Kenya’s Desert, Wildlife, and Beaches in 15 Days – Day 12
Have you heard of going for a vacation in a vacation? Richie and I kind of experienced that. We were in a long vacation in Kenya – the first 2 days was about exploring Nairobi, then a 8-day long jeep safari to visit the places in the north like Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Buffalo Springs and Samburu Game Reserve, Loiyangalani by Lake Turkana, and then to south to Lake Nakuru National Park, and finally to Masai Mara National Reserve. At the end, we planned a 3-day vacay on the beachside. We spent a night in Mombasa and headed to the most beautiful beach of Kenya – Diani Beach. The main highlight of our beach vacation was Swahili Beach Resort, where the staff took real good care of our vegan lifestyle and made our stay memorable.
Highlights of the Day
- Arrival in Swahili Beach Resort in Diani
- Exploring the Room
- Chilling in the Pool
- Vegan Dinner Buffet
From Mombasa to Diani
Mombasa is a beautiful beach city located on the eastern coast of Kenya. We stayed overnight in Pride Inn Hotel in Mombasa. It is a business boutique hotel located centrally in Mombasa. Our stay was comfortable.
After a fulfilling breakfast, we checked out from the hotel. The receptionist arranged a cab for us to drop us to Swahili Beach Resort in Diani beach. It is located 30 km south of Mombasa, and the taxi charged us 35$ for the trip.
The First Look of Swahili Beach Resort
Swahili Beach Resort is a five star luxury hotel in Diani, Kenya. However, it is much more than meets the eye. Its soul is based on culture and history. From the architecture and the services to the food it serves – everything seems to prepossess you, drawing you in. We immersed ourselves in a world of rich culture. We enjoyed the different cultural influences in the ambience during our 2-night stay in Swahili Beach Resort.
Our Room in Swahili Beach Resort
The staff finally showed us our room, and left us speechless! The room was beyond our expectations! We experienced the sheer grandeur of the room. There was a huge flat screen TV, hairdryer, a desk for writing, and huge bed with dressing room off, tea and coffee making facilities, mini bar, safe, and free WiFi. Traditional culture and contemporary style fused together for our luxury in Swahili Beach Resort. We could call it our own private oasis where we pampered ourselves for the next 2 days.
Pools of Swahili Beach Resort
Thanks to the great breakfast spread we had in the morning in Pride Inn Hotel, Mombasa – we were not at all hungry. So we decided to head to the pool for some fun in the water.
Vegan Dinner Buffet in Swahili Beach Resort
Staying in the water for long actually made us feel very hungry. We got fresh and ready to enjoy the dinner buffet that was spread out in the open. We booked our accommodation on a half-board basis, hence breakfast and dinner were included with our accommodation. While booking and also during checking in, we had informed the reception that we are vegans. I must mention that the chef had taken care of our food habits well. The vegan options in the dinner were plenty. In fact, the chef gave us a tour of all the vegan options available.
Kenya’s Desert, Wildlife, and Beaches in 15 Days – Day 13
You may be wondering now that why I am calling this a “vegan vacation”. As years are passing by, more and more people are being aware of the environmental changes that can be potentially related with our food habits. Gone are those days when we used to think that burning of fossil fuels is the major reason of global warming – no, it is not the only reason! The main reason is the animal agriculture that releases huge amount of methane gas and also demands deforestation. In addition to it, the dangerous effects of animal protein on our health is also revealed now. So the world is going vegan, and that is the future. But the question arises, is it possible to stay vegan while traveling? Here, I have tried showing how the chef of Swahili Beach Resort had put efforts to make our vacation plant-based, cruelty-free, guilty-free, and hence vegan.
Highlights of the Day
- Vegan Breakfast Buffet
- Relaxing by the Beach and Pampering in the Spa
- Exploring the Property
- Vegan Dinner
- Evening Stroll
Vegan Breakfast Buffet in Swahili Beach Resort
The bed was super comfortable and we had a deep sleep. However, I did not miss the glance at the sunrise from our balcony.
Shortly after, we freshened up and headed for breakfast a Majilis restaurant. In local language, majilis means ‘meeting or gathering place’. It is the main dining space of the resort, where they set up their buffets. Food at the breakfast buffet was very good. As usual, the chef was well aware of our food habits, so there were many vegan options in the buffet. A Swahili breakfast in incomplete without Mahamri and Mbaazi. It is a wholesome combo of slightly-sweet cardamom doughnuts and pigeon peas cooked in coconut milk. Hence, it is vegan by default. The breakfast buffet also had some local Indian dish like aloo paratha (Indian flat-bread stuffed with spiced potatoes). There were also a smoothie and fruit juices section, pancake station, pastries, cakes and bread selection, cereals, fresh fruits, and the the usual baked beans, potatoes and a lot more.
Relax by the Beach and Pamper in the Spa
Diani beach is considered to be the best beach in Kenya. The resort provides many water activities that you can choose from at an additional cost. For example, you can do scuba diving where you get to explore the magical adventure under the waves. Or, you can rent a dhow and retrace the steps of the Arab and Swahili sailors on day excursions that will leave you marveling at the romantic beauty of the Coast. You may also gGet your heart racing on the water with the perfect mix of waves and wind while kite surfing to get you soaring. After a heavy breakfast, we just planned to relax by the beach followed by pampering ourselves in the spa.
Later, we headed to the spa. With one of the best views in the resort, the Swahili Spa & Fitness Centre has its own cove and indoor pool, 6 treatment rooms, and a team of masseurs and beauticians to relax your mind, body, and soul.
