Tembea Kenya - Star fish watching at Tiwi Beach

Just a few yards from the sea shore on Tiwi Beach is a beautiful Star Fish colony.

It's as simple as taking a boat in low tide, around 10am, then rowing pleasurably in shallow waters for about 20 minutes to a pristine sandy island.

Here you get to see them all, up close and candid, in a beautiful collage of browns, reds, orange and jungle greens. Big and small stars. Young and old.

It's great fun for the whole family.

Better still, you can book your own private visit with Ritam Getaways at the very affordable price of Kshs. 1,000 per person (excluding transport to Tiwi Beach).

What do you get?

This price includes the boat ride, the guide and a fee to support the conservation of the colony.

Our guide is adept at making Star Fish necklaces. You will enjoy touching them and lying down with them on a pristine all-white Sandy Island.

You will also get to know more about the coral reefs and the need for us to conserve this precious heritage.

Then there is snorkeling. It is simply amazing to get a view of the ocean floor, fish and planktons. This is also included in the package.

And there will be amazing photo ops to go along with it. So, be sure to carry your camera with you, and if you can, get hold of a water resistant one. We assure you that you won't regret it.

And don't forget your swim suit. It is simply a must that you have one if you want to have a ball.

Just wear it under a wrap-around and you are ready to go.

For the guys, every time is swim time. So, throw your cares away and jump right in!

Did I say this place is perfectly safe for children?

They will definitely love it. That i can assure you. And they will tell you stories, after this, like you can’t believe.

What is not included? Transport to Tiwi Beach and snacks. Carry some water at least.

We can also arrange transport for you at Kshs. 500 from Ritam Getaways.

See? It's really affordable. You simply have no excuse for missing out on this one.

Did you know that the Star Fish is also known as the Sea Star? Sounds quite appropriate, isn't it.

Most Sea Stars have five arms which can regenerate if broken. But please don't do that. They are so beautiful for that kind of brutality.

The guide will also show you how these little stars feed.

And what's really beautiful about this is the way he easily picks up the nasty sea urchin (if you have stepped on one you know what I mean), plucks out a few spikes, place them on his hand, pick up a Sea Star and place it on the spikes.

And right there, in front of your very eyes, you will see the Star Fish enjoy a dish like you have never experienced before.

I still remember the sheer beauty of it, even if that was some time ago.

How do they reproduce? Mmmh...that feels like a story for another day. But its pretty interesting. Some species have male and female sexes, although they are really indistinguishable when you look at them. Others are hermaphrodites. Their gonads are found under the arms.