Geographical location
According to abbreviationfinder, Diani Beach is a 15-kilometer-long stretch of beach in Kenya that borders the coastal town of Ukunda and is around 30 kilometers south of the port city of Mombasa.
Diani itself was originally a small fishing village, which has been increasingly developed for tourism since the 1970s and today has a very good infrastructure and numerous high-class hotels.
The eponymous Diani Beach is repeatedly recognized by trade magazines as the most beautiful beach in Africa and regularly lands in the top 20 places in rankings for the best beaches in the world. In fact, the snow-white sand in front of the lush green palm tree backdrop is of unique beauty and merges into the blue expanses of the Indian Ocean with a surreal play of colors.
Ukunda has a small airport for domestic flights, but most visitors fly non-stop from Germany (for example with Condor from Frankfurt in just 8:30 hours) to Mombasa.
Climate in Diani Beach
Similar to Mombasa, Diani Beach and the south coast of Kenya have a warm, tropical climate all year round. The mostly high humidity is usually balanced out by a pleasant wind, making the weather very bearable. Common seasons in Europe are not pronounced in Diani Beach.
Nevertheless, the climate in the region is largely determined by two rainy seasons: The large rainy season runs from around mid- March to the beginning of June, the small rainy season usually falls from the end of October and November with slight foothills until mid- December.
Many travel guides report that the rain in Diani Beach is usually stronger than in Mombasa, but the statistics of the past 20 years cannot confirm this. On the contrary, the amount of precipitation in Diani Beach is even slightly lower, especially during the small rainy season.
Meanwhile, the temperatures are stable and warm all year round, the coolest month is August with daily temperatures averaging 28 degrees, while in hot February an average of 33 ° C is measured in the shade. The Indian Ocean is also very warm all year round with a water temperature of 26 to 29 degrees.
When is the best time to visit Diani Beach?
Since the precipitation during the rainy season in Diani usually only starts in the afternoon and often even occurs at night, the south coast of Kenya is basically a real year-round destination. In addition, enormous discounts and very cheap offers are possible in Ukunda during the two rainy seasons.
As the best travel time for Diani Beach in Kenya, however, we recommend the somewhat cooler months July to September and the very hot (but dry) travel time from January to early March. Since the time of the European summer vacation is usually very popular, January and February offer the better price-performance ratio.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 33 ° C | 33 ° C | 33 ° C | 32 ° C | 31 ° C | 30 ° C | 29 ° C | 28 ° C | 29 ° C | 31 ° C | 32 ° C | 32 ° C |
| Night temperature | 24 ° C | 24 ° C | 25 ° C | 24 ° C | 23 ° C | 22 ° C | 21 ° C | 20 ° C | 22 ° C | 22 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C |
| Water temperature | 28 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 28 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 27 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 32 | 13 | 56 | 148 | 237 | 85 | 70 | 59 | 40 | 89 | 98 | 69 |
| Rainy days | 4 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 6 |
| Hours of sunshine | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| Sunrise | 6:20 | 6:30 | 6:25 | 6:20 | 6:20 | 6:25 | 6:30 | 6:25 | 6:15 | 6:00 | 5:55 | 6:05 |
| Sunset | 18:40 | 18:45 | 18:35 | 18:20 | 18:15 | 18:20 | 18:25 | 18:25 | 18:20 | 18:15 | 18:15 | 18:30 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature is 26.7 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is March (28.8 ° C), coldest month of August with average values of 24 ° C. The maximum water temperature is 29 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 996 mm on 97 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The May is considered the rainy season, since in this month are expected to more than 175 mm of rainfall. Snowfall is generally not expected in any month.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, February is the sunniest month with an average of 10 hours of sunshine per day. The average annual sunshine is 8.6 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Cities nearby
The following larger towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Mombasa and Nyali.
Sights and highlights
The biggest attraction in the Ukunda region is the kilometer-long Diani Beach, but the popular holiday region also has many other highlights to offer. A visit to Mombasa with Fort Jesus, the beautiful old town and the old Dhow harbor are always worth a trip.
On a dhow safari from Diani Beach you have the opportunity to explore wonderful snorkeling areas and diving spots. The tour to Wasini Island usually also includes a delicious Swahili grill menu. In the Colobus Conservation Station there is the possibility to learn more about the protection of the rare monkeys.
If you want to experience wild animals in the wild, you can even go on a real safari just a stone’s throw from Diani Beach: The Shimba Hills Reserve is home to numerous buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, zebras but also rare species such as the black antelope. A great introduction to the African wilderness and a great change from beach life!
Diani Beach weather in March, April and May
Daily temperatures averaging 31 to 33 ° C can be expected over the next three months. The temperatures hardly fluctuate during this time.
Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May at about 29 ° C. This is great weather for a great time on the beach and in the water.
The expected rainfall is around 6 days in March, around 11 days in April and around 16 days in May.
In the period from March to May, the sun shines an average of 7 to 9 hours a day. The sunniest weather is in March in Diani Beach, with less sun you will have to get by in May.
