Imagine quaffing champagne and viewing penguins frolicking all around you from a beautiful sailing yacht off Cape Town. That’s what I was doing a few days ago. It’s a hard life in Africa! But putting aside the gloating, what’s particularly attractive is how easy it is to some sort of boat cruise in Cape Town. There are plenty of boats taking visitors from the V&A or Hout Bay on whale-watching cruises, romantic yachts at sunset or thrilling jet boats.

Where does the Titantic remake come in? Well, our sailing yacht, the Spirit of Africa, had a distinct prow along which you could gingerly edge your way until you found yourself perched high above the water with only the Atlantic Ocean stretching ahead with nothing but a few Southern Right whales, dolphins and penguins between you and South America thousands of kilometres away. Once perched here you simply had to fling your arms wide and imagine you were Kate Winslet.

You can sail for 1 or 1½ hours around Table Bay on the yachts, Spirit of Victoria, a traditionally designed 58ft Gaff Rigged Schooner, or Bonne Esperance, a 64ft Marconi rigged schooner, enjoying South African champagne as you go. You’ll have stunning views of Table Mountain and the city skyline and we particularly recommend the sunset cruise in summer as very romantic. From July to November you may be lucky to see the odd glimpse of a whale but seals and penguins are commonly sighted.

If you are keen to see whales, during July to November you can take a longer boat cruise specifically in search of whales. This lasts for 3 to 4 hours as the boat sails up the West Coast towards Paternoster or around the Cape Peninsula to False Bay, depending on winds, sailing conditions and where the whales were most recently spotted. They average 6 or 7 different whale sightings per trip so there’s always excitement. Sightings include Southern Right whales in season (July to November), African penguins, Cape Fur seals, dolphins, basking sharks, sunfish and many species of pelagic birds.

Dare-devils will enjoy a one hour jet-boat ride: its hectic speed delivers an adrenalin rush par excellence and a broad grin magically appears on your face.

If you are keen to do this during your time in Cape Town, don’t wait until you get there. It’s very popular and the sundowner cruises get booked up. We recommend that you pre-book with your tour operator.

The next in my series of articles on my recent fly-in safari enjoying bush and beach options.

Thonga Beach is one of my favourite beach lodges. Surprisingly there are relatively few great beach lodges in South Africa that can rival the beach lodges of Mozambique. Thonga Beach Lodge happens to be one of them. The only drawcard (usually) to the lodge is the relatively difficult access to the lodge. As befitting its pristine beach setting, it is a long way from anywhere. You can get to a nearby collection point by rental car but it helps if you have are staying elsewhere in northern KwaZulu Natal as the distances are great. Alternatively you can fly in by private plane but until now this has tended to become rather pricey.

However the new nine day fly-in safari offers an attractive option.   You stay first at a private game lodge in the Kruger National Park and then you fly direct to Thonga Beach Lodge with no hassle of large airports, scheduled departure times, checking in luggage. 

Thonga Beach Lodge lies the shores of the secluded Mabibi bay in Coastal Maputaland. The lodge lies in the heart of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, an internationally recognized World Heritage Site, and there are no other developments within a 50km section of its pristine beach. Mabibi Beach is a magical place of tranquil swimming bays, sandy beaches, snorkelling reefs, coastal forest and shimmering lakes. The lodge, nestling high in the canopy of the dune forest, offers panoramic ocean views. It has a spacious airy beach feel with a stylish outdoor eating area, a secluded upstairs seating  area with a dvd player for children, a open air bar and wooden walkways leading to the rooms. 12 eco-friendly suites are decorated in a chic ‘Robinson Crusoe’ style, five with sea views and seven with forest views. (Distance to the beach varies between 30 and 120 metres only.) The thatched en-suite rooms have been carefully constructed in the coastal dune forest to ensure minimum impact on the environment whilst still ensuring maximum comfort.

Activities at Thonga Beach Lodge include snorkelling from the beach, swimming, bird-watching and sundowner cruises or guided canoe trips on Lake Sibaya (included in the rate) and various additional activities such as scuba diving and diving courses, an Ocean experience looking for whales and dolphins and cultural village visits. Turtle tracking is a highlight for summer visitors from November to February.

I would strongly recommend Thonga Beach Lodge as an alternative to the Mozambiquan lodges if you are short of time. It is quite staggering that on this pristine stretch of 200km of beach, there are only two lodges; Rocktail Bay and Thonga. I was very interested to see what the weather conditions were like in the middle of winter as this is virtually the only area in SA that we recommend for a beach experience in winter. I was thus relieved to find that the daytime temperatures were comfortably above 25°C and it didn’t get cold at night. We ate outside in the evening (when a fleece was needed later on) but they also have those outdoor gas heaters in case it gets chilly. The water was very swimmable at 23°C.

The lodge has a great beach feel to it. The lodges are hidden away in thick coastal vegetation with the tops of their roofs showing.  Interestingly they are much closer together than I would have expected (so as to minimize the disturbance to the pristine vegetation) but the vegetation makes most of them very private. The décor is sort of coastal minimalism!  The rooms are all identical, the only difference being the sea view or not.
The lodge is run on a relaxed resort basis. There is a board at the bar indicating activities on offer and you sign up for whatever takes your fancy. Non-motorised activities are included in the rates with motorized activities (eg scuba diving and turtle tracking by vehicle), being extra.

