New dive destination South Africa

[Scott L]

With an attack like that, it sounds like perhaps the OP has something to gain from this resort. Perhaps this is not an impartial review after all.

The fact that she has something to gain is quite obvious but in no way disqualifies her recomendations or right to tout them. No one dogs Tobin of Deep Sea Supply who works the board tirelessly for new business (I am all for as his customer service is ledgendary). I am sure her bread and butter is safari travel, etc with this suggestion thrown in mainly for her love of sport as she suggests. Also, just because a destination is more expensive than a comparable alternative does not automatically disqualify from consideration as it is quite logical that the more remote destinations are going to be more expensive with less divers in the denominator...Also, there are lots of folks that are simply not price sensitive although I am currently not one of them.

With regard to deeftes dosn't your country have enough challenges such that you might have other things to do with spare time other than make life more difficult for a countryman trying to get ahead and facilate economic activity for your country? By the way, I have visited SA twice in the Capetown region and absolutely love the country/sea-side and it's people...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I would love to go to SA to dive but unless staying at the less expensive ones means I might get eaten by a lion on the way to my room, a dive vacation is just that. A dive vacation. I don't want egyptian cotton sheets, waited on hand and foot, gold plated toilet paper holders, etc. Just make it clean, comfortable, with decent burgers and lots of sharks, wrecks, and half naked women and I'm good to go.

 

[anguswalsh]

Whatever the argument going on, diving at Sodwana is still great and possibly depends on who you are diving with as to what kind of experience you have. The threads appear to be writing Sodwana off?

 

[anguswalsh]

Go to Aliwal Shoal, down to earth place excellent diving, good people, decent accommodation available and decent cost.

 

[anguswalsh]

I have to say I dont see anything wrong with his comment and agree with him. Difference of opinion does not deserve the attack?

 

[lightwiz]

I'm amused by this thread. Anyway ...

In the last 4 months I've been diving in Sodwana on 3 occasions. Staying at 3 different places and diving with 4 or 5 different charters.

September 25th long weekend (there must've been 300 vehicles on the beach):
Camped at Sodwana Campsite .. it rained a couple nights which made it a little unpleasant to tent but the facilities are new and clean.
Dived with a charter called Nemo. No complaints at all!

Oct 9 - 16
Stayed at Sodwana Lodge in a log cabin that sleeps 8. Full kitchen, satellite tv and indoor plumbing.
Dived with the lodge the first day. The DM was superb! He took his time to show us the little things less experienced divers, like myself, might not see.

The rest of the time we dived with Reefteach who are personal friends of the people I went with.
The owner/operator Brian is incredibly knowledgeable and takes the time to show you the local residents, be they turtles, sharks or other notables. We did 12 dives in 6 days and it was absolutely amazing.

Just got back last week from a weekend in Sodwana again (I'm hooked on this stuff I guess).
Stayed at Reefteach in the cottage. The cottage sleeps 8. 4 bedrooms all with ensuite bathrooms. Huge kitchen with 2 fridges and all facilities. Big lounge area with satellite tv. Outdoor area with a fireplace for your BBQ. Upstairs there's a lounge area inside and an outside balcony area facing the brush for a bit of privacy. Every single room has air-conditioning.

We did 3 dives with Brian, 2 on the Saturday and one on the Sunday before driving back to Johannesburg via Jozini (road is not bad) and the N4 .... which is not in such great condition.

On the first trip down to Sodwana we took a drive along lake Sibaya through the nature reserve area to Mabibi and Black Rock. It's worth taking the time to do the trip (definitely only 4x4 country though) even if you don't get to dive. The lodge at Black Rock is quite exclusive (read snooty) and would not let us in to view their facilities unfortunately. Based on this attitude I won't be visiting them as a patron. It's so remote you won't get a lot of passers by so I don't see the harm in showing 3 businessmen around. (Maybe that's just me but if you want my Dollars I want to know what I'm getting before I hand them over.)

I don't want to hijack the thread any further, adios.

 

[Redhawk]

Sodwana offers great dives for varied budgets, plain & simple. Yes it can get busy during peak seasons, but dives are still good!

 

[ajduplessis]

I have just discovered a fantastic destination in South Africa must share it with all of you
Thonga Beach Lodge – Scuba Diving
Mabibi lies adjacent to Africa’s southern-most coral reefs making it the only tropical dive site in South Africa. In global terms, Mabibi offers some of the best diving in the world, but it has gone largely unnoticed because of its remoteness. Even in South Africa it has remained secluded and so divers are guaranteed an exciting underwater experience.
More than 1,200 species of fish are found on the reefs off Mabibi, including Moorish idols, parrot fish, blue surgeons and marble and manta rays. The warm Indian Ocean waters also attract huge schools of bottlenose dolphin as well as sharks, whale sharks and turtles. Thonga Beach Lodge, which is part of the Isimangaliso Wetland Park, falls within a protected marine reserve. Because of its protected status, the reefs boast shoals of fish that don’t panic when divers approach and are ideal subjects for photographers. The reefs offer a diversity of underwater seascapes including amazing flora, branching, table and plate corals, beautiful overhangs, drop-offs and mushroom-shaped pinnacles.
Conditions are good throughout the year and on a brilliant day visibility can reach up to 40m. The weather is typically subtropical so the water temperature is usually above 20C and in summer can reach 29C. Thonga Beach Lodge has the exclusive right to launch a boat from its private beach – a mere 75m from the lodge.
More info Thonga beach lodgeThonga Beach Lodge at Mabibi, South Africa

Nice cut and paste from their website, where you actually there?

 

[drbill]

I am very disappointed by this thread. I came to it expecting to find out more about a dive destination (South Africa in general) that I have an interest in going to. Instead, I find the kind of personal attacks that are all too prevalent on ScubaBoard. Sad state of affairs.

 

[anguswalsh]

Have a look at Sodwana bay