We’re a locally run boutique diving centre in Diani Beach specialised in individual and small group scuba divers. Our diving centre provides you with everything you need to make your diving experience memorable. Many divers choose Diani Beach for scuba diving because of the warm water, clear visibility, and easy access to coral reefs. We teach SSI courses, and our instructors hold both SSI and PADI certifications. We cater for individuals and small groups focusing on quality service, safety, simple fun teaching, and real local marine knowledge. At The Scuba Duka Diving Centre we offer a beginner Try Scuba Experience, the SSI Open Water Diver course, Advanced and Rescue courses, Refresher & Skills tune-up, pool training for beginner and refresher courses and private one on one training where we tailor lessons to your goals at your comfort level and pace. Book a session with us today!
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The Scuba Duka Diving Centre is a boutique diving centre at Soul Breeze Beach Resort on Diani Beach Road, open daily since January 2018. We take individuals and small groups on guided boat dives to Diani’s reefs and the MV Alpha Funguo wreck, teach SSI courses from Try Scuba to Divemaster, and hire out our two boats, Nia and Tai. Equipment is included with every course and dive package.
Why Choose Us Over Other Diving Centres in Diani Beach
Equipment included in every dive package
85+ Years Combined Experience
Certification and Training Excellence
A Boutique Experience, Not a Crowd
Located at Soul Breeze Beach Resort
Connected to the Ocean
Who you will dive with
Seven people run the centre, four of them born and raised in Diani Beach. Between the four instructors sit more than 13,000 logged dives on this stretch of the Indian Ocean. Two qualified dive guides, Sampuli and Captain Michael, guide dives alongside them.
Ali
Founder · Divemaster Instructor
25+ years diving in Kenya and abroad. Born and raised in Diani Beach.
Kassim
Scuba Instructor
17+ years and 8,000+ logged dives, from Diani to Kisite Mpunguti. SSI and PADI certified.
Salim Swaleh
Scuba Instructor
4,000+ logged dives on Diani sites. Teaches SSI beginner to specialty courses.
Omari
Scuba Instructor
SSI and PADI Open Water Instructor, 1,000+ logged dives. Shoots underwater photo and video.
Sampuli
Dive Guide
Born and raised in Diani Beach. 100+ logged dives. Guides guest divers and runs equipment checks.
Michael
Dive Guide · Captain
20+ years scuba diving and captaining boats. Handles the boat and guides dives.
Small-group boat dives from Soul Breeze Beach Resort to fifteen regular reef and wreck sites along the Diani and Chale coast. Most are a 10–20 minute boat ride away.
Staying in Mombasa? Diani is a short taxi, shuttle or private transfer south. The wider South Coast holds fringing reefs, the MV Alpha Funguo wreck and Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park.
Experience daily guided boat dives from Diani Beach to some of Kenya’s best reef dive sites and the renowned Alpha Funguo Wreck. These dives cater to individuals and small groups, all accompanied by dedicated dive guides.
For a quick scuba fix during your Kenya coast holiday, consider a two dive morning or afternoon boat trip package to Diani’s nearby reefs. This trip should return by lunchtime or, if you’re in the afternoon, by 4 pm.
Full-day boat trips to Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park, known for dolphins and Kenya’s clearest water, with whale sharks possible from November to February. Divers and snorkellers share the boat. Refreshments and a fruit platter are included, and a lunch stop on Funzi can be added. Marine park fees are not included.
Private guided scuba diving, whether you’re a solo diver, a couple or friends. Enjoy one-on-one or private-group dives with a dedicated scuba instructor or divemaster. The flexible pacing and personalised briefings ensure a tailored experience for everyone.
Wreck diving at MV Alpha Funguo in Diani is renowned for its 50-metre artificial reef. This 17–31 metre deep wreck teems with barracuda, trevally, moray eels and macro life.
Sites such as New Place and Mwanyaza are dived as drifts: you descend at one end and the current carries you along the reef while the boat follows your surface marker.
Coral gardens at New Place, Galu, Dzinani, Kisima Mungu, Milele and Kinondo reef, with resident green and hawksbill turtles, guitar rays and reef fish in water of 25–29°C year round.
