Watamu Marine
Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve is located in Kenya. Established in 1968, it was one of Kenya's first marine parks. It is located about 90 miles (140 km) north of Mombasa. Its coral gardens are merely 300 metres (980 ft) from the shore and are home to approximately 600 species of fish, 110 species of stony coral and countless invertebrates, crustaceans and mollusks. Water temperature varies from 20 degrees Celsius (June to November) to 30 degrees Celsius (December to May). The park was designated as a Biosphere in 1979. The shoreline in the area features white sand beaches and offshore coral formations arranged in three bays: Watamu Bay, Blue Lagoon and Turtle Bay. They are protected as part of the Watamu Marine National Park. The Marine Park is considered one of the best snorkelling and diving areas on the coast of East Africa. The name "Watamu" means "sweet people" in Swahili. The name came from the fact that Arab slave traders used to distribute sweets to entice the local population before taking them as slaves.
