Kisite Reef
Diani / Shimoni · Kenya
The centrepiece of Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park, this broad coral platform sits 5 km off Shimoni and tops out at 5 m before shelving in broad terraces to 25 m, its upper reaches carpeted in hard Acropora tables and massive Porites domes that have been growing undisturbed for decades. Visibility regularly exceeds 25 m during the northeast monsoon season, and the current-fed outer edge attracts large aggregations of surgeonfish and unicornfish hovering in the water column while resident hawksbill turtles move methodically across the plateau. From October through February whale sharks cruise the surface just beyond the reef crest, making this one of the most reliable whale shark encounter sites in East Africa.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 25 m
Open water and up
Current
Can be moderate
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
10 to 20 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
24 to 30°C
5mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 |
| Vis (m) | 20 | 20 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 18 | 20 | 20 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Spiny Seahorse
Last confirmed Apr 17, 2026 · 203 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Common Seahorse
Last confirmed Nov 21, 2025 · 35 records
Very likely
Most dives
Hawksbill turtle
Last confirmed Mar 2, 2026 · 12 records
Very likely
Most dives
Giant moray
Last confirmed Feb 7, 2026 · 4 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Surgeonfish (mixed school)
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Whale shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear