On the coast south of Likoni, the first real magnet is TIWI BEACH . Popular among budget travellers having a bit of a splurge, Tiwi rates as genuine tropical paradise material and attracts lots of Anglo-Kenyan families down from Nairobi. The reef lies just offshore, and there are good snorkelling opportunities at high tide, especially at the northern end. Beach hustlers and all the attendant hassles have mostly yet to arrive, especially in the northern section (fronted by Sand Island, Capricho and Maweni ). With the exception of the large new Travellers Tiwi Beach Hotel at its southern end, Tiwi is still cottage territory, with nearly a dozen plots vying with each other for business. The only restaurants as yet are at Travellers Tiwi Beach Hotel, Tiwi Villas and Twiga Lodge , the latter with the best bar. The main drawbacks (some might say its advantages) are the lack of bars, restaurants and nightlife, and its isolation from the rest of the coast. More serious are nagging concerns about security if you're walking anywhere: don't take any valuables.

 

There are two roads down to the beach from the main South Coast highway. The first, signposted for Sand Island, Capricho and Maweni , is a narrow sandy track some 17km from the Likoni ferry; the second, about 1.5km further south, has a bigger clump of signboards and is much wider, and more reliable for driving in rain. Using either road, you're strongly advised not to walk, certainly if you've got all your luggage with you: these access roads through the cashews have seen many panga (machete)-point robberies. Waiting for a ride won't be a huge problem as there's a fairly frequent taxi service (it should cost Ksh200-300), and most places will happily pick you up for free from the main road if you call ahead. Taxis from Mombasa cost about Ksh1600.

In the dry season, you can walk to the end of Tiwi Beach and wade across the Mwachema River to Diani Beach and the strange Kongo Mosque, right next to the Indian Ocean Beach Club . But again, there have been incidents of robbery down here, and you are not advised to go alone, certainly not with any valuables.