Watamu weather by month

The best time to visit Watamu is January, February and September — 92/100 in January, 32°C and 3 rainy days. The best season is the dry season, December to March (91/100 on average).

The worst month is May at 77/100 — hot, soaked, clean air. See May →

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Planning the wider trip? Best time to visit Kenya →

Watamu🇰🇪 Kenya · Swahili Coast · Beach92
  1. 92Jan
  2. 92Feb
  3. 89Mar
  4. 80Apr
  5. 77May
  6. 88Jun
  7. 89Jul
  8. 90Aug
  9. 91Sep
  10. 86Oct
  11. 87Nov
  12. 89Dec

Best season: December to March (91/100 on average) · worst May (77/100)

Days
32°C
Nights
25°C
Wet days
3
Sun
11 h
Humidity
76%
Daylight
12 h
Watamu, Kenya
Photo: Gil DAIX · Pexels

Watamu, month by month

Comfort score out of 100 for the kind of trip Watamu is best for, the average high, rainy days and hours of sun a day from the climate normals, and how busy it tends to be.

MonthScoreTierHighRainSunCrowdsOn
Jan92S32°C3 d11 hPeak3
Feb92S32°C2 d11 hBusy2
Mar89A33°C9 d11 hBusy3
Apr80A32°C23 d10 hBusy3
May77B30°C21 d10 hQuiet1
Jun88A29°C16 d11 hShoulder1
Jul89A28°C14 d11 hShoulder2
Aug90S28°C14 d11 hShoulder2
Sep91S29°C11 d11 hBusy2
Oct86A30°C13 d11 hQuiet1
Nov87A31°C15 d11 hShoulder1
Dec89A32°C10 d11 hBusy2

What's on in Watamu through the year

Festivals, natural spectacles, holidays and the seasons to watch out for — curated and sourced. The month pages carry the detail.

January
  • Kaskazi, the calm season1 Jan – 31 MarSeason
March
  • Easter long weekend3–6 AprHoliday
April
  • Green turtle nesting1 Apr – 31 Oct (usually)Nature
July
  • Kusi, the windy season1 Jul – 30 SepSeason
November
  • Migratory birds arrive1 Nov – 30 Apr (usually)Nature
December
  • Festive season peak18 Dec – 5 JanHoliday

Crowds in Watamu in January

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Peak crowdsKaskazi, the calm season, Festive season peak, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Traveller notes on Watamu

What people who have been say about the place — the year-round notes first, then month by month.

Forum posters describe February as bringing welcome, gentle sea breezes that pick up in the afternoon rather than anything uncomfortably strong, and specifically note seaweed isn't a problem on the beaches this time of year - a real seasonal nuisance in some other months. Posters name the October-to-March stretch overall as the best window for Watamu's beach conditions, with February falling comfortably within that favorable run. The general climate is described as hot and humid with occasional short, intense showers followed quickly by a return to sun and high humidity - a pattern consistent with this being one of the coast's drier, more settled months rather than a washout risk.
Tripadvisor community · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Watamu forum threads describe August as Kenya's cooler 'winter' by local standards, though the coast stays tropical - warm to hot days, cooler but rarely cold evenings, with a short shower possible in the morning or afternoon that usually clears within minutes. The standout theme across threads was wind: August is genuinely one of the windier months here, which forum regulars framed as a plus for kitesurfing and windsurfing but a real consideration for anyone hoping for calm-water snorkeling or diving, which posters said is better served by the October-to-March window instead.
KenyaCoastRegular · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Watamu's card on the map.