South Canyon Watamu - Watamu & Malindi
Waione, tucked into Tuparehuia, feels like a secret, a quiet corner of the Bay of Islands where you can just *be*. We love it for its simplicity. Forget deep dives; the maximum eight metres here is all about taking your time, really noticing the small stuff. The bottom is a jumble of rocky formations and boulders, perfect habitat for those creatures that thrive in the shallows. You’ll weave through thick kelp strands, keeping an eye out for Big-belly seahorses clinging on, or the flash of a New Zealand Scaly-headed Triplefin darting between rocks. Visibility averages around seven metres, which, for a site this shallow, feels perfectly adequate – it actually enhances that feeling of intimacy. You’ll spot kina everywhere, and if you’re lucky, a koura peeking from a crevice. It’s a gentle dive, suited to photographers or anyone who appreciates the quieter side of coastal New Zealand, perhaps with a touch of swell gently rocking you.
- Location
- Watamu & Malindi, Kenya, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -3.371700, 40.025300
Marine Protected Area: Watamu
Best Time to Dive in Watamu & Malindi
The warmest water temperatures in Watamu & Malindi occur in January, averaging 28.2°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.2°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.2°C (air: 27.7°C)
- February: 28.2°C (air: 27.9°C)
- March: 28.2°C (air: 28.2°C)
- April: 28.2°C (air: 27.1°C)
- May: 28.2°C (air: 26.5°C)
- June: 28.2°C (air: 25.6°C)
- July: 28.2°C (air: 24.8°C)
- August: 28.2°C (air: 24.8°C)
- September: 28.2°C (air: 25.3°C)
- October: 28.2°C (air: 26.2°C)
- November: 28.2°C (air: 26.8°C)
- December: 28.2°C (air: 27.5°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Watamu & Malindi
- Brain Coral Garden - 8-15m (reef)
- HAMAR - 11m (wreck)
- LEE CHRISTINE - 5m (wreck)
- NAIROBI - 1m (wreck)
- SHAKWE - 12m (wreck)
- South Dolphin (cave)
- The Canyon - 15-30m (reef)
- Watamu Marine Park - 5-18m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to South Canyon Watamu
- Aqua Ventures - ["PADI"]
- Blue Fin Diving
- Extra Divers Temple Point, Kenia
- Turtle Dive Center - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Watamu & Malindi
Home to 254 recorded species including 148 reef fish, 57 hard corals, 17 seagrass & algae, 10 sea cucumbers, 6 sharks & rays, 3 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- mangrove (Rhizophora mucronata) - Seagrass & Algae
- gray mangrove (Avicennia marina) - Seagrass & Algae
- Kankra (Bruguiera gymnorhiza) - Seagrass & Algae
- Sundari tree (Heritiera littoralis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Dhundal tree (Xylocarpus granatum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
- Species code: Tc (Thalassodendron ciliatum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Si (Syringodium isoetifolium) - Seagrass & Algae
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Long-spined sea urchin (Diadema setosum) - Sea Urchins
- Staghorn coral (Acropora secale) - Hard Corals
- Rainbowfish (Stethojulis albovittata) - Reef Fish
- Rainbowfish (Halichoeres hortulanus) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora aculeus) - Hard Corals
- Queen coris (Coris formosa) - Reef Fish
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Goldbar wrasse (Thalassoma hebraicum) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Wrasse (Stethojulis interrupta) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for South Canyon Watamu
Based on average water temperature of 28.2°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