Diving
The Reef Hotel has a facility with the Buccaneer PADI 5 star diving centre in Mombasa. PADI Courses and experienced diving is catered for. You have access to Kenya’s only 5 star PADI IDC training centre. Our beginner courses start from a 1 day discover scuba course to the first certification level Discover Scuba Diving course, and open water diving ratings. Further courses include the advanced open water course, Rescue diver, Master scuba diver, Dive master, Dive master, Assistant instructor and Instructor courses.
Of exceptional interest is the purpose made wreck, the M.V. Dania, located over the reef and now Kenya’s most interesting wreck dive. Other special dives include Shark point, Vuma caves, and for the very experienced, birthday reef at the entrance of Mombasa harbor. Day trips are available from the Reef Hotel to Shimoni to dive the Kisite marine park area, and dive and snorkel with dolphins. Kisite is considered the finest marine park in east Africa. Free dive try outs are conducted regularly at the Hotel.
Dhow Trips
Dhows are synonymous with the Kenya coast, being built and sailed here for over 500 years. North of the Hotel is the Mtwapa creek, where there is a small fleet of converted day trip Dhows, especially designed to go out to sea to snorkel, sail, and enjoy the views along the refs and mangrove bays.
Other popular Dhow trips are around Mombasa Old harbor as past of a city tour or on a converted sailing restaurant. All of them very charming and fun.
Further south in the fishing village of Shimoni is the very popular dhow cruising to the marine park of Kisite Mpungutti, where dolphins, a marine park, and seafood restaurants all come together to make the most adventurous day trip on the south coast. The Reef hotels sister lodge, the Shimoni Reef Lodge is a base for these trips, and offers exceptional boat trips, diving and a sea food restaurant.
Most famous of the coast sea craft are the hand crafted Dhows. Traditional in design, little has changed over 1000 years of sailing and building them. The Lateen sail, a simple yet masterful stroke by the original designers is perfectly adapted to the monsoon winds and sailing conditions of the western Indian Ocean.
The wood is regularly attended to by boat craftsmen, who cork the timbers using cotton, soaked in fish oils to keep them essentially dry. The design of the traditional Dhow was to carry cargo along the east African coastline, and as such they have a bulky wide middle for cargo. In converting them to passenger boats this has suited conditions perfectly, as the decks are wide and spacious and allow some movement on deck for guests, and plenty of room below for an engine, fuel tanks, water, even fitted toilets on the larger dhows.
Shade is usually available, permanently over the back of the boat covering the skippers nest and a bit more, often up until the mast. If it rains, a simple canvass rain protection is looped over and around the sail and mast rigging, offering immediate shelter.
Drinks are generally available on board with some tours including them and with others you pay extra as you consume, if you take a private boat trip you can fill your cooler box with whatever you like of course.
As the day progresses, traditional monsoon winds pick up, and so by midday it’s often possible to close down the engine and sail back to port in a way that has remained unchanged in a 1000 years. The crews are very encouraging, and invite guests to help them. A lot of fun and educational if you are interested in sailing boats.
Kayaking
The Kayaks available include sea going, PVC 2 seater Kayaks as well as ocean going and creek canoes. Regular special creek safaris are organized or you can enjoy your own coastal scenic adventure.
Windsurfing
All our equipment is from Hi-fly. There is a range of board and sails available Boards include the mambo, Motion, and the Matrix. Our sails range form a 2.6 meter training sail, to the more advanced 6.5 meter sails. We offer a one hour basic lesson which is the minimum pre-requisite for all persons without prior experience wanting to use this equipment. We also offer a three hour advanced lesson.
Kite Surfing
Kitesurfing or kiteboarding has started to grip the world and is considered one of the fastest growing extreme water sports today. Prosurf extreme is among the first to bring a Kitesurfing school to the beautiful shores of Kenya, and is perfectly located by being on the whitest, widest stretch of beach on the North Coast … still close to all the action in Mombasa, with easy access to the Safari circuit.
Deep Sea Fishing
Mombasa has been a hub for fishing for over 40 years. There are 2 main ports that the boats operate from, Tudor Creek and Mtwapa creek. Excellent well managed boats and skippers are available year round, with the main season being august to April. There is also the option of taking a charter boat direct from the hotel beach, operated by the hotel water sports, for a mornings fishing off Bamburi. Common catches are Bonito, skipjack tuna, yellow fin tuna, barracuda, dorado, trevally and in season the sail fish and even marlin are commonly hooked.
Most responsible boats now have a tag and release program that allows certain species, especially bill fish to be released after being brought alongside the boat. We recommend 2 experienced skippers and their boats, especially Eligio Bhatia and Walter Brun. Details of their operation are available on contact with the hotel through this website. Apart from Mombasa fishing there is also the option to transfer down to Shimoni which is considered Kenya premier marlin fishing grounds, and is where most of the All Africa records were caught.
We recommend the fishing operation managed by father and son Pat and Simon Hemphill whenever available. Pat and Simon Hemphill, World-renowned skippers who between them have more than 60 years experience in these waters. Since 1992 skippers, Pat & Simon have each taken more marlin than any other skipper in East Africa. Fish aboard top class sport fishing boats "Broadbill", or the new "Kamara II" - consistently the # 1 boats on the Kenya coast, if you are an experienced deep-sea angler, a salmon fishermen, fly fisherman, or a complete novice who would like to experience big game fishing then Shimoni has what you are looking for.
Children over the age of 8 yr. are welcome and this could be a good time to introduce your son or daughter to fishing. Simon's son and daughter caught their first marlin at the age of 10 yr. and 11 yr, respectively. Shimoni Reef Lodge is am ideal base for your fishing safari.
Seabees Deep Sea Fishing
Kusi is a 29 foot Chris craft sports fishing boat equipped with up to date gear. It has a 2 foot extension which supports two 85hp Yamaha outboard engines, making the boat 31 feet overall.
Kusi is licensed with the Marine Authority and holds all the necessary sea safety certificates and full comprehensive insurance for up to 6 passengers. She has a GPS, fish finder, marine radios and is further supported by mobile phone coverage. She carries life jackets for all guests.
Kusi fishes with up to 9 rods, fitted with either Penn or Shimano reels with a variety of thickness of lines but mainly 30 and 50lb breaking strain. Fishing is by trolling using lures, live and dead bait. While she will go as much as 20kms off the coast in search of fish, the main fishing grounds are within easy reach of the Voyager Beach Resort where she is moored. The fishing grounds are reached within minutes of leaving the mooring.
All fishing equipment, boat captain and crew are included in the charter as well as soft drinks and water. There is a marine toilet on board for emergencies!
In the fishing grounds off Mombasa you will find sailfish, tuna, dorado, kingfish, barracuda, wahoo, torpedo, bonito and seasonally marlin [January/February]. We support a tag and release programme for bill fish although it is the client’s choice whether the fish is boated or not. All fish belongs to the boat. The season is from July until mid April.
Sailing
We have a variety of sailing vessels to meet all needs. Starting from a beginner level laser fun boat, then to the more advanced topper, and finally the Dart 18 and Hobie 16 catamaran. Sailing lessons are available for all persons. We offer a one hour basic lesson which is the minimum pre-requisite for all persons without prior experience wanting to use this equipment. We also offer a 3 hour advanced lesson, and a nine hour internationally recognized certification course. For persons without prior experience catamarans skippered by our crew are also available. All you have to do is enjoy the scenic ride!