A Guide to Watamu:

What to do at Mida Creek

Practical Issues

Watamu Causes:

Mida Creek is a large mangrove-lined creek, and is part of the Mida Creek Marine Reserve managed by Kenya Wildlife Service. There are lots of things to do at the creek. Here are some suggestions:

BIRDWATCHING
The Mida birdlife is spectacular. There are 51 species listed in East Africa Birds, although this is by no means an authoritative list.

Carmine bee eater - occasional migrant at Watamu. To reach the head of the creek, the best area for birdwatching, leave the Mombasa-Malindi road opposite the entrance to the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Driving Trail and make your way down to the creek's shores. The best time for this is the incoming tide, when all creatures are busy feeding. A scope is very useful.

Likely to see:
Crab Plovers, curlews, sandpipers, stints, terns, spoonbills, flamingos and others.

For a different viewpoint, get hold of a small motorboat and float around the creek.

EXPLORE THE MANGROVE FOREST
Mida is surrounded by mangrove forest, an unusual habitat. The trees have spectacular looking root systems that thrive on the tidal variations. The mangrove forest consists of a few species of salt-tolerant evergreens. Mangroves protect the soft sediment shorelines from erosion, and provide a home for crustacea and molluscs, birds and worms during low tide, and hundreds of species of fish feeding during high tide.

The mangroves are used as nurseries for many fish species, too, and although murky, snorkelling can be rewarded by a sighting of pefectly-formed mini-tropical fish such as a 1 inch long lionfish.

Mangrove trees at Mida Creek. There is an old walkway that may or may not have been rehabilitated on Sudi Island, where there are some sheltered picnic tables. The walk takes you through a few hundred metres of mangrove forest, and is very pretty. Please book your visit to Sudi in advance at the Kenya Wildlife Service office, or ask your hotel to arrange it for you. You'll need to find a boat operator to take you too.

Another visit is to one of the villages on Kirepwe Island. This village is a fascinating insight into the subsistence lifestyle of these people; a fishing and coconut palm economy. Again, ask your hotel to arrange a visit.

DHOW TRIPS AND SUNDOWNERS ON MIDA CREEK
A few places arrange sundowners on a large dhow that sails up the creek, and motors back as the sun sets over the mangroves. Smaller dhows are also operated by individuals from Watamu. Visit the hairdresser in the village and enquire about Saidi's dhow.

WATERSPORTS AND FISHING
Some hotels can arrange waterskiing and fishing at Mida. Enquire at your hotel.

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