Malindi/Watamu Parks and Reserves. Malindi Marine park is 6 km2 while Watamu is 10 km2. Both parks were designated as a Biosphere reserve in 1979. The reserve engulfing the parks is 213 km2 extending 5 km into the sea and 30 km along the coast. The area comprises fringing reefs, a series of coral reefs, coral gardens inside the lagoons, seagrass beds and the Mida Creek mangrove forest. The coastline of the protected area has great tourist hotel developments. In Watamu Park, swimming along with Dolphins is an attraction. Underwater caves in the Park are an important attraction for divers. Other important diving sites include the Southern Canyon. A mangrove board walk is available at Mida Creek. Seven out of nine mangove species along Eastern Africa can be identified along the board walk. Water sports activities are available. Information is available from various water sport desks. Deep sea fishing is provided by various leisure companies. Malindi Marine Parks' unique historical features include Vasco da Gama pillar build slightly over 500 years ago. If you would like further information please This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Marine parks and reserves, the white sandy beaches, historical monuments, contemporary culture and the warm climate give the Kenya Coast a unique tourist product. Almost 47% of Kenya's tourism occurs here. Nationally about 52% of the total hotel beds are at the coast, and 95% of the visitors to Kenya use the coast as a base for inland safaris. The marine and coastal environments include Indian Ocean territorial waters and the immediate hinterland areas that borders the ocean. Another feature of the coastline is the fringing coral reef which runs between 0.5 km and 2 km off-shore with occasional gaps at the mouths of rivers and the isolated areas facing the creeks. The shoreline is dominated in most areas by beaches, cliffs or mangrove forests. The coral-reef system and mangrove swamps serve the most important ecological role and the former is a major tourist attraction next to the sun, sea and sand. Marine parks are fully protected. In marine reserves specified traditional methods of fishing are allowed under controlled conditions, but commercial methods of fishing are prohibited. The reserves are buffer zones between parks and the unprotected surrounding waters.