Kinondo - Diani Beach & South Coast
The Mitsubishi G3M ‘Nell’ bomber in Iron Bottom Sound is a real gem, particularly for a shallow wreck. It’s sitting upright in just 6 meters of water, so it’s perfect for a long dive or even a snorkel if you’re keen. We love how complete it feels, you can still trace the outline of the fuselage and imagine it in its flying days. Our favourite part has to be the cockpit area; light streams through the missing canopy, illuminating the dash. Look closely and you’ll spot tiny red-streaked blennies darting in and out of the gauges, and a whole host of colourful rainbowfish schooling around the wings. The fusiliers here are particularly bold, swarming so thick around the tail that they often obscure it entirely. It’s a great spot to practice your buoyancy and really take your time exploring. We’d suggest going early in the morning, before the sun gets too high, to catch the best light play through the wings.
- Location
- Diani Beach & South Coast, Kenya, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -4.403800, 39.566600
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: Diani Chale Marine
Best Time to Dive in Diani Beach & South Coast
The warmest water temperatures in Diani Beach & South Coast occur in January, averaging 28.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.1°C (air: 27.7°C)
- February: 28.1°C (air: 28.2°C)
- March: 28.1°C (air: 28.1°C)
- April: 28.1°C (air: 26.7°C)
- May: 28.1°C (air: 26.2°C)
- June: 28.1°C (air: 25.3°C)
- July: 28.1°C (air: 24.4°C)
- August: 28.1°C (air: 24.5°C)
- September: 28.1°C (air: 25.2°C)
- October: 28.1°C (air: 26.2°C)
- November: 28.1°C (air: 26.7°C)
- December: 28.1°C (air: 27.2°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Diani Beach & South Coast
- AGIA MARINA - 18m (wreck)
- ALPHA COMMANDER - 25m (wreck)
- Chale (reef)
- DERNA - 6m (wreck)
- Dzinani (wreck)
- FATIH MUBARAK - 0m (wreck)
- Galu (reef)
- GLOBE STAR - 2m (wreck)
- HIGHLAND LASSIE - 20m (wreck)
- HMS HILDASAY - 5m (wreck)
- HMS SHAPINSAY OR HILDASAY - 0m (wreck)
- Igloo (wreck)
- Jadini (cave)
- Kisima Mungu (Nomads) (reef)
- Kisite Marine Park - 5-20m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Kinondo
Marine Life in Diani Beach & South Coast
Home to 446 recorded species including 284 reef fish, 96 hard corals, 27 seagrass & algae, 7 sea snails & nudibranchs, 7 sea cucumbers, 5 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Marbled Parrotfish (Leptoscarus vaigiensis) - Reef Fish
- Cigar wrasse (Cheilio inermis) - Reef Fish
- Hooded oyster (Saccostrea cuccullata) - Clams & Mussels
- Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) - Reef Fish
- Silver-streaked rainbowfish (Stethojulis strigiventer) - Reef Fish
- Crested Sabretooth Blenny (Petroscirtes mitratus) - Reef Fish
- Alligator pipefish (Syngnathoides biaculeatus) - Reef Fish
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- mangrove (Rhizophora mucronata) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Shoalgrass (Halodule wrightii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Short-head Sabretooth Blenny (Petroscirtes breviceps) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- gray mangrove (Avicennia marina) - Seagrass & Algae
- Flowery Flounder (Bothus mancus) - Reef Fish
- Species code: Tc (Thalassodendron ciliatum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Hs (Halophila stipulacea) - Seagrass & Algae
- Rainbow wrasse (Halichoeres iridis) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Kinondo
Based on average water temperature of 28.1°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories