SEA SHELLS on the SEA SHORE

On a deserted stretch of beach in rural KwaZulu-Natal, you can be part of a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experience. Welcome to Thonga Beach Lodge, home to a protected sea turtle nesting beach.

- LIESL ROBERTSON

By the time you step onto Mabibi Beach, you feel as if you’re worlds away from daily life. Part of that might well be the trek to get there: it’s about 300km from Durban’s King Shaka International Airport, in the depths of rural KwaZulu-Natal. The trip involves a two-and-a-half hour drive on the N2, and then another hour and a half on the R22, where you need to navigate your way around the occasional herd of goats, a school child or two crossing the road and, every so often, an Nguni cow staring sullenly into oncoming traffic (although that does make for a great ‘Only in Africa’ photo op). The last one-hour-long stretch requires a 4x4, and I very strongly suggest that you take the transfer from Librodi Lodge.

‘We call that an African massage,’ our driver Siya quips as we bounce over a particularly bumpy patch in the road.

Some guests have attempted it on their own, with varying degrees of success. To the surprise of absolutely no one, those who set out in their Toyota Corolla had to be rescued midway. Frankly, I am amazed they made it that far.

I really hope I haven’t put you off, because once you get here, you’ll see right away what all the fuss is about. This protected stretch of beach forms part of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. The name ‘iSimangaliso’ means ‘a miracle’ or ‘a wonder’, an apt name for this pristine wilderness area, which is home to unique land, marine and lake ecosystems. Most notably, it’s a sea turtle nesting beach – and one of the prime spots in the world to witness this miraculous breeding ritual.