We dive the same reefs for guests staying anywhere from Tiwi to Galu. Morning and afternoon boat trips run daily, and dives for guests in Ukunda include pickup and drop-off.
Many of our returning divers treat this place like a home base. Our Diving Club brings together locals and repeat visitors. We run regular dives, events, monthly social dive meets, share updates on reef conditions, hold gear care and maintenance workshops and help you meet other divers in the area. It’s a relaxed way to keep diving without planning everything yourself.
Online club meet: first Monday of each month, 17:30 EATIn-person meet: second Saturday of each month, from 14:00
Dates and times can change, so check with us before you come.
Dive Club Membership
Join our local Diani dive club for discounted priority booking and exclusive members-only excursions. It’s a welcoming home base for residents and repeat visitors alike.
Regular club dives and meetups for local and visiting divers. Whether you’re after a full-moon dive or a beach get-together there’s something for everyone.
While we don’t run a retail dive shop, your diving equipment comes free with your course or dive trip. Our dive shop services include regulator servicing and tune-ups, BCD checks and repairs, fitting and sizing assistance, among other services. Our dive shop offers scuba diving gift certificates that are popular with visitors staying in resorts along Diani Beach. It’s a simple way to give a loved one a real ocean experience instead of another souvenir.
Equipment servicing: every Tuesday afternoon
Dive Equipment Rental
Well-maintained BCDs, regulators, wetsuits, masks, fins and dive computers are included free with every dive package. We fit your equipment the evening before your dive.
Our scuba instructors fit your free rental or personal gear including masks, fins, BCDs and weight systems. This ensures comfort and a correct setup for the scuba diving trips in the warm waters of Kenya.
We do regular, random and scheduled servicing to keep equipment safe and reliable with regulator servicing, BCD checks, O-ring replacements and dive computer setup at our dive shop.
Give the gift of a real ocean experience with flexible e-gift cards for Try Scuba courses or guided dives. These popular options are a favourite among Diani resort guests.
Our SSI courses: Try Scuba, SSI Basic Diver, SSI Scuba Diver, SSI Open Water Diver, SSI Advanced Open Water Diver, SSI Scuba Skills Update, SSI Stress & Rescue, SSI Dive Guide, SSI Divemaster, SSI Waves, Tides and Currents, and SSI Perfect Buoyancy. Also available are non-diving Ecology Specialty Programs SSI Marine Ecology and SSI Shark Ecology.
Discover Scuba Diving (Try Scuba)
No prior experience is necessary. Learn essential safety skills in the pool at Soul Breeze Beach Resort before embarking on a guided reef dive – the ideal introduction to scuba diving in Diani.
A full open water certification for ages 10–15, with shallow safe training sites and small group sizes. It’s designed to build confident junior divers who love the reef.
Earn your lifetime SSI Open Water certification over three to four days with instructors trained to SSI Diamond standards in the warm and forgiving waters of Diani Beach.
This challenging and rewarding course covers accident prevention, stress management and rescue skills, building real confidence for you and your buddy.
SSI Divemaster training combines in-water leadership practice with dive centre operations experience at a busy Diani dive centre, with internship options.
For certified divers who have been out of the water for a while. You review your core skills with an instructor in the pool at Soul Breeze Beach Resort before your next reef dive.
Private One-on-One Scuba Training (Private Lessons)
Whether you’re an anxious beginner or a seasoned diver seeking a personalised pace, our private lessons offer tailored, patient instruction at your comfort level.
We organize guided tours for certified divers, whether in groups or as solo divers, regardless of SSI, PADI, or any other certification. Whether you are local, here for a weekend, or on a full holiday, our Scuba Tour Agency connects you with the right trips, instructors, and dive buddies.
Kenya Scuba Diving Holidays & Dive Safaris
Experience multi-day diving holidays combining accommodation, transport and guided dives across Diani and Kenya’s South Coast. These holidays are tailored to your interests.
All-day trips to Kisite Mpunguti where divers and snorkellers share the same boat, suited to mixed-ability families and couples. Half-day packages take scuba divers to Diani’s reefs and the wreck.
