The fishing village between Watamu and Malindi from which the boats leave for the sandbank that surfaces at low tide.
Mayungu is a small fishing settlement on the coast between Watamu and Malindi, with a landing used by local boats. It is the most common departure point for reaching the sandbank offshore, the trip known here as the “blue safari”.
The bank emerges only in certain low-tide windows and for a limited time. It is not an island: it is sand that appears and disappears, and the time is decided by the tide, not by the plan for the day.
The stretch of sea in front of Mayungu lies outside the boundaries of the Watamu marine park and is fished by the communities of the area: lateen-sailed boats, nets set from the shore, small landings. Seeing this part of the coast also means seeing how people work it.
On the sandbank there is no shade, no water and no facilities. A hat, high-factor sun protection, plenty of water and a shirt to keep on even in the sea are the essentials: sunburn is the most frequent problem on this trip.
The trip makes most sense in the months when the sea is calmer, roughly October to March. Between June and August the south-easterly wind makes the sea rough and the day less pleasant, as well as less safe for boarding from the beach.
Mayungu is reached by road from Watamu or from Malindi; the last stretch towards the landing is unsurfaced. Boarding happens straight off the beach, with your feet in the water: it is not suitable for anyone with balance or mobility difficulties.
| From | Indicative hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Watamu | 0.5–0.75 | Indicative time, including the final unsurfaced stretch towards the landing. |
| Malindi | 0.25–0.5 | Indicative time by road; the departure time, though, depends on the tide, not on the traffic. |
A whole day on the boat from Mayungu, with a stop on the sandbank people call Sardegna 2: it only surfaces at certain stages of the tide, and the tide decides everything.
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Not everything on this page has an official source cited yet: some details are still waiting for a direct confirmation and may change. Ask me to confirm before you plan the day around it.
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