Mombasa Marine National Park

Mombasa Marine National Park

Mombasa Marine National Park
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  • Gathigia Murimi
    Mombasa, Kenya22 contributions
    Snorkeling thrill at the Mombasa Marine Park!
    It was an unplanned excursion after lunch with my cousins. With advise from a guide, we paid marine fee, wore life gear and sailed our way to the marine park on a boat with a glass-bottom part. We wore snorkeling gear and were given pieces of bread attract fish to the surface. The marine park has a variety of different coloured fish and acquatic creatures. I enjoyed this experience and I would highly recommend it to everyone. I am not a swimmer yet I did get into the warm ocean with help from the guide and a floater!
    Visited September 2019
    Written August 3, 2020
  • Miles Archer
    Boca Raton, Florida7,597 contributions
    DO THE SNORKELING
    I'm a certified scuba diver with over 200 dives. But here I was relegated to just snorkeling. Our group had one other person on the boat who also went snorkeling. Everyone just observed from the boat if you're not scuba diver do the snorkeling.
    Visited February 2022
    Traveled with friends
    Written February 15, 2022
  • Dean M
    5 contributions
    Sea Wildlife
    I was staying at Bamburi beach hotel which is quite close to the Marine park and I was very keen to go on the glass boat since almost everyone we met was really excited about the park. There were alot of sea creatures to see from the boat but the view gets better when you put on a snorkel and dive into the crystal clear blue sea. It was one of my best experiences ever as the staff from LBE tours was completely experienced and they helped me out with the diving experience. Here are they're contacts and I'd propose you try them out if you want to have a great time. +25410239929
    Visited July 2021
    Traveled with friends
    Written July 29, 2021
  • Karen R
    Atlanta, Georgia7 contributions
    Blue Lagoon Water Sports
    The Mombasa Marine National Park is a wonderful, easy place to snorkel. Everyone pays $15.00 to access the park. Boat ride and equipment rental was approximately $20. Bring water and a towel. I highly recommend using Blue Lagoon Water Sports located in the Sarvova Whitesands Beach Resort for your guide, boat, and equipment rental needs. The price was the same as the beach boys offered on the beach, but the professionalism and personal interest in marine life was a special treat. Our guide, James, would find anything we asked to look at, like an octopus hiding in a rock or a string ray sitting on the ocean floor. He was very careful to point out to all of us the special things to see. In the beginning, he found a special sea mushroom to coat our mask so that they would not fog. Then each of us were given bread to feed the fish. Don't miss this outstanding snorkeling experience with a friendly guide who made the experience much more than was expected.
    Visited July 2013
    Traveled with family
    Written July 18, 2013
  • marcel9000
    Ghent, Belgium8 contributions
    Finding Nemo
    A marine park with all the tropical fish that comes along with it. It is advisable to visit it with a tank on your back. The entrence fee is 20 USD for non residents. If you go diving with Barracuda Divers, they will get it for you.
    Visited November 2015
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 20, 2015
  • catherine015Nairobi
    72 contributions
    Mombasa Marine Parks are a MUST for visitors of all ages. Masks are provided for your snorkeling
    YES BY ALL MEANS - DO GO !! The boatso that take visitors to the National Marine parks give you masks and you can snorkel over a coral reef and admre shoals of beauitful multicoloured tropiical fish. they usually serve a picnic lunch or take y hefor a BBQ on a nice beach. its well worth the cost...
    Visited April 2015
    Written June 4, 2015
  • Bobbrooksster
    Sharpsburg, Maryland232 contributions
    World-class snorkeling just off the beach from Mombasa. Don't miss it!
    We took a 3-hr snorkeling boat out with Buccaneer Water sports based at the Voyager Resort. It was amazing, and so exceeded our expectations that we went back again with friends the next day. Water is only 4-12 feet deep, so weak swimmers can enjoy assisted swimming with a PFD, or viewing fish and coral through a glass-bottomed boat. Variety and color of fish and coral equalled any I'v seen in the Caribbean or Mexico. Beautiful huge starfish of many colors was amazing, and I've never seen them before. Also saw sea cucumbers, two varieties of sea urchins, sea anemones and a couple of eels. If you enjoy snorkeling you should not miss this great snorkeling experience.
    Visited March 2018
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 6, 2018
  • aab163
    Malindi, Kenya53 contributions
    RESIDENT OR NON-RESIDENT - 2 OR 3 STARS?
    Malindi Marine National Park is located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Kenya. It is claimed to be oldest marine park in Africa. It is protected and administered by the Kenya Wildlife Service. Along with Watamu Marine National Park, Malindi Marine Park is enclosed by the Malindi Marine National Reserve. The sea creatures here (And other places!) are quite magical. You can dive, snorkel or go on a glass bottom boat to experience it. The place is a bit neglected and you have to pay for parking, toilets, fresh water shower etc. In general, if you are not a Kenyan resident you pay more for entrance, parking etc. While a Kenyan resident pay as little as 1 USD you as a nonresident have to pay as much as 25 USD. It is not uncommon that a tourist family spend 200-300 USD just to enter the Marine park and to get out on a glass boat while a local family for same experience spend 10 USD. It is truly a nice experience to take smaller kids and non-swimmers on a glass boat and support Kenya wild life. It is for the adults and older children possible to experience underwater life nearby (outside the Marine Park) both snorkeling and diving as little as 5-20 USD using a smaller boat, or absolutely for free swimming out from the beach as the fish and marine life do exist outside the boundaries of the Marine Park. It is understandable a conflict with the Marine Park if you arrange for your own boat trip as this is a loss in revenue for the Marine Park. I did consider the star rating of 2 stars to be relative to if you are reading this as a resident or non-resident as the price level and neglect of the area is truly putting the star rating down. If you are visiting Malindi, then try it out, but if you have an experience with snorkeling other locations this place would be a dissapointment.
    Visited July 2019
    Written October 20, 2019
  • Juri
    4 contributions
    Crazy.... A bottomless impudence.
    I've been there for four years. I swim about five to six hours every day. Over the cliffs into the open sea. The boss of Marine Park, Mr Mwachanze, told me the other day, I have to pay $ 19 if I go swimming with my swimming fins. Mind you swim. And do not dive. No swimming glasses, and no diver glasses. Mombasa has done it for me. This greed for money is sick.
    Visited September 2019
    Traveled solo
    Written October 7, 2019
  • Brad B
    Galveston, Texas55 contributions
    Scuba Diving Trip
    Did a 7 meter deep scuba dive along the reef and saw lots of sea creatures. Reefs are not super colorful but they have a lot of colorful fish species living in them. There is a $17 USD national park daily fee for snorkeling or diving here.
    Visited September 2018
    Traveled with friends
    Written September 22, 2018
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
139 reviews
Excellent
67
Very good
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Average
12
Poor
5
Terrible
2