Leisure in the Afternoon
Right after spa, we headed back to the room and rested for like an hour or more. In the late afternoon, Richie wanted to chill by the pool, while I was wandering around capturing pictures of this beautiful property.
Vegan Indian Dinner
Dining here is a culinary delight with a selection of restaurants providing a range of smart and casual dining options. For a change from buffet style, Richie and I thought of trying the Indian restaurant in the property – Spicy Route. This restaurant is known to serve an unmatched fusion of Kenyan-Indian food as part of the Swahili culture. The vegan food there exceeded our expectations.
Evening Stroll
After dinner, we took a small stroll in the property. The place looked stunning in the dark.
Offering an air of elegance unseen on the Kenyan coast, Swahili Beach Resort was designed with state-of-the-art technologies to ensure minimum ecological impact, while delivering exceptional comfort to its guests. It was built as the confluence of raw culture and modern style, which can be seen evidently. I would highly recommend spending few days of your Kenya vacation here. It is the signature stopover for the modern traveler seeking roots in the days of old and a foothold on contemporary luxury.
NET EXPENSE FOR 1 PERSON (IN USD)
Let us have a look at the expenses of Days 12-13 in Kenya – Diani.
- Stay at Swahili Beach Resort (2 nights) for twin sharing: 190
- Taxi from Mombasa to Diani: 35
- Spa: 75
Total expense (roughly): 300 USD
For a more customized itinerary, whether for solo or couple or group of any number of people, feel free to contact me on Contact Us page.
If you are planning for a much-organized, tastefully-curated, stress-free yet exciting vacation, consider booking your holidays at Travel Love Repeat. It is going to be a treat for sure!
The vegan fare looks inviting, Shreya, especially the breakfast. Mbaazi sounds like a comfort food that I am sure I would enjoy. Must google the recipe 🙂 Also, I loved the fusion architecture of the resort – the openness and simplicity in design is lovely.
Mbaazi is yummy!
I read so much about it, and saw some amazing pictures in Instagram. The food looks really amazing, I hope that you had great time there! 🙂
Oh yes, it was a great time.
Very nice resort! We love the vast open spaces—it makes the resort feel uncluttered and free. The food looks really delicious as well.
Yes it was an amazing experience, overall.
I know how hard it can be to travel with dietary restrictions, and it looks like the chef really took care of you. Such a beautiful resort; the pool looks amazing, and that bubble bath? I don’t think I’d want to get out! Well, maybe to eat some of that food. The Swahili breakfast sounds especially delicious!
Yes we loved it, Carie.
Such a beautiful resort. The architecture is stunning. This resort would be perfect for me to stay as I am a vegetarian and the food looked scrumptious. Thanks for sharing.
Yes Jane. If you are a vegetarian, you got to visit this place without fail.
Shreya this makes me want to go back to my hometown (Kenya). Seems like you had a great time and your lucky you covered the town centre too. The safaari is a great one. Glad you enjoyed it and the Vegan part – with so much fresh produce I bet it tasted so nice
Oh wow, you are from here? So cool!
Wow, The Swahili Beach Resort looks so relaxed. Would love to try the large selection of Vegan foods here, such a variety to choose from. The bathroom with its luxourious bath looks like a delight. The pool looks amazing with such a natural atmosphere. Thanks for the information on such a beautiful resort.
Loved it much, Katie.
The resort really looks luxurious. I love the pools! I could stay there all day. Your room is very spacious and that sunken bath is the ultimate relaxation! It’s really nice for the hotel to accommodate your vegan needs. Lots of good options by the looks of it. I’m not vegan and your food seems appetizing to me.
Thanks Jen!
I’m not a vegan but some of that food looks delicious! The whole resort looks lovely and I would definitely want to stay there. I”l definitely keep this place in mind for my upcoming Kenya trip. Thanks for the recommendation
Sure, you would love your stay there.
Looks like such a great resort and nice to see that you found vegan food there! I love the cardamom donuts, they look nice. And the paratha as well 😉 The swimming pool and the massive bedroom really caught my eye. Swahili Beach Resort looks like a great place to stay beachside in Diani.
Oh Medha, you would love the cardamom donuts with the coconut creamy beans.
A vacation in a vacation, what a lovely thought. I have thought about it many a times but never actually got around to it. The hotel sounds Fab and vegan food is ? I am sure you two had a great time there.
Yes Suman, loved our time there.
Oh wow, how gorgeous is this hotel!! I’ve never been to Kenya, but staying at this kind of place would be a dream. It’s great that they also had plenty of vegan options for you.
Oh yes Lisa, the vegan option part was the best one.
Swahili Beach resort at Diani beach looks perfect stay with influence of many cultures like Indian, Arabic and African. The cascaded pool looks splendid and also it is great that they have natural waters and salt flowing in them. Good to know that this resort allows local artisan to sell their handicrafts as it is a great way to promote local artists and their air to tourists.
I really loved the cascaded pools!
This literally looks and sounds like heaven! I’m not vegan, but do eat mostly vegan or vegetarian due to taste preferences. The food looks amazing!! And those pools and the spa are calling my name.
Hahahhaa oh yes, they are indeed. So head there soon!
Really informative post! Feels like I just took a walk there. Great pics too!
Thanks Namita!
Hi, Shreya
It is Such an in-depth guide. Thanks for sharing it. All the places are really attract me.Bookmarking this guide right away.
Sure Priya, I am glad if you find this helpful.
wow great resort Pics shared by you i really love the places like this beside the beaches thanks for sharing & aware us
The place is wonderful.