Moi International Airport (MBA) → Shimoni transfer

The ride starts with the crossing to the south coast, by the Likoni ferry or along the Dongo Kundu bypass; your provider chooses on the day. After that, the main road continues south through Ukunda, past Msambweni and through sugar-cane and coconut country towards the border area, before a side road turns off to Shimoni.

Traffic thins out south of Ukunda, but it is still a two-hour ride, so a short stop is worth asking for when booking, for example in Ukunda, which has the last larger supermarkets before Shimoni. Keep your lodge's phone number handy in case the driver needs to confirm the way.

Dhows and motorboats leave from the Shimoni jetty to the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park, known for snorkelling, dolphin sightings and coral gardens, and to Wasini Island across the channel. The Shimoni caves near the village are linked to the history of the slave trade and can be visited.

Accommodation is limited to a few lodges and guesthouses, and some visitors stay on Wasini itself. Shops and cash machines are scarce in the village, so it helps to arrive with what you need for the first days.