Karen R
Atlanta, GA7 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
The Mombasa Marine National Park is a wonderful, easy place to snorkel. Everyone pays $15.00 to access the park. Boat ride and equipment rental was approximately $20. Bring water and a towel. I highly recommend using Blue Lagoon Water Sports located in the Sarvova Whitesands Beach Resort for your guide, boat, and equipment rental needs. The price was the same as the beach boys offered on the beach, but the professionalism and personal interest in marine life was a special treat. Our guide, James, would find anything we asked to look at, like an octopus hiding in a rock or a string ray sitting on the ocean floor. He was very careful to point out to all of us the special things to see. In the beginning, he found a special sea mushroom to coat our mask so that they would not fog. Then each of us were given bread to feed the fish. Don't miss this outstanding snorkeling experience with a friendly guide who made the experience much more than was expected.
Written July 18, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

marcel9000
Ghent, Belgium8 contributions
Nov 2015 • Couples
A marine park with all the tropical fish that comes along with it. It is advisable to visit it with a tank on your back. The entrence fee is 20 USD for non residents. If you go diving with Barracuda Divers, they will get it for you.
Written November 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

catherine015Nairobi
Nairobi72 contributions
Apr 2015
YES BY ALL MEANS - DO GO !!
The boatso that take visitors to the National Marine parks give you masks and you can snorkel over a coral reef and admre shoals of beauitful multicoloured tropiical fish. they usually serve a picnic lunch or take y hefor a BBQ on a nice beach. its well worth the cost...
Written June 4, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bobbrooksster
Sharpsburg, MD232 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
We took a 3-hr snorkeling boat out with Buccaneer Water sports based at the Voyager Resort. It was amazing, and so exceeded our expectations that we went back again with friends the next day. Water is only 4-12 feet deep, so weak swimmers can enjoy assisted swimming with a PFD, or viewing fish and coral through a glass-bottomed boat. Variety and color of fish and coral equalled any I'v seen in the Caribbean or Mexico. Beautiful huge starfish of many colors was amazing, and I've never seen them before. Also saw sea cucumbers, two varieties of sea urchins, sea anemones and a couple of eels. If you enjoy snorkeling you should not miss this great snorkeling experience.
Written March 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