We enjoyed the Ocean Experience in the morning which involved at exciting boat launch in the surf followed by a whale-watching cruise to a snorkeling site. The visibility in the water was excellent at approx 10metres with lots of varied fish. Wetsuits were on offer though I didn’t take one and was fine. Though the water was moving (this is not the Dead Sea), it wasn’t dramatic and you could generally just float and watch. Excellent trip!

I recently spent some time in Victoria Falls on the Zambian side and here’s my review of the deluxe country lodges upstream of Victoria Falls.

Why would you stay here instead of closer to the Falls?

• All of the lodges reviewed have magnificent locations on the Zambezi River a few kilometers upstream from the Victoria Falls
• Here you can enjoy the sights and sounds of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi in a peaceful and tranquil setting away from the madding crowds.
• The Zambezi National Park is just across the river, and elephants and hippo can often be seen (and heard) on the riverbank.
• By mid-Sept, the Victoria Falls are starting to look less impressive, especially from the Zambian side. By staying at one of these lodges, with their serene river settings, your focus is not only the Falls but also appreciating the majesty of the Zambezi river.

All the lodges include all meals and a number of activities in their rates. Typically these include guided tours to the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls as well as sundowner boat cruises and guided canoeing on the Zambezi, fishing trips, bird walks, village visits and visits to the town of Livingstone with its craft market. I recommend the canoeing as a relaxed afternoon activity to soak up the atmosphere of the Zambezi river. These lodges support a number of local villages and so visits to local villages and schools are also very popular with guests.

The lodges can book various other tours run by separate companies. These would be at an  additional cost. Activities such as white water rafting, helicopter flights, microlite flights are some of the activities available.

Another recommended add-on is a visit to the amazing Livingstone Island which lies right at the edge of the Falls. You can have lunch or tea on the island and dive into its rock pool just two metres from the very edge of the Falls.

River Club
The River Club is the most upmarket lodge in Victoria Falls and is highly recommended, though a little on the expensive side. Its style is completely different from Tongabezi Lodge (see below) and each lodge would suit different people.

River Club has a distinct Edwardian/colonial flavour, with many pictures of the original homestead and a soft colonial décor. Ten luxurious thatched chalets overlook the Zambezi River and have en-suite facilities including a romantic bath with a view of the river and shower. The rooms are all completely open in the front giving you the best views of the Zambezi (but concertina shutters are being added so you can close the room at night if you prefer). They have full electricity with ceiling fans to enhance the cooling river breezes. River Club has a gorgeous swimming pool overlooking the Zambezi and the homestead with its dining room, lounge and covered veranda is furnished in a relaxed colonial style.

Sindabezi Island
Sindabezi Island was a particular favourite of mine. Imagine staying on a private island in the middle of the Zambezi river accessible only by boat from its sister lodge, Tongabezi Lodge. Sindabezi was recently voted one of UK Tatler magazine’s 101 Hot Places to Stay. It’s an enchanting location – very private and tranquil with lots of birdlife, grunting hippos and elephant activity to keep you company. There’s no electricity so your open chalet is lit by hurricane lanterns at night. I loved my romantic open-fronted chalet with nothing between my bed and the river except a wooden deck. ¼br /> Sindabezi sleeps only ten people and is rustic in style with wood fires and hot bucket showers on demand (only 5 or 10 minutes wait). The chalets have large rustic four poster beds swathed in mosquito netting and each has a separate toilet and an outdoor shower. In the morning you are woken by magnificent sunrises over the flood plains of the Zambezi river.
Your stay at Sindabezi Island Camp begins with either a short boat ride (20 mins) or a guided canoe trip from Tongabezi Lodge down the Zambezi river to the island. The chances of spotting game from Sindabezi are very good as it lies just across the water from Zimbabwe’s second largest national park. Elephant and hippo are often to be seen grazing on the nearby river banks. Sindabezi’s guides use their expert knowledge on the many inclusive activities including bird watching; fishing; game viewing; canoeing; boating; island lunches and picnics as well as guided tours to Victoria Falls.
One of the great aspects of Sindabezi Island is that you can take the whole lodge for exclusive use so it’s ideal for families or a small party looking for complete privacy and is particularly good value. I would also recommend combining one of two nights at Tongabezi or River Club with one or two nights here as the experience is completely different.

Despite my enthusiasm, Sindabezi would not suite everyone. Given the open nature of the chalets, it may not suit you if you’re a little nervous or concerned about the small creatures of the African bush (bugs). As there is no electricity or swimming pool, I don’t recommend it for the summer months (no fans) though your chalet would have cooling breezes at night.

Tongabezi

Tongabezi Lodge is completely different in style from the River Club. It is wilder, less manicured and more African in feel with open expansive views of the river. You choose between one of the four ‘Houses’ or the six cottages. The romantic Houses are furnished with local materials. Dominating each house is the huge, king-size bed. As with the other lodges, each House is completely open to the front affording superb river views and sounds. I’m sure that Tongabezi has more than its fair share of honeymoon couples and your private balcony overlooking the river is the perfect setting for a romantic dinner under the stars. Honeymoon House was the first but it has now been joined by the equally romantic and unique Bird House, Tree House and somewhat unfortunately named Dog House. The bathrooms each have huge open-air sunken baths … very indulgent. If you prefer have a room which is enclosed at night, then you can opt for one of the River Cottages (less expensive). There’s a sixth Garden cottage which has a second bedroom annexe and