Sodwana Bay

Sodwana Bay lies within the iSmangaliso Wetland Park on the Elephant Coast of Kwazulu-Natal, and is widely regarded as the scuba diving mecca of South Africa.

The warm Indian Ocean makes for great year-round diving, and divers can expect to enjoy visibility that is seldom less than 15m. Tropical and pelagic fish, eels, whales and whale sharks are all popular sightings for divers here. The beautiful coral reefs, some of the most southern in the world, are comprised of soft and hard corals that are believed to be more than 4000 years old.

For visitors who do not enjoy the idea of scuba diving, hiking in the dense coastal bush, fishing, boating, and bird watching are all popular activities here. For wildlife enthusiasts, trips to the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve as well as to the Ten Jewels (of which Sodwana is one) of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park are also very popular.

The entire park is being continuously upgraded to restore the ecological integrity of this prime beach destination and to improve the visitor facilities and accommodation.

Getting there: From Durban, take the N2 going north. Then, turn onto the R22 going to isiMangaliso Wetland Park. Here, take the A1108 road going to Sowdana Bay.