Kenya’s Colorful Underwater Parks, When you hear the word “safari,” you probably think of lions, elephants, and giraffes roaming the golden fields of Africa. But here’s another safari picture for you to think about: bright coral reefs full of thousands of tropical fish, sea turtles, dolphins, and sharks that sparkle with color.

So now you know that not all trips in Africa happen on land. Kenya has a beautiful seashore and marine parks where you can explore the incredible world of sea life that lives below the surface.

These underwater habitats were made to protect this valuable sea life and make it a nice place for curious travelers like you to stay.

Kenya’s Colorful Underwater Parks: Kisite Mpunguti

This great marine park is close to the beautiful Diani Beach and has a name that sounds very foreign. This protected sanctuary is best known for its long coral reef, which provides cover for over 360 species of tropical fish that swim in and out of its spaces.

The water here is warm, and you can find snapper, butterfly, blue parrotfish, angelfish, and other fish. The sea life nearby is just as amazing, and some of the best diving and swimming in East Africa can be found there. You may also see octopus, clams, sponges, sea urchins, and even reef sharks in this underwater park.

Kenya’s Colorful Underwater Parks: Swim with the Dolphins and Turtles

How many African Wildlife Safari Parks let you get close to the animals? Nothing wrong here. You can be your own dolphin tour and swim with the park’s more than 200 friendly dolphins. They have three different types: spinner, bottlenose, and humpback.

If you snorkel or dive, you might also see a kobe, which glides along very elegantly. That’s the Swahili word for turtle, and you’ll enjoy the time you spend with these old animals as they let you into their home.

You might also see great humpback whales in the park from August to October, when they are on their way to or from summer to winter.

Watamu Marine Park

You can choose from different marine parks, each with its own unique features, just like Kenya’s famous land parks. You can find Watamu Marine Park about 90 miles (140 km) up the coast from Mombasa. It has beautiful lakes and coral gardens.

There is a lot of different colored sea life here, including a lot of green turtles and a lot of different kinds of birds flying around this busy tidal refuge.

There are 110 different kinds of coral on the reef, which is only 980 feet (300 m) from the shore. You may have thought there was only one species!

Fish and Manta Rays

The fact that barracudas and whale sharks live in Watamu shows that it is a rich, diverse, and visually busy place. Here, you can glide through a sea of more than 500 different kinds of fish. When you swim, you might also see crabs, sea turtles, and manta rays.

Kenya’s beautiful marine parks are like a whole new world waiting to be discovered. So go on an African safari to either of these amazing underwater areas and get closer to wildlife than you ever thought possible.