aab163
Malindi, Kenya53 contributions
Jul 2019
Malindi Marine National Park is located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Kenya. It is claimed to be oldest marine park in Africa. It is protected and administered by the Kenya Wildlife Service. Along with Watamu Marine National Park, Malindi Marine Park is enclosed by the Malindi Marine National Reserve.

The sea creatures here (And other places!) are quite magical. You can dive, snorkel or go on a glass bottom boat to experience it.

The place is a bit neglected and you have to pay for parking, toilets, fresh water shower etc.

In general, if you are not a Kenyan resident you pay more for entrance, parking etc. While a Kenyan resident pay as little as 1 USD you as a nonresident have to pay as much as 25 USD.

It is not uncommon that a tourist family spend 200-300 USD just to enter the Marine park and to get out on a glass boat while a local family for same experience spend 10 USD.

It is truly a nice experience to take smaller kids and non-swimmers on a glass boat and support Kenya wild life.

It is for the adults and older children possible to experience underwater life nearby (outside the Marine Park) both snorkeling and diving as little as 5-20 USD using a smaller boat, or absolutely for free swimming out from the beach as the fish and marine life do exist outside the boundaries of the Marine Park.

It is understandable a conflict with the Marine Park if you arrange for your own boat trip as this is a loss in revenue for the Marine Park.

I did consider the star rating of 2 stars to be relative to if you are reading this as a resident or non-resident as the price level and neglect of the area is truly putting the star rating down.

If you are visiting Malindi, then try it out, but if you have an experience with snorkeling other locations this place would be a dissapointment.
Written October 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Juri
4 contributions
Sep 2019 • Solo
I've been there for four years. I swim about five to six hours every day. Over the cliffs into the open sea. The boss of Marine Park, Mr Mwachanze, told me the other day, I have to pay $ 19 if I go swimming with my swimming fins. Mind you swim. And do not dive. No swimming glasses, and no diver glasses. Mombasa has done it for me. This greed for money is sick.
Written October 7, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brad B
Galveston, TX55 contributions
Sep 2018 • Friends
Did a 7 meter deep scuba dive along the reef and saw lots of sea creatures. Reefs are not super colorful but they have a lot of colorful fish species living in them. There is a $17 USD national park daily fee for snorkeling or diving here.
Written September 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AamirSK
Mombasa, Kenya212 contributions
Mar 2017 • Friends
It was amazing to go on the glass bottom boat to view the marine life around Mombasa's reef. You also get a change to swim with the fishes and can hire snorkel gear and snorkel around too. Over all a great experience for locals and foreigners
Written September 6, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SG G
Sgb13 contributions
Jan 2017 • Solo
you can see alot of diffrent kind of fishs and sea animals coralreefsyou can go by a glas bottem boat for snorkling or diving or just sit inside the boat and watch the fishes the under water wolrd is really beautyfull wounderfull amazing awesome
you can get a boat at the beach, but the boat captain has gone into water to feed the fish which has been not nessesary coz there have been enough of fishes
Written January 18, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Virpi H
Bakoven, South Africa37 contributions
Feb 2016 • Couples
We spent 2 days in Marine Park which was only couple of kilometres of our hotel in Malindi. We wanted to go snorkling so this seemed like an opportunity to do so.

The park entry fee was 20 USD per person, yet you have to pay for this only, if you also rent a boat to get to the reef. If you only go to the beach to relax, this is not needed. You can rent sun beds on the beach and it is safe to leave you stuff on the bed while swimming or walking around the beach.

The reef and coral was little disappointing, since part of it is dead and the number of fish and fauna is not se colourful than you would expect. Yet kenyans are really warm and hospital people and try to make everything for you and your comfort. We enjoyed the snorcling anyhow. The beach is nice white sand with also local people around as well as italiens! No pieces of class nor anything else so they were clean and neet.
Written February 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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