The island lies southeast of Mombasa and from the beach, about 3 km into the Indian Ocean just near the Shimoni Harbour. It’s original name”Wasini Mpunguti” came from it’s early inhabitants who were short Chinese. It has footpaths of sharp, old coral or sand. It has no cars, carts or bicycles and cargo transport is either by foot or wheelbarrow only passable via the beaches during low tide or by boat over the sea. There are remnants of an old airstrip. Population is about 3,000 and the local dialect is Kivumba (a Swahili dialect) a tribe with an Arabic background (with a bit of Chinese). Beautiful coral fauna and flora can be seen while snorkelling, dolphin tours (where humpback whales can also be seen), deep-sea diving, island excursions, Mangrove Boardwalks and Dhow Cruise. Places to stay include Wasini Sunrise Cottage, Blu Monkey Beach Cottages and Wasini Mpunguti Lodge. Nearby attractions include Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park, Shimba Hills National Park, Shimoni Caves, Funzi & Chale Islands. Fishing is also a source of income here