The least developed and most peaceful of the three main beaches on the south coast, Tiwi sits between Shelly and Diani and attracts a quieter crowd — independent travellers, long-stayers, and anyone who prefers to have a stretch of white sand largely to themselves. The beach is broad and the reef is close enough that snorkelling is good directly from the sand.
Getting there requires a matatu from the Likoni ferry to the Tiwi turnoff, followed by a 2-kilometre walk or hitch down a gravel road. Be cautious about walking that stretch alone, particularly at dusk. A handful of simple self-catering cottages make Tiwi a genuine alternative to Diani for those who want fewer tourist facilities and more of the original feeling of the Kenyan coast.