Start your day with a morning scuba dive and end it with an afternoon mangrove or ocean kayaking session. This full-value holiday offers underwater and above-water exploration.
At The Scuba Duka Diving Centre, we run a boat hire service. The two available boats for hire are Nia, which can carry up to 8 people, and Tai, which can carry up to 16 people.
Dive Boat Hire – Nia (up to 8 guests)
Charter Nia, with an experienced crew, for private dive trips, small group charters or filming, accommodating up to 8 passengers.
Our larger boat Tai is perfect for group dive trips, club outings or corporate charters, comfortably accommodating up to 16 passengers with a full crew.
Embark on coastal cruises along the South Coast to spot bottlenose and humpback dolphins, turtles and seasonal whale sharks, all accompanied by informative commentary from our guides.
Enjoy a full-day boat trip to Kisite Marine Park, where you can experience dolphin watching, snorkelling or diving. Indulge in a seafood lunch stop on Funzi or Wasini Island.
Relax on a sunset or sightseeing cruise along the Diani coastline, guided by a licensed skipper. This is a good setting for photography, proposals or private events.
Not every day is a diving day. When the ocean is calm and you want something lighter, kayaking along Diani Beach is a great option. You can paddle along the shoreline, explore quieter sections near Galu, or just enjoy the water without going deep. It’s also a good choice for families or non-divers traveling with you.
Single kayak: $25 per hourDouble kayak: $30 per hour
Kayak Rental (Diani & Galu Beach)
Rent a sit-on-top kayak for calm ocean paddling along Diani’s shoreline and the quieter areas near Galu. Choose from hourly to full-day hire.
Explore calm mangrove creeks or coastline on guided kayak tours, spotting birdlife and coastal ecology. These tours are ideal for non-divers and families.
Paddle out to witness the sunrise or sunset over the Indian Ocean. This peaceful and scenic activity is a perfect way to begin or end your Diani Beach day.
We picked these four from our Google reviews and quote them unedited. Both our Google and Tripadvisor listings are public, so you can read all 330 in full.
330 reviews, two platforms
Google and Tripadvisor, both public. We cannot edit or remove reviews on either.
The same three things
Small groups, patient instructors, and guides who find the animals.
People come back
Many guests dive several days with us, then return the following year.
I completed my Open Water Diver certification here and can recommend this dive center 100%.
From the very beginning, I felt safe, well looked after, and in great hands. Everything was explained clearly and professionally, and throughout the entire course I always felt confident and supported. The equipment was in excellent condition, and everything was very well organized.
A special thank you goes to my instructor, Kassim. He prepared me incredibly well, took the time to explain everything, and with his calm and professional attitude made me feel safe and confident every step of the way. Thanks to him, I truly enjoyed the entire experience.
I am absolutely thrilled with the whole experience and will definitely come back the next time I’m here. Thank you to the entire team for making this such an unforgettable experience!
Maximilian Brandstätter · 2 reviews
★★★★★Google
Amazing dive center – absolutely recommend!
We had a fantastic experience diving with this club. The equipment was brand new, and the boat was both fast and comfortable. We really appreciated the clear and detailed briefings before getting into the water.
The instructors are highly professional and have a great sense of humor, making the whole trip wonderful. We did two incredible wall dives and saw turtles, beautiful soft and hard corals, and huge schools of different fish.
We highly recommend this club to everyone!
Vaida Batkauskiene · 5 reviews · 17 photos
★★★★★Google
Great morning diving with ScubaDuka. Our divemaster Salim was very helpful pointing out the marine life, especially the huge turtles! He was understanding and patient when I had problems equalising, and helped a lot.
The boat is spacious and comfortable, and the staff fantastic. Great communication, both in the lead up to our dives, and in the dive brief.
Great experience
James Shepherd · 6 reviews
★★★★★Google
3 days of excellent diving with Scuba Duka. Very professional set up. Really friendly staff. Boat captain Raymond transferred us over the reef to the dive sites safely - fun ride out and in! Half time water, bananas and oranages supplied. Saw lots of turtles, puffer fish, blue star fish, moray eels, blue spotted stingray and more. Highly recommend the Scuba Duka team especially Omar and Sampuli, our dive guides.
