The coast. Updated November 2026. 4 min read.
Off Kenya's far south coast, two small islands give you two kinds of escape. Chale is a private island with one resort, reached across the sand at low tide and by boat at high. Funzi is a fishing island in a maze of mangroves, where a day means a dhow, a sandbank lunch and crocodiles on the riverbank. Neither feels like the busy beach of Diani, half an hour north.
The short answer: stay on Chale if you want a barefoot island resort for a honeymoon or a few quiet nights at the end of a safari. Visit Funzi for the day, by dhow, for the mangroves, the river, the sandbanks and a Swahili village. Both are in Kwale County, both are easy from Diani or Msambweni, and both are at their best from about October to March, when the sea is calm.
Two islands, two kinds of trip
| Chale Island | Funzi Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Off Chale Point, between Galu and Msambweni | South of Msambweni, near the Ramisi River |
| What it is | A private island with one resort and a small sacred forest | A fishing island of mangroves, sandbanks and a village |
| How you visit | Stay at the resort, or come for lunch by arrangement | A day trip by dhow or motorboat from the mainland |
| Getting across | Across the sand flats at low tide; by boat at high tide | By boat through the channels |
| Best for | Honeymoons, couples, quiet nights | Families, nature lovers, a day off the beach |
| From Diani | About 30 minutes by road, then the crossing | About 45 minutes to 1 hour by road, then the boat |
Chale Island
Chale lies just off Chale Point, south of Galu and north of Msambweni, close enough to the mainland that the sea between drains at low tide. Guests of The Sands at Chale Island, a private-island resort in the luxury band, are taken across the sand flats at low tide, often by tractor-drawn trailer, and by boat when the tide is in, which makes the arrival part of the fun. The island has its own beaches facing the reef, and a lagoon for swimming at high tide. It also holds a small sacred forest that the local Digo community still protects; visitors stay out of it unless invited and guided.
Offshore, whale sharks pass this stretch of coast from about November to February, and humpback whales in the second half of the year. Boat trips can be arranged from the island; the best ones keep their distance and never chase the animals. Our page on whales and whale sharks has the seasons and the rules.
Funzi Island
Funzi is a different world. It sits in a shallow bay south of Msambweni, ringed by mangrove forest, near the mouth of the Ramisi River. Its village belongs to fishing families who trace their roots to the Shirazi, the people of Persian ancestry in coast tradition, and who still fish from dugout canoes and outrigger ngalawa. Visitors come for the day by dhow or motorboat from the mainland opposite the island.
- Cruise the mangrove channels at high tide, with kingfishers, herons and, if you are lucky, a fish eagle
- Go up the Ramisi River to see Nile crocodiles basking on the banks, from the boat
- Watch for dolphins in the bay, which are seen on many trips
- Lunch on a sandbank that appears at low tide: grilled fish, lobster or prawns, coconut rice and fruit
- Snorkel the patch reefs when the water is clear
- Walk the village with a local guide, dressed modestly, to see the mosque, the canoes and the school
- Look for turtles over the seagrass, and ask whether a nesting beach is active
A Funzi day
A typical Funzi day leaves Diani or Msambweni in the morning, drives south to the boat landing, and spends the middle of the day on the water, timed to the tides: the mangrove channels and the river need water, the sandbank needs the tide out. Expect to be back by late afternoon. Bring a hat, sunscreen, swimwear under your clothes and a light shirt for the boat. As with every boat trip on this coast, choose an operator your hotel trusts, ask about life jackets, and agree what the price includes before you set off.
When to go
October to March is the best time for both islands, with calmer seas, clear water and the kaskazi breeze. Whale sharks are the highlight from about November to February. The long rains, roughly April to June, bring rough, grey days and some closures. From June to September the kusi wind can make the sea choppy, though the mangroves at Funzi stay sheltered, and humpbacks pass offshore.
Getting there
Both islands are reached by road from Diani or from Ukunda airstrip, which has scheduled flights from Nairobi Wilson in about 1 hour 15 and, in season, direct flights from the Maasai Mara in about 90 minutes. Chale's crossing starts from the mainland shore near Chale Point, about 30 minutes from central Diani. For Funzi, allow 45 minutes to an hour by road to the boat landing. From Mombasa, add the Likoni ferry or the Dongo Kundu bypass and an hour or more.
How they fit a trip
Chale works as the last three or four nights of a safari and beach trip, especially a honeymoon. Funzi fits as one day in a Diani or Msambweni week, alongside Kisite-Mpunguti and Wasini, Shimba Hills and Kaya Kinondo. For the full sweep of the Swahili coast, pair them with a few nights in the Lamu archipelago at the other end of Kenya's shore.
Why plan with us: Kenya Experience is Kenyan-led, with two U.S. companies behind it and Kenyan guides on the ground. You can pay in full or monthly with no deposit, and a specialist replies within two business days.
