Scuba diver swimming underwater off Ukunda

ScubaDiving inUkunda

Ukunda is the town behind Diani — where the airstrip is, where the road from Mombasa arrives, and where a good many guests are actually staying when they say they are in Diani.

Pickup is included, and you dive the same reefs.

Arrange pickup from Ukunda See all diving

Written by The Scuba Duka team · Reviewed by Ali, founder and Divemaster Instructor · October 2026

Divers heading out on the boat from the beach near Ukunda

Arriving by air

Ukunda's airstrip serves the Diani resorts, and for visitors flying in from Nairobi it removes the road journey from Mombasa entirely. If you are landing here, tell us your arrival time — a morning flight can mean diving the same day, and an afternoon one usually should not.

Going home the other way matters more: leave a proper surface interval before flying, and we will plan your final dive around the departure.

Staying in Ukunda

Pickup

Included. Ukunda is a short run to the centre at Soul Breeze Beach Resort.

Airstrip

Domestic flights from Nairobi land here rather than in Mombasa.

Suits

Guests in guesthouses and apartments inland from the beach.

Send your flight times with your booking and we will schedule the diving around them.

From Ukunda to the boat

Ukunda is where most road and air arrivals pass through on the way to Diani. From the junction it is a straight run down Diani Beach Road to the centre.

Ukunda town and junction15–20 min

Ukunda airstripabout 15 min

SGR Mombasa Terminus, Miritini60–75 min

Moi International Airport, via Dongo Kundu bypass1 h 15 – 1 h 30

Mombasa island, via Likoni Ferry1 h 30 – 2 h 30

Approximate drive times to the centre at Soul Breeze Beach Resort in normal traffic. Fridays, public holidays and heavy rain add time.

Around Ukunda

The working town behind the beach. Ukunda is where guests pick up a SIM card, cash or a prescription.

The town

Ukunda sits on the A14 Likoni–Lunga Lunga highway, about 26 km south of Mombasa, with an urban population of around 78,000 at the 2019 census. At Ukunda junction, Diani Beach Road turns off towards the coast. Most matatus and tuk-tuks start from here.

Getting here

Ukunda Airstrip, often listed as Diani Airport, takes domestic flights from Nairobi and is a few minutes from the beach road.

By road, the Dongo Kundu bypass opened in 2024. It runs from Miritini, near the SGR terminus and Moi International Airport, to the Likoni–Ukunda road, so you no longer need the Likoni Ferry. The ferry still carries foot passengers and matatus to Likoni.

Where people stay

Ukunda has guesthouses, apartments and smaller hotels rather than beach resorts. Most holiday rentals are on the residential estates between the highway and Diani Beach Road, a short tuk-tuk ride from the sand.

Shops, banks and medical

Naivas has a supermarket in Ukunda. Banks, including Equity Bank, have branches and ATMs around the junction and along the first stretch of Diani Beach Road, and there are pharmacies throughout the town.

Palm Beach Hospital on Diani Beach Road in Ukunda is open 24 hours. Diani Beach Hospital runs a clinic at Matuga Plaza, next to Equity Bank, as well as its main hospital further down the beach road.

Nearby

Colobus Conservation and the Kongo Mosque are both on Diani Beach Road, at opposite ends. Shimba Hills National Reserve is inland, reached by the Kwale road, which leaves the highway at Kombani.

Flying out

If you are leaving from the airstrip or from Mombasa, we plan your last dive around the flight. Send us your departure time when you book.

Places are named so you can find your way around. Mentioning a hotel or restaurant here does not mean we have an arrangement with it.

What you can do from here

Two guided boat dives cost $110, with equipment, guide and hotel pickup included. Every price is on the prices page in USD and Kenya Shillings.

Frequently asked questions

Can I dive on the day I land at Ukunda?

Often after a morning flight, rarely after an afternoon one. Send us your arrival time and we will tell you.

How long should I wait before flying out?

At least 12 hours after a single dive and 18 hours after several dives or several days of diving. We plan your last dive around your departure.

Is pickup from Ukunda included?

Yes. Ukunda town is 15–20 minutes from the centre and the airstrip about 15 minutes.

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.