Jacaranda Indian Ocean Beach Resort

Jacaranda Indian Ocean Beach Resort sits on Diani Beach, the long white-sand strip south of Mombasa that regularly features among Africa's best beaches. The resort style is classic Kenyan coast: low-rise buildings among palms and flowering trees, open-air dining areas, pools and a direct route onto the sand. For a week of unhurried beach time, with a few excursions thrown in, it is the sort of base that makes planning simple. Diani works differently from the north coast. The reef lies close offshore, so the lagoon is calm and clear at most states of the tide, colobus monkeys cross the beach road, and the shore is lined with restaurants, craft stalls and dive centres. From a resort here you can arrange a dhow trip to Wasini and Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park for dolphins and snorkelling, a visit to the Colobus Trust, or a longer day trip inland. The beach itself is the main event, and the resort is organised around it.

Rooms at Diani resorts of this type are typically arranged in garden blocks or cottage-style wings, with air conditioning, a terrace or balcony and a bathroom with shower. Categories commonly range from standard rooms to larger family rooms and suites, with garden, pool or sea outlooks. Because layouts differ, ask about the walking distance to the beach and the pool, and whether you want a ground-floor room with direct access or a quieter upper floor.

Dining is usually built around a main restaurant with buffet or set menus, plus a beachside or poolside bar for snacks, cocktails and sunset drinks. Seafood is the regional strength, from grilled kingfish and crab to prawns in coconut sauce, and fresh tropical fruit is everywhere. Plans such as bed and breakfast, half board and all-inclusive are commonly offered, so compare them against your plans for eating out. Diani's beach road has many independent restaurants if you want a change of scene.

Facilities at beach resorts here usually include one or more pools, a spa or massage rooms, a gym or fitness area, watersports and an activities programme with evening entertainment. Kitesurfing, snorkelling, stand-up paddling and boat trips are all available along the beach, either through the resort or local operators. Keep in mind that the sun is strong, the beach has vendors who will approach you politely, and tide times still affect how wide the beach is at any given hour.

Getting there takes time. Diani is roughly an hour or more from Mombasa by road, plus the Likoni ferry or the bypass depending on route, and Ukunda airstrip has domestic flights from Nairobi and Mombasa. Most guests book a transfer in advance. Check the current room types, meal plans and facilities when you book, as offerings change with the season, and ask about quieter weeks if you want a less busy beach.