Thirty minutes north of Diani Beach in Kenya, hidden near Tiwi Beach, is a little-known local gem called the Africa Pool. Named for its distinctive shape that near-perfectly resembles the African continent, this naturally formed ocean pool emerges as the tides recede into the ocean, leaving behind an abundance of sea life to explore and the perfect location to cool off in the blistering Kenyan sun.
We discovered the pools after chatting with a local guy we had met in a bar the night before. With little more than a name, 'Africa Pool', and some rough directions, we set off the following day to try and discover the local secret for ourselves.
How Do I Get to Africa Pool?
The trip to the Africa Pools begins by making your way to Tiwi Beach, a coastal region known as the little sister to Diani Beach but by no means less impressive.
The easiest and cheapest way to get there is by tuk-tuk. We picked one up near Carrefour in Diani Beach and negotiated a price of KES 700. Negotiating a price for anything in Kenya is never an exact science, so start low and see where you end up.
Ask your driver to head towards Twiga Lodge, where you can access the beach through the resort and the neighbouring campsite.
You'll eventually be presented with one of the most beautiful stretches of sand anywhere in East Africa.
Tiwi Beach hasn’t been overtaken by resorts – unlike the coastline of Diani Beach – but this also means it's nowhere near as developed. The roads in and out of Tiwi are incredibly rough and make for a pretty bumpy ride in a rickety old tuk-tuk. But if you’re willing to risk a slipped disk or two, you'll eventually be presented with one of the most beautiful stretches of sand anywhere in East Africa.
Finding The Africa Pool
As you approach Tiwi Beach, local guides will likely offer to take you to the pools. You may initially think it's just another scam to part you with your money, and unfortunately, we have since heard that people have been mugged or had their belongings stolen while swimming at the pools. Remember, it's primarily locals that hang out here, and there aren’t many tourists about. Whilst people in Africa are lovely, and we have never had an issue personally, you do need to always keep your wits about yourself.
However, we were introduced to our guide, Zimba, by the owner of Twiga Resort, and we were so glad that we took up his services. For KES 500 each, he guided us along the rocky shoreline, navigated us through the minefield of sea urchins, lent us snorkel gear and watched our belongings whilst we swam in the pools.
If you decide to make the trip alone, the walk to the pool is about 2 km north of the resort after entering the beach. Walk towards the end of the beach and then continue along the rocky shoreline for about another 1 km. If you have reef shoes, I highly recommend them as the ground is slippery and very sharp with shells and rocks.
Australia Pool
Well done if you’ve made it this far in the article; this is where you discover the real secret. Whilst the Africa Pool is an incredible natural wonder, it's the next pool you really want to visit. Known as the Australia Pool, named for its proximity to the Africa Pool rather than its shape, this next pool is about a 10-minute walk away and is well worth the extra effort. Here, you will find two caves, one at each end of the pool, with openings in the roof, allowing streaks of light to break through and illuminate the waters inside, making for a pretty surreal experience and some fantastic photos.
In addition, the snorkelling here is spectacular. There’s an abundance of seagrass throughout the pools and so much sea life to be found. We saw starfish, pipefish, lionfish, blue-spotted boxfish, and even baby morays.
The Africa and Australia Pools are definitely worthwhile and are among our must-do day trips from Diani Beach in Kenya. Allow for around 4 hours, including time for a well-earned drink and a bite to eat at Twiga Resort afterwards, overlooking the ocean. Also, access to the pools is tidal dependent, so ensure you check out the Tiwi Beach tide times before heading off; you’ll need to visit during low tide, giving you plenty of time to get to the pools and explore the area before the tide starts making its way back in.
Up Next
If you are planning a trip to Kenya, why not read our complete travel guide to Kenya that contains everything you need to know about Kenya before you go? Or explore the rest of our articles on Kenya.