Watamu

Watamu is a seaside resort on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It lies on a small headland, between the Blue Lagoon and Watamu Bay. Its main industries are tourism and fishing. The nearest big town is Malindi to which it is connected by frequent matatu.

The shoreline in the area which features white sand beaches and offshore coral formations arranged in three bays: Watamu Bay, Blue Lagoon and Turtle Bay. They are protected as part of the Watamu Marine National Park. The Marine Park is considered to be one of the best snorkelling and diving areas on the East African coast.

Watamu has an urban population of 1900 [http://www.ilri.cgiar.org/html/Urban%20Poverty%20all%20Kenya%20Province%20through%20Location%20Final.xls] and it is part of the Malindi District.

The name "Watamu" means "sweet people" in Swahili [http://www.discover-kenya.co.uk/Watamu.html] . The name came from the fact that Arab Slave Traders used to distribute a candy to entice the local population then taking them as slaves.Fact|date=April 2007

A newly discovered species of the largest spitting cobra in the world (Naja ashei) was recently discovered in Watamu. [Taylor, R: [http://wildlifedirect.org/blogAdmin/savingsnakes/2007/11/30/new-cobra-found-in-watamu/ New Cobra Found in Watamu] ]

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