The low season in Kenya sometimes holds some nice surprises, especially when new administrations (such as the one in national government and the one sitting in Kilifi's county offices) decide to take over infrastructure work or services that were started by their predecessors and dropped after the inevitable purgatory of elections and related campaigning.
One of the tourism sector's priorities, also called a "game changer" by former Tourism Minister Najib Balala, i.e., a solution that can open up a range of opportunities not only for roads on 20 kilometers of coastline, is a direct link between Malindi and Watamu via a paved coastal road.
As it is (or at least, as it was until a few years ago) it is practically impassable, and one ventures, among red soil and coral, potholes and stones, along a "carretera" that does not even have the charm of Central American scenic views. Today from Mayungu to Jacaranda Bay it takes patience and courage to even think of going through the "waterfront," besides the fact that the old road has been blocked or diverted several times by those who have acquired (at best...) land and fenced it off.
Ultimately, those who want to travel to one of the two destinations from the other use the so-called Malindi-Mombasa highway, braving trucks and various traffic, for a half-hour drive, with the necessary turn-off at Gede.
The coastal road, work on which was announced eight years ago during the first of Governor Amason Kingi's two terms in office, has had a delivery more difficult and longer than that of an elephant: after a couple of "wrong" contracts and a ghost company, finally five years ago the asphalting started, with the necessary push from Watamu MP Owen Baya and numerous meetings with businessmen and the Jacaranda Bay community, organized by the owner of the eponymous resort and two others, Pasquale Tiritò.
Of course, the predictions of advancing "one kilometer per year" were not a blessing, but so be it.
So it came down to 2022, also facing a year and a half of immobility due to the known pandemic events, with two kilometers of asphalt starting from Casuarina in Malindi and three starting from Watamu towards Mayungu. There would still be 13 to go, according to plans by the Kenya Urban Rural

Now the good news is that during the off-season, work resumed and delivered another 800 meters of new road and a kilometer and a half of sidewalk to Watamu, as you can see from the pictures.
Let's hope this is a good sign of recovery and becomes an example of continuity, because really connecting the two tourist destinations directly could change the face of tourism in this part of the coast and make two destinations that together have everything that can attract a guest: beauty, amenities, services, excursions, hotels, restaurants, stores, cultural and sports attractions.
There is still a long way to go, but paving it all will be done much faster. And better.