Desperate for some tropical sunshine, long hot beaches, great water activities and the chance to explore a mind-blowing marine reserve? Throw in good accommodation, great food and super-courteous staff (and a turtle-shaped pool), and Waterlovers Beach Resort fulfils all your criteria. The lodge lies 35 kilometres south of Mombasa on Diani Beach, a stretch of unbelievably white sand and water of every shade of blue. All the adjectives used to describe a tropical beach holiday are completely appropriate here. Pure paradise.
Open to the views and breezes, the communal area has a restaurant serving fresh, imaginative cuisine (and the chef is happy to tweak the dishes to cater for food allergies, etc.). There's a beach bar (sit on the whale-tail bench with your feet in a pool), a turtle-shaped infinity pool, a spa, an art boutique and a beach house for watersport activities. Wi-fi throughout.
There are eight spacious suites, a double-storeyed penthouse apartment and a self-contained villa, all an easy stroll across the sand to the beach. The decor throughout combines Swahili (the name means 'on the shore') style with Mediterranean chic, with quirky touches to catch your eye. The ceilings are high and reeded, the netted beds are large, the linens are turquoise and white and the en-suite bathrooms are well appointed. There's aircon, wi-fi and an audio station for your i-pod.
Take a short sail on a dhow to the coral reef to snorkel the underwater world, go deep-sea fishing, ride a camel on the beach, try kite surfing, windsurfing or diving, play golf (course nearby) or take an excursion to the nearby Kisite Marine National Park, noted for its stunning coral gardens and more than 250 species of marine life. Treat yourself to a massage, lounge around the pool or doze off in a hammock.
The relaxed atmosphere and feeling the stress subside from your shoulders at the sight of the sea. Nothing in the world compares with that feeling.
Pay a visit to the Colobus Trust, an organisation for the conservation and the protection of the almost-extinct colobus monkeys unique to this area of East Africa.
If you're approached by the 'beach boys' selling their wares, tell them you'll look and buy on the last day of your stay – they will honour your privacy.
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Sip cocktails at sunset and chill-out in style in Kenya’s most sophisticated beach paradise.
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