Mida Creek Watamu is one of the Watamu’s hidden gems, it is a tidal inlet stretching inland from the ocean into Arabuko- Sokoke forest in Kenya, this is a natural entrance in the coast about 5kmk deep south of Watamu which stands out from the surrounding nature for a completely different fauna and flora creating a unique ecosystem, is a broad water tidal creek, which is 32km2, it is surrounded by the extensive mangroves and the lined palms.
The Mida Creek in watamu is a unique safari destination with the healthy beds of the seagrass and the corals and is a home to many species of fish and turtles as these attract tourists who come to visit the Mida creek reserve, it has its tangle of the mangroves small streams and inlets, it also provides refuge to crabs and a myriad of the bird watching .
Mida creek is so stunning safari destination thus it was designated by the UNESCO as Biosphere Reserve, because it is one of the largest mangrove ecosystems in the entire world which is well maintained and preserved thus it is the only area where tourists can observe all the nine types, that makes it an important breeding and feeding ground for the marine species, with thirty-three species of algae this makes a Kenya safari tour the most amazing one because even the tourists can as well visit the Arabuk Sokoke forest, still the Mida Creek remains the most famous in Kenya due to the fact that it is the most designated the second largest ornithological reserve in Africa.
Mida Creek is one the most productive mangrove ecosystems in Africa, for the instant it is the well-recognized as the International Bird Area and together with the Arubuko-Sokoke Forest that forms a Biosphere Reserve, the bird lovers who visit the reserve can be able to spot the waterfowl, Grey plover and many other bird species, not only those it is also the perfect birding site for the migratory birds from Europe and Eurasia, Mida creek is a birding destination for every bird lover. On birding safari to the Mida Creek, the bird watchers do travel with their binoculars to observe the Lesser crested terns and Roseate Terns feeding, Dimorphic Egrets then between September and May also one can spot the Grey Plover, Greenshank, Terek Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers, Little Stint, Whimbrel, Sanderling the area is well known as one of the areas that hosts the Crab plovers, black shorebirds that can also be found in Somalia.
Mida Creek is also a great fishing safari, that is the area has got the various mangrove channels which are the important feeding and breeding grounds for many species of the fish species like the Groupers, Rabbit fish, Parrotfish, Emperors, Jacks, Barracuda and many more, the tourists both the local and international do come to the country to see the unique fish species that are found in the mangrove of the Mida Creek. To add on this the Mida Creek is an important feeding and development area for the juvenile green and hawksbill sea turtles, the coral heads and the rich seagrass beds provide food in a sheltered area away from the predators.
There is no any other place on the planet that makes the Mida creek a unique safari apart from the rich biodiversity, the Mida Creek attracts the tourists and the researchers who come to learn more and the study the complex of the marine ecosystem. From the walking safari the tourists can discover the many aspects about the Mida Creek, the mud and sand flats, the open shallow waters and the mangrove forests the various habitats of the bird species and the marine life that sustain to Mida Creek a great Kenya safari destination and high recognition.
Mida Creek is a multifunctional in Kenya that it is a great destination that supports the local communities by providing the local community people with food, revenue from the tourism and protection from the storm surges and the sea level rise. Then the central broad water area is a great for wakeboarding or waterskiing, there is also a community project, the Mida Creek Conservation Community that runs a crab farm and a crab shack restaurant that serves yummy and delicious crab dishes. The Mida Creek is best explored by the boat that can be done by the canoe as to explore many inlets and channels through the mangroves by SUP (stand up paddle board) a guided float wearing a life vest and letting the gentle currents carry you through the water or it can be a sunset cruise with a drink in your hand washing the water and the forest turn gold as the sun sinks down and the birds fill the sky as they go to roost.
Entry fees at the Mida Creek.
The adults pay 300 Ksh while the children pay Ksh 200 and the guides are paid Ksh 500 by the tourists on a safari to the Mida Creek as they keep exposing them to all the various attractions there. Mida creek is opened from 6am to 6pm.
Best time to visit the Mida Creek.
We consider July to October to be the best time to visit as this is the longest dry season with cool coastal conditions and the skies are clear and sunny, though visiting Watamu is a beautiful destination to be visited all the year around.
