If you continue down the road from Gazi, MSAMBWENI is a sizeable village with a famous leprosarium. The road to the beach (there's often a police checkpoint at the junction) goes through the village, following the coast for several kilometres before turning back to the highway. The beach is lovely - low cliffs and less uniformity than Diani - and there are no beach hassles down here, but the tide goes out for miles, with lots of rock pools.

 

The only accommodation remaining at Msambweni beach is Salima Club (PO Box 9 Msambweni tel & fax 0127/52032; Ksh4000-6000), a kilometre from the village. The architect did some original and beguiling work here on half a dozen self-catering beachfront cottages, now looking a bit weatherbeaten, but still charming and all with terraces overlooking the beach. There's also a beautiful pool beneath a baobab tree, but no restaurant. Accessibility can be a problem if you don't have your own transport - it's a kilometre from the village and a good half hour's walk from the main road, although the village is served by regular matatus from Likoni and Lungalunga.