenir a photo with them is very rewarding and you will surely have many likes but unfortunately they will die of it.
The local currency is the Kenyan shilling whose exchange rate fluctuates according to the U.S. dollar, euros and dollars are accepted but it is recommended to change into the local currency to facilitate purchases of items and any other needs.
Drink only water and soft drinks in sealed bottles.
It is advisable to always carry water with you, however, putting it in water bottles or special reusable containers; common plastic bottles are strictly prohibited on beaches.
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