A small private island shaped like a crescent moon, Chale is separated from the Kenyan mainland by a 600 meter channel. Offering crystal clear water and white sandy beaches, this little island is a famous place for weddings, plus it is the site of Chale Marine Park. With a nature reserve, tropical rainforest, and a fantastic resort hotel, this is an outstanding place to enjoy the very best Kenya has to offer. While there are many sites to dive around Chale Island, some deserve special mention. Here are five sites to get you started.
Chale Corner
Located on the northern side of the main reef, Chale Corner features a gentle slope and offers maximum depth at just 14 meters. An outstanding site for all divers, its sandy areas, which are punctuated by splendid coral formations, create an atmosphere that is irresistible to sting rays and guitar rays. In addition, the site is often visited by white tip reef sharks. With a wealth of colorful reef fish and an outstanding opportunity to view some rarely encountered marine life; this is one site everyone ought to visit at least once.
Msambweni
A beautiful reef that boasts an enormous concentration of colorful fish such as butterfly fish, angelfish, parrotfish, wrasse, anthias, and more, Msambweni is often compared to an aquarium due to the sheer density of life encountered here. While average depth is 18 meters along the reef, the eastern corner, where the greatest concentration of fish can be found, features a sandy patch at a depth of 25 meters where you can relax and watch the fish swirl all around you.
Papa Mshilingi
In Kenya, the name "Papa Mshilingi" refers to the whale shark. Between October and March, whale sharks travel through the area, as do large manta rays. During these months, divers can hover at a depth of about 12 meters, watching whale sharks and mantas circle all around them. Throughout the remainder of the year, Papa Mshilingi is renowned as a fantastic drift dive where plenty of colorful reef species create a beautiful contrast to the wealth of corals that thrive in this nutrient rich water. No matter when you visit Chale Island, you are certain to enjoy this fantastic dive site.
Kinondo Reef
A fairly shallow reef with average depth at just 13 meters, Kinondo Reef is renowned as one of the fishiest reefs you'll find on Kenya's south coast. Here, huge fleets of sleek, toothily grinning barracuda hunt from massive shoals of blue lined and yellow snappers, as well as schooling red snappers; in addition, trigger fish, angelfish, butterfly fish, and many others can be seen, along with moray eels and occasional pelagic visitors.
Shimo La Samaki
A small yet intensively populated reef, Shimo La Samaki is a haven that seems to have been created with the desires of macro photographers in mind. With caves, canyons, and spectacular overhangs, the site is an outstanding place to find nudibranchs in colors that seem almost unbelievable, along with intriguing crustaceans and invertebrates. Curtains of glassfish part as you pass, and you're almost certain to encounter stingrays, moray eels, and all kinds of rainbow-colored reef fish as you explore. Maximum depth is just 16 meters.
Close to Mombasa and only 10 kilometers south of Diani, Chale Island is served by some of Kenya's best dive operators, who offer nitrox and everything else you'll need to make your dive holiday unforgettable. If you plan to come during the high season, between October and March, be sure to make plans well in advance to ensure you are able to encounter Papa Mshilingi!