At first there is only a fleeting glimpse as one breaks one’s cover.
A few moments later, it’s a whole family. And suddenly, with the cries of joy of our children, we find ourselves in the middle of the great migration.
Kenya is famous for the annual trek of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti to the lush grasses of the Masai Mara, avoiding lions and crocodiles.
But we don’t watch this show. We are just off the coast of a Kenyan beach and witness an equally spectacular migration of humpback whales that travel from Antarctica to the Indian Ocean each summer.
En route, they skim the Kenyan coastline at Watamu – and are just one of the attractions of this charming seaside town.
Robert Hardman visits the Kenyan coast where he observes the spectacular migration of humpback whales, which travel from Antarctica to the Indian Ocean each summer.
For many, Kenya is synonymous with safari. However, the Kenyan coast is much more beautiful, accessible and affordable than I thought. It is also an ideal place for summer vacations, as it is a quiet season here, with pleasant temperatures.
So before paying peak prices in a European hotspot, look further south.
This East African country is more of a trip than Spain, but most eight-hour direct flights to the capital Nairobi are overnight, there is no time difference and there is numerous connections to the coast, to Malindi or Mombasa.
We opted for a week in Watamu, where the days were mild and the evenings deliciously cool.
From dawn to dusk we had the full tropical sand beach experience, jumping from a glass bottom boat over a coral reef and lying on the sand eating freshly cut coconut.
While the coastal town of Watamu, just 21km from Malindi airport, was far from empty, it was also far from full.
This is Hemingways – a beautiful low-lying property with a huge swimming pool above Watamu Beach. Robert checks in and says he offers five-star luxury at four-star European prices.
Pictured: Robert in Watamu with his family
My wife and I, along with our three children (ages 16, 14, and 11), stayed at Hemingways, a beautiful low-rise property with a huge swimming pool above the beach.
It’s five-star luxury at the price of a European four-star.
Our ocean view apartment had two spacious bedrooms and a huge living room, both facing the Indian Ocean and opening onto a balcony that stretched the full length of our suite.
Two large bathrooms and a large kitchen overlooking the interior. Not that we cooked.
Hemingways Restaurant offers a full brunch-style breakfast each morning. Every evening we had the choice between a buffet or an a la carte menu.
Outside, chefs prepared curries or threw steaks, snapper and stir-fries on fire pits.
We often took a few tuk-tuks at lunchtime and headed to the bazaars and restaurants in central Watamu.
Robert settles near the beach, from where he observes the migration of humpback whales. In the photo: dinner on the terrace in his hotel
The bathroom and master bedroom in one of the hotel apartments
This place is full of Swahili history with its Gede ruins. There are also Indian, Arab and Italian influences. Browse the stalls to find a famous kikoy sarong.
Just before dusk, head to Mida Creek which opens into a huge inland lagoon.
There you can sit in an overwater bar on stilts with a cocktail and watch the sun set over the dhows and mangroves.
An unexpected highlight was the Watamu Snake Farm, a sanctuary for some of the world’s deadliest specimens, including puffing vipers and spitting cobras.
Robert discovers that the tropical sandy beaches of the Kenyan coast are much more beautiful, accessible and affordable than he had imagined. Pictured: Turtle Beach in Watamu
Just before dusk, head to Mida Creek (pictured), which opens into a huge inland lagoon, writes Robert.
Be there at 11 a.m. when the venom is “processed” to produce serum to treat the bites that kill up to 1,000 Kenyans each year.
Another popular spot is the Watamu Turtle Watch Marine Information Center. The area is a breeding ground for sea turtles, an endangered species, and if fishermen catch any in their nets, they bring them back here.
As Watamu is on a UNESCO protected marine reserve, it’s not teeming with pedal boats, jet skis and disco boats.
A day ticket is required to enter the reserve on an approved glass-bottom tourist boat. It’s £12 for a day pass (£10 for a child) plus the boat ticket.
As Watamu is in a UNESCO-protected marine reserve, it’s not teeming with pedal boats, jet skis and disco boats, says Robert.
The area is a breeding ground for endangered sea turtles, like the one pictured here in Watamu Marine National Park.
Hemingways’ restaurant (above) offered a full breakfast brunch each morning, Robert says.
A skipper will take you to a coral reef. All boats have free snorkeling kits and life jackets. You can sunbathe on board or dive to observe marine life.
My batch followed a stingray – at a distance.
The highlight was the afternoon on a Hemingways sports boat after the great whale migration. It’s £80 each for a four-hour journey (with drinks and food).
We quickly spotted a cloud of mist coming from a whale’s blowhole. Then the humpback whales appeared, beating their tails on the water.
Suddenly, a mother surfaces with a baby, then a trio of relatives, so close that we could hear them sniffing.
On the way back, our skipper Alfred installed big game fishing lines. I brought in a huge sailfish, as long as me with a 3 foot tip on its beak. It took three of us to carry it, hold it for a photo and then remove the hook. Then we rejected it.
What a day. What a week.