Boat times are from the centre. Which site we dive each morning is decided by the tide, the wind and the divers on board. Your own maximum depth follows your certification and is agreed at the briefing.
Water is around 25–29°C all year, so a shorty or 3mm suit is enough. Visibility ranges roughly 10–30m. January to March is often clearest; April to June is quieter, with rain and calmer mornings.
Beginners start with Try Scuba in the pool. Children can certify from age 10 on the Junior Open Water course. Certified divers from any agency, SSI, PADI or other, can join guided dives.
Every diver completes a medical questionnaire before diving. If any answer needs a doctor’s sign-off, that decision is the physician’s, never ours. We will not compress a course to fit a travel schedule.
We are at Soul Breeze Beach Resort on Diani Beach Road, with free on-site parking. Diani is a short taxi, shuttle or private transfer from Mombasa. Dives from Ukunda include pickup and drop-off.
1. How much does scuba diving cost in Diani Beach?
Prices depend on the activity and diving center in Diani Beach. A beginner level diving experience “Try Scuba” in SSI or “Discover Scuba” in PADI ranges between $150 to $180. Our price for “Try Scuba” is $160 with an extra free dive. A full Open Water certification course usually costs $400 to $595. For certified divers, single dives are between $50 to $80, and two-dive packages range from $90 to $130. At The Scuba Duka Diving Centre, we don't offer single dives; we offer great deal packages starting from 2 dives with gear included for about $110. We also provide a fruit platter, drinking water, and fresh-squeezed juice upon return.
2. Is Diani Beach a good place for scuba diving?
Yes, Diani Beach is an excellent place to scuba dive. We have warm, clear water and many sites that are perfect for both new and experienced divers. You can see colorful coral reefs, turtles, and reef sharks. We dive 15 regular sites, from shallow coral gardens to the MV Alpha Funguo wreck at 17–31 m.
3. How deep can a new scuba diver go?
As a beginner during your first training dives in Try Scuba, you may start shallower, around 5 to 12 meters (15 to 40 feet). With our SSI Basic Diver and Scuba Diver program, you get to go a maximum of 12 meters (40 feet), all under direct supervision from a scuba instructor. When you reach Open Water certification level, you can dive up to 18 meters (60 feet).
4. What if I can’t equalise my ears?
It is common, especially on a first dive. We descend slowly down a line and you equalise early and often, before you feel pressure. If an ear won’t clear, signal, rise a metre or two and try again; your instructor waits with you. If it still won’t clear, we end the descent rather than force it. Don’t dive with a cold or blocked sinuses. Tell us and we will move your dive.
5. What is the 120 rule for scuba diving?
It is an informal rule of thumb some divers quote: maximum depth in feet plus bottom time in minutes should stay under 120. It is not part of SSI or PADI training and does not replace a dive computer or dive tables. On our dives, your dive computer and your guide’s dive plan set the limits.
6. How can I stop being scared of scuba diving?
It is normal to feel nervous. Start with a “Try Scuba” session. That is why at The Scuba Duka Diving Centre, a scuba instructor trains you in a pool. This lets you get comfortable with the gear and breathing at your own pace. Talk to your scuba instructor about your fears. When you understand how the gear works, you will feel much more relaxed.
7. Can I dive on the day I fly out?
No. Leave at least 12 hours after a single dive, and at least 18 hours after repeat dives or several days of diving, before you fly. Many divers keep their last day dive-free. Tell us your flight time when you book and we will plan your last dive around it.
8. How can you deal with scuba diving fear?
Face your fear step by step. At The Scuba Duka Diving Centre, we first familiarise you with your equipment. Then we take you to a controlled environment at one of the pools at Soul Breeze Beach Resort. This knowledge of your equipment and practicing in a pool builds confidence. At all times during your session, you are with a highly trained scuba instructor.
Book your scuba diving Diani Kenya experience
Both numbers take calls, texts and WhatsApp. +254 790 296404 is our main line. Open every day, 07:30–18:00.
