Kwazulu-Natal Pt. 2: Thonga Beach Lodge

The journey from Tembe Elephant Park to our new destination, Thonga Beach Lodge, takes us over dusty sand roads, past cashew trees, tiny villages where time has stood still, smiling & waving kids and lazy cattle road blocks. We arrive at a remote paradise..

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Thonga Beach Lodge offers 12 luxury lodges built against a hill, overlooking a beautiful, unspoiled beach. Our lodge has 2 big comfortable beds, a balcony, a bathtub and a shower with large windows, so you feel like you’re showering outside without Jurassic Park coming at you as soon as you switch on the light… There is wifi in the lounge area, but because of the wind, it isn’t working properly. I broke my phone too so let the Robinson Crusoe experience begin! This is actually really good for me…

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At the dining area there is a big activities board, where we can write down what we would like to do. We’re staying for 2 nights so it is impossible to do it all. So many options! We decide to join the ‘Sundowner’ that night and jump into a safari vehicle, my favorite transportation, that takes us to beautiful Lake Sibaya, where we can see hippos at sunset. Yesterday we were searching for elephants in a jungle, now we’re drinking a cold glass of African Sauvignon Blanc while we watch the sun go down behind a lake with curious hippos observing us. Kwazulu-Natal is full of wonder.

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Right before dinner it is cocktail time at the bar. All the guests gather to talk about what they experienced during the day and it is really nice to meet fellow travellers. The food, wine & cocktails at the lodge are amazing! It is like eating at a fancy restaurant every night! The 3 course dinner has 2 options per course: so there’s something for everyone.

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The next morning we hop on board of a boat with 8 other people for an ‘Open Ocean Experience’. After an ‘adventurous’ start because of the heavy surf, we see shy humpback dolphins and playful reef sharks. The visibility during snorkeling isn’t that good today, because of the wind, but I can imagine what is swimming around me… This is one of the best snorkeling & diving spots in South Africa!

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At night we join the Turtle Tour by safari vehicle. From November to early February you can see turtles laying their eggs on the beach. Our guide spots a trail in the dark and jumps out of the car. To me it looks like tire tracks of a small car… He shines a light on something that looks like a giant rock. It is a turtle…. I don’t know what I expected to see, but not this! As soon as the turtle begins laying her eggs, she goes into a deep trance and we can take photos with flash. We spend a couple of hours with a Loggerhead and a humongous Leatherback Sea Turtle. This last one is the largest of all living turtles and can grow up to 2.4 meters…

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The next morning it is time to leave.. We don’t want to!! There is so much more to see & do! We have become friends with other travellers & the staff. The fact that there is no wifi in the lodges makes people come out and talk to each other at the bar area & in the lounge. At the time we were there they were working on the signal and soon there will be wifi in the lodges too… A lot of guests ask for it, but I think not having wifi everywhere is bringing people together here. It would be a shame if everybody is online in their rooms…. At Thonga Beach Lodge you will find peace in the most comfortable way. Go offline for a few days, wander the empty beach and book a massage. I will be back…

Thonga Beach Lodge

♥ Thonga Beach Lodge, Mabibi, Kwazulu-Natal

http://www.thongabeachlodge.co.za

Click HERE to read the first post about my stay in Kwazulu-Natal at Tembe Elephant Park!
This trip was sponsored by South African Tourism.



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