WIN: Two nights at Thonga Beach Lodge with Isibindi Africa Lodges (CLOSED)

Thonga Beach Lodge is an intimate, luxury 24 bed lodge nestled on the pristine coast of Maputaland, Northern KwaZulu-Natal, within the iSimangaliso World Heritage Park – which was afforded the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

It is the ideal place to explore unspoilt, wilderness beaches. Thonga Beach Lodge is a magical place of coastal forests, grasslands, shimmering lakes and exquisite sandy beaches.  Its crystal clear, warm waters offer superb snorkeling and off-shore SCUBA diving, arguably the best in South Africa.

Set above a private, sandy beach and nestled into magnificent coastal dune forest, Thonga Beach Lodge captures the essence of a luxury Robinson Crusoe hideaway. Traditional Tsonga fishing villages provided the inspiration for this unique retreat that celebrates the true spirit of Mother Nature.

Each air-conditioned room has been carefully constructed to ensure minimal impact on the environment, with maximum comfort.  Enjoy mouth-watering cuisine, romantic candlelight dinners on the beach deck and relaxing Sea Spa treatments.

Mabibi offers superb snorkeling opportunities as 1,250 fish species (Great Barrier Reef has 1,500) occur on the reefs in this area.

Scuba diving is phenomenal, with reefs located a short distance from the lodge. Shoals of game fish, sharks and schools of bottlenose dolphins are often seen. Our professional lodge diving team accommodates all enthusiasts; from the beginner to the veteran.

Lake Sibaya, Southern Africa’s largest fresh water lake, is only 6kms from the lodge and provides an interesting 25min drive through the local Tsonga community.

From here you can either go on a guided kayaking trip or in the evening experience glorious sundowners with hippos and crocodiles nearby.

From November to February, witness the amazing sight of giant Leatherback and Loggerhead turtles struggling up the beach to lay their eggs.  These magnificent creatures, having swum the length of the African continent, return every year to the beach where they hatched.

In keeping with Isibindi Africa Lodge’s vision ‘to protect the wild, care for Africa’s people and educate, so that future generations can enjoy Africa’s wild and untamed splendor’ Thonga Beach Lodge has been built in an ecologically responsible manner so as to have as little negative impact on the environment as possible. The local community of Mabibi own a 68% share in Thonga Beach Lodge, the revenue generated from this goes into a community trust fund which is used to improve the lives of the local, previously disadvantaged and impoverished Mabibi Community.