Cycad Palm Activities:
Diani beach offers a range of activities apart from just relaxing in one of the best beaches in the world, one can:
- Visit the sacred Mjikenda forest known as KAYA KINONDO.
- Book excursion to Kisite Marine National Park in Wasini Island.
- Visit Shimba Hills National Reserve.
- Engage in several water sports.
There are several Churches and Mosques around the area. Diani has a vibrant nightlife with several clubs and nightclubs. The management provides to the guests on arrival a list of activities and service providers to ensure peaceful, enjoyable stay at Cycad.
Mijikenda Kaya Forest:
The Mijikenda Kaya Forest are small patches of forest land that extend between 10 and 400 ha on the coastal plains of Kenya. They were originally created in the 16th century as places of settlement but after their abandonment in the 1940s these places have been defined mostly for their spiritual and religious values.
The Kaya forests play a key role in the Mijikenda religious sphere, their beliefs and practices as they are regarded as the ancestral and sacred homes of the Mijikenda peoples.
The protection of the Mijikenda Kaya Forests require an holistic and integrated approach based on both natural and cultural values as well as the recognition of the role of the Mijikenda in the conservation of the site through traditional knowledge systems and the recognition of the sacredness of these places.
This multilayered identification and protection of values is fundamental for the protection of the site and its people in their wholeness: from the safeguarding of their sacredness to the conservation of their bio-cultural diversity.
Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park and Reserve:
The park with its magnificent coral reefs and colourful marine life, 6 km off the Kenyan coast, is managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service. Many private companies offer day trips by dhow for dolphin-spotting, snorkeling and diving. Some guests choose to remain in the boat or paddle off the sandbar at low tide. Most tours offer lunch on Wasini Island. Nature at its best!
Shimba Hills National Reserve:
As one of the largest coastal forests in East Africa after Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, this reserve is rich in flora and fauna and hosts the highest density of African elephant in Kenya.
Other animal species found in the area are Sable antelope, elephant shrew, bushy tailed mongoose and other small mammals like fruit bats. The forest is an important bird area and is endowed with forest birdlife while the grasslands hold localized species such as red-necked-Spur fowl, Croaking Cisticola and Zanzibar Red Bishop. The scenic Sheldrick Falls and the dense Mwaluganje Forest are also found here along with four campsites.