Beach destinations in Southern Africa

Mozambique | dhow time  With a 2000km stretch of coastline and the beautiful unspoilt beaches of the island chains found in the north and south of the country this is a destination par excellence. Warm clear blue oceans, incredible sea food, friendly people and some of the world’s best diving. Diving through an underwater wonderland, in the warm, crystal clear Indian Ocean water of Mozambique and its islands, is a thrilling and rewarding experience.

Rocktail Bay | sharks and turtles  This part of the World Heritage Site combines pristine forests with wetlands and marine ecology. The string of lakes, marshes, coral reefs and secluded beaches, make this north-eastern corner of South Africa a sub-tropical paradise. The warm sea attracts a huge diversity of marine life including leatherback and loggerhead turtles that lay their eggs in the soft sand during summer. Ragged-tooth sharks congregate off rocky reefs and bottlenose dolphins leap joyously in the wave break. Whale sharks are known to investigate boats and humpback whales migrate here in winter.

Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park | interlinking ecosystems The World Heritage proclaimed wetlands of the subtropical Greater St. Lucia Park, are essential to the health of the local environment and contain a greater bio-diversity than Kruger National Park or Botswana's Okavango Delta. The park includes a complex eco-system with outstanding landscapes. The five inter-linked ecosystems in the park are: a marine system characterised by the warm Indian Ocean, containing the southernmost coral reefs in Africa, as well as sub-marine canyons and long sandy beaches; a coastal dune system consisting of high linear dunes and sub-tropical forests, grassy plains and wetlands; lake systems including two estuary-linked lakes of St Lucia and Kosi, plus the four large freshwater lakes of Sibaya, Ngobezeleni, Bhangazi north and Bhangazi south; the Mkhuze and Umfolozi swamps, with swamp forests and eensive reeds and papyrus marshes; an inland system which includes ancient shoreline terraces and dry savannah woodlands.

The Wild Coast | slack-pack haven  As its name suggests this strip of coastline, which reaches from the Mtamvuna River in the north to the Great Kei River in the south, is an untamed wilderness in the Eastern Cape. It offers incredible views of the dramatic coastline, jagged cliffs, sheltered bays, wild beaches and rolling hills and valleys.  Ancient forests filled with cycads and yellowwood trees abound with bird and animal life, it is also known for its shipwrecks - a legacy of its wild and tempestuous nature. The entire coastline can be seen on foot on what is known as the Wild Coast Hiking Trail. Water activities like snorkelling and diving give a spectacular experience of the world beneath the waves while spotting lost treasure and other relics from shipwrecks.

The Garden Route | sea, beach and mountains   This route runs along the Western Cape coast from George to Port Elizabeth, and is so called because of its perpetual lushness. Its appeal is further enhanced by the ridge of folded mountains running along the coast, whose form and flow often resembles ocean waves. The diversity of scenery from exquisite empty beaches to staggering mountain passes, together with an unlimited choice of hotels, guest houses, lodges and country houses, makes this one of the most visited areas in South Africa.

Tsitsikamma | otters and cliffs  A wild and beautiful place where primeval yellowwood and stinkwood forests set the scene for one of South Africa's most pristine parks. Situated mid-way along the Garden Route, the park's main focus is its rocky coastline with cliffs that press close to the sea. The park even extends (5km) offshore to include inter-tidal, reef and deep sea eco-systems. Rivers coursing from the distant Outeniqua Mountains cut a number of exceptional gorges through the cliffs to the sea. The Storms River mouth bridge offers magnificent views up and down the gorge and you can even view it upside down from a bungee, the world's highest commercial bungee jump. The rare Cape clawless otter, after which the Otter Hiking Trail is named, is one of the most charming and most elusive animals in the area. Other more extrovert species include vervet monkeys and baboons, while small antelopes tend to hide in the forests.

Robberg Nature Reserve | no fur or blubber   'Seal Mountain' Nature Reserve lies along South Africa's gorgeous Garden Route and is famed for its flourishing Cape fur seal colony, whales, incredible southern ocean and coastal bird life and unique fynbos. Conveniently close - only 8 km south - to the town of Plettenberg Bay, Robberg is not only a marine reserve and favoured hiking destination, but is also a national monument because of its Stone Age caves. When you go whale-watching from a Khoisan cave you’ll be following in the footsteps of ancient humans and the early Portuguese navigators who first visited these shores.

Hermanus | riviera of the south  This narrow coastal town, between the fynbos-covered mountains and the waves of the Atlantic is a haven for the outdoor enthusiast. Famous for its champagne air, long stretches of beach, mild climate, rich floral kingdom and friendly environment. Hermanus, also described as the Riviera of the South, offers the best shore-based whale watching in the world. Nature lovers from all over the world visit Hermanus to view these magnificent creatures from the cliffs.

Cape Peninsula | where oceans meet   The thin finger of land in the south-western most corner of Africa, with the city of Cape Town at its head is called The Peninsula. As you travel south towards Cape Point, the land gets narrower until it disappears where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet, with nothing beyond except Antarctica. Recognised globally for its extraordinarily rich, diverse and unique flora, this singular peninsula - with the rugged Table Mountain range meandering down the centre and soft white sandy beaches, rocky coves and sand flats - is a truly remarkable recreational area. Nowhere else in the world does an area of such spectacular beauty and such rich bio-diversity exist almost entirely within a metropolitan area - the thriving and cosmopolitan city of Cape Town.

West Coast | penguins, seals and tortoises  Much of this Atlantic seaboard is rugged and hostile, but has a gentle, beautiful side. Every spring a magnificent spectacle occurs - the emergence of thousands of little flowers forming a gloriously colourful carpet all along the west coast. The west coast Atlantic Ocean harbours giants of the sea including several species of whales and dolphins, cape fur seals and great white sharks.  A quarter of all South African bird species can be seen here, including Terns, Gannets, Cormorants, Oystercatchers and African Penguins.

Diamond Coast | forever   Situated in the north-western corner of South Africa's rugged Northern Cape is the stretch of pristine coastline aptly named The Diamond Coast. These shores have remained virtually unknown to the public at large as it is within the restricted and previously forbidden diamond mining areas. The coastline, with its flowing dunes and mysterious shipwrecks has been jealously guarded and while still largely unspoilt and crime-free is home to many indigenous plants, animals and insects.