Mida Creek, Watamu

So it was an Easter weekend... had a nice time ... though I went in the afternoon around 12 so the water wasn't around alot,I'll suggest if you have to visit its better morning hours and evening .... Board walking was quite an experience... while the most overhyped area is what they call "garden of eden". The food there was amazing.... I tried there Ugali fish with sauce on the side... Amazing... Its a nice place to visit... Coming back again to see the birds

Stretching inland from the sea into Arabuko Sokoke Forest is one of Watamu’s true hidden treasures: Mida Creek, a broadwater tidal creek surrounded by extensive mangroves and lined with palms.This 32km2 creek has wide, healthy beds of seagrass and coral, home to many species of fish and feeding sea turtles, while in the mangroves smaller streams and inlets provide a refuge for crabs and birdlife. Mida is a stopover point for many migratory birds and an essential protected area for their survival. This makes it one of the most important and beautiful natural attractions on the Kenyan coast.

Soooo good! The canoe ride and the board walk are worth it.

I did enjoy the "board walk" which had some wobbly sections and others that were stable. It wasn't that high off the ground, too. The number of sea shells and crabs that were exposed when the tide was low was truly overwhelming. At the entrance, the attendants recommend renting croc sandals at a cost of 50/- so that you don't "muddy" your footwear. However, in my opinion, the distance and level of dirt was quite bearable.

To see animals (birds, crabs, etc.) it is best to visit at low tide. Also only at low tide you can see the mangrove roots out of water. You can ask your hotel to call in advance to find out the best time to visit. Don't ever buy any tours from the beach boys active near the Watamu marine park ticket booth around the Turtle Bay, especially from someone whose name is Thomas. He sold us a misleading Mida Creek "sunset tour" for 4000 Kenya shillings and a fake one-day safari for 44000 Kenya shillings (separate review). We were told that we would see flamingos, bats, sunset on the water and have a board walk. One of the beach boys told us the previous day that the price was 3000 Kenya shillings including boat and a guide, but Thomas sold us the tour for 4000 Kenya shillings, claiming that 3000 Kenya shillings was only for a 2 person's boat. He said the sunset tour was from 4pm. He also asked for the payment before we even got onto the boat. However when we set off for the tour at 4pm the sun was still very high. The place where they brought us to take the boat looked very unofficial and we did not see any signs of Mida Creek. We had a regular boat (not an African canoe). It was high tide at the time so most of the roots are covered by water, and it was extremely hot with the sun reflecting from the water. We did not see any flamingos and understood from the guide that flamingos were only to be seen at low tide. We did not see any bats, only saw a few white birds and eagles resting on the trees. The tree roots were covered by water. After going around seemly aimlessly under the hot sun (we made a few turns on the water but did not see anything else), we were brought back to where we set off and we were told that the tour was over. The tour was totally misleading. We did not see the animals that we came to see, nor any sunset on the water (sun was still high and it only sets between 6:30 and 7PM). Furthermore, we were not even shown where the famous board walk was and therefore did not have the chance to see and walk the board walk of Mida Creek. Thomas appeared at the end of the tour. When asked about the flamingos that we specifically came to see but did not see any, he said simply "oh yeah because it was high tide".