
Family Activities
- Duration:
- Varies
- Difficulty:
- Easy
- Best season:
- Year-round
- Price:
- €0–80
- Great for:
- Families, Kids
Diani Beach is one of East Africa's most family-friendly coastal destinations. The calm, warm lagoon created by the fringing reef provides a natural, shallow swimming area safe for young children, while the range of land-based and marine activities keeps every age group engaged.
Glass-bottom boat tours are a standout family experience. The boats cruise over the coral reef, allowing children to watch tropical fish, sea urchins, and coral formations through the transparent hull — ideal for those too young to snorkel. Tours typically last 2-4 hours and include stops at a sandbank where families can swim and wade.
Colobus Conservation on Diani Beach Road offers guided primate eco-tours where families can observe Angolan colobus monkeys, Sykes' monkeys, and vervet monkeys. The centre is open Monday to Saturday, 8am-5pm. Entry is approximately €5 for non-resident adults, free for children under seven. Stilts Backpackers hosts a beloved bush baby feeding experience every evening at 7pm — greater bush babies descend from the trees to take banana slices directly from visitors' hands.
The major resorts each operate dedicated kids clubs: Baobab's Rafiki Kids Club accepts children from age 1 with arts, crafts, beach walks, and tortoise feeding. Leopard Beach's Little Leopards provides outdoor activities including camel rides and beach treasure hunts. Diani Reef's Coco Jumbo features indoor games, a mini cinema, and an Eco-Kids programme teaching conservation through play.
Highlights
- —Glass-bottom boat tours — see coral reefs and tropical fish without getting wet, perfect for toddlers and non-swimmers. From €15 per person.
- —Colobus Conservation — guided primate eco-tours, under-7s free, entry fees fund wildlife rescue. Open Mon-Sat, 8am-5pm.
- —Bush baby feeding at Stilts Backpackers — every evening at 7pm, greater galagos take banana slices from your hands
- —Three resort kids clubs — Baobab Rafiki (from age 1), Leopard Beach Little Leopards, and Diani Reef Coco Jumbo with eco-kids and cultural programmes
- —Diani Splash Kids water park — purpose-built for ages 3-15 with slides, pools, and bouncy castle. Open daily 10am-6pm.