Inside Summer Tides: A Weekend of Sun, Sand and Saba Saba

But for revellers headed to this year’s Summer Tides Festival in Diani, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) on Thursday night was anything but quiet or ordinary.

With the carriages packed with young festival-goers, the train transformed into a party on rails—music blaring, impromptu dance floors in the aisles, and a vibe so electric, you'd be forgiven for thinking you’d boarded a mobile nightclub.

By Friday morning, we finally rolled into Diani and checked into our villa, buzzing with anticipation. Summer Tides had officially begun.

Friday: The Party Starts

The first day of the festival kicked off at the Jacaranda Hotel, and from the get-go, the energy was unmatched. The DJ lineup did not disappoint—set after set kept the partygoers moving, singing along, and dancing their hearts out.

The event organisers, Airbeat and the team in charge of sound, Taafrija, left no stone unturned, no leg unmoved. The crowd was charged, the music was lit, security was tight and the vibes? Unmatched.

We left the venue at 5:30AM (yes, you read that right), barely able to feel our legs but completely satisfied.

After a brief power nap back at the villa, we geared up for round two.

Saturday followed the same script—high energy, unforgettable music, and a loyal crowd that stuck around until sunrise. Except, this time, Mother Nature had other plans.

No Sunrise, Just Rain

There’s a tradition at Summer Tides: as dawn approaches, everyone flocks to the beach to catch the sunrise. It’s meant to be magical.

Only this year, rain replaced the rays. Still, hundreds of us waited, hopeful, until around 9AM—but no sun, just grey skies and drizzle. A few disappointed snaps later, we trudged back to our villas, soaked but still high on vibes.

Sunday: From Travel Plans to Travel Problems

The return journey, however, was where the real drama began.

On Sunday afternoon, travellers trying to leave Diani faced unexpected hurdles. The Dongo Kundu bypass—a critical access route to the Mombasa SGR station and Moi International Airport—was suddenly blocked by police.

The officers were conducting random ID checks and alco-blow tests, creating long, frustrating delays and causing some to miss their trains and flights entirely.

The timing was suspicious. Many believe this was a deliberate move to disrupt travel plans ahead of the anticipated Saba Saba protests in Nairobi.

The mess didn’t stop there.

At exactly 7:26PM, Kenya Railways posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the 10PM train to Nairobi had been suspended due to "technical issues." No backup plan. No alternative offered. Just thousands of young people, suddenly stranded in Diani.

To make matters worse, a follow-up post came at 12:31AM, stating that those who missed their train should be at the SGR station by 8AM to catch the next available train.

A crucial update—but sent out in the middle of the night when most people were fast asleep. If I hadn’t been out at an event (again… Diani), I’d have missed it too.

My friend and I left the said event at 5:30AM, dashed to the villa, and made our way to the station. Fortunately, there were no roadblocks at that hour.

At the station, it was organized chaos. Passengers from the cancelled 10PM train were offered compensation and rerouted to a 10AM train with claims that travellers who missed the 3PM train on Sunday—thanks to the bypass roadblocks—were left out, arguing that the train had departed as scheduled, despite a majority of them not making it on time. My friend and I were to be on the 10PM train.

Plot Twist: The Booking Blunder

Just when we thought we were out of the woods, I discovered I had mistakenly booked our return tickets for June 7 (07/06/25) instead of 6th July (06/07/25)—a classic date/month mix-up. Unfortunately, my friend’s ticket had the same error.

That meant we couldn’t be slotted into the 10AM compensation train. We had no choice but to buy fresh tickets for the 8AM train, and by then it was 7:58AM.

What followed was a mad dash like no other. We sprinted through security, our bags flailing behind us, adrenaline pumping. We made it onto the train at 8:05, and the doors shut behind us almost immediately. We barely made it. But we made it.

Nairobi Arrival: No Rest for the Weary

You’d think that would be the end of the story, right? Not quite.

Upon arriving in Nairobi, the Saba Saba protests were already in full swing. Major roads around the city were blocked, and transport was gridlocked.

Some passengers had to wait long hours at the SGR terminus or JKIA airport just to find safe routes home. What began as a music festival weekend turned into a 72-hour adventure.

Summer Tides 2025 will go down as one for the books—equal parts epic and chaotic. From train parties and rained-out sunrises to booking mishaps and protest gridlocks, it was a reminder that sometimes, the journey is as wild as the destination

Would I go again? Absolutely. But next time, I’ll triple-check my travel dates… and maybe leave a little earlier for the station

Because truly, whatever happens in Diani, stays in Diani—except the memories, those come home with you.