Elephant Coast Beaches

About Elephant Coast Beaches

Whether you have booked your Elephant Coast accommodation already or it's still on your to-do list, you're sure to have the summer vacation of a lifetime on the beaches of this exquisite stretch. The Elephant Coast is in KwaZulu-Natal, where the beaches are known for their warm waters and the enormous variety of marine life that can be found beneath their surface.

Did you know? Visiting the beaches of the Elephant Coast is an experience in itself. Pairing it with visits to world-acclaimed spots like the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park make your time on the South African shores even more magnificent.

Cape Vidal is an excellent choice for beach-lovers that want a spot for the little ones to swim and play, thanks to the rock pools. It is also fabulous for snorkelling because these rock pools are inhabited by an array of colourful fish, anemones, and marine plants. This beach is accessible via a game reserve, which makes it a really stunning day trip for the whole family.

In fact, snorkelling can be enjoyed at many of the beaches along this part of the South African coastline. The Kosi Bay Estuary is a prime snorkelling spot, but swimmers are cautioned to stick to the rock pools. Here, you will see colourful fish and gorgeous coral reefs in the clear water. This is also a great spot for qualified SCUBA divers to head into deeper waters. This estuary and its waters are home to about 1 200 fish species, turtles, and rays. A massive bonus is that the ragged-tooth shark can be spotted here quite frequently too. Whale sharks make their appearance between the end of October and March, while whales can sometimes be seen in the area between August and December.

Sodwana Bay is famous for its turtle tours, snorkelling and SCUBA diving. But, it's also a fantastic beach for skiing, surfing, fishing and swimming in the warm (but refreshing) waters of the Indian Ocean. This makes it ideal for families that are after the ultimate “beach day”.

Lake St Lucia is the largest estuarine system on the continent. Its beaches stretch on for miles, and the waters have a distinctly tropical feel, thanks to their warmth. This area is home to stunning coral reef, which is the habitat of choice for a wonderful variety of marine species. Tours to look for the resident turtles, hippos and crocodiles are all thrilling.

The best fishing beaches along the Elephant Coast include Cape Vidal, Jesser Point (Sodwana Bay), Hulley Point (Mabibi), First Rocks (St Lucia), and Rocktail Bay (just south of Kosi Bay). Start planning your Elephant Coast getaway to enjoy spectacular beaches and an incredible variety of marine species.