Sodwana Bay Nature Reserve
Guide to accommodation descriptions
Location of Sodwana Bay in KwaZulu-Natal
Coastal Areas
Sodwana Bay Nature Reserve
Renowned for its sport fishing, scuba diving and snorkelling, Sodwana is situated on the coast within the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, South Africa's first World Heritage Site.
The reserve lies adjacent to Africa’s southern-most coral reefs.
The Maputoland and St Lucia Marine Reserves are linked to each other to form a continuous protected area stretching 150 km from the Mozambique border southwards to Cape Vidal and 3 nautical miles out to sea.
In summer, loggerhead and leatherback turtles come out of the sea to nest on the beaches.
Aside from Sodwana’s wealth of opportunities for diving, boating and angling, a 5km self-guided trail is available for the enjoyment of nature lovers and bird enthusiasts.
The area is covered with dense coastal forest offering exquisite scenery, bird watching, and a number of small mammals including Bush Babies, Genets, Duiker and striped mongoose.
Sodwana Bay with its many exciting coral reefs and outstanding climate, has distinguished itself as one of the premier sport diving destinations in the world.
Many popular dive sites with a great diversity of underwater seascapes and marine flora and fauna, corals, beautiful overhangs, drop-offs and mushroom rocks, as well as spectacular night dives, have made this place a 'not-to-be-missed' destination for the scuba diving enthusiast.
Accommodation
Swiss-style log cabins - 8 bed
- 3 bedrooms, a bathroom with shower
- Lounge/dining room and kitchen
- Barbeque facilities
Swiss-style log cabins - 5 bed
- 2 bedrooms, a bathroom with shower
- Lounge/dining room and kitchen
- Barbeque facilities
Facilities
- Diving, fishing and boating
- Horse riding (beach & reserve) and micro-lighting are also available
- Shop run by a concessionaire and stocks curios, groceries and fishing tackle
- Petrol & diesel are available from the petrol station in the National Park
- No facilities for people with disabilities
Extra Information
- Malaria precautions are necessary
- Scuba diving equipment is available for hire
- Sodwana is accessible by car, but a 4x4 is recommended for driving around the surrounding areas (pickups from Hluhluwe can be arranged)
- Sodwana is also within driving distance of a number of amazing game reserves including Mkhuze, Phinda and the Hluhluwe - Imfolozi Park
- Special Precautions
- Sodwana Bay is in a malaria area and special precautions are necessary
- The nearest town which has a full range of services is Hluhluwe - 80km away
- Pets are not permitted into the reserve
Gate Times
| Gate Times | Summer (Oct-Mar) |
Winter (Apr-Sep ) |
| Gates Open 24 hours | - | - |
Office Hours
The office is open from 08h00 to 16h30 from Monday to Thursday
The office is open from 07h00 to 16h30 from Friday to Sunday
The main reception office closes at 15:00 pm on Sunday Afternoons
Check in / out
Check Out Time: 10h00
Check In Time: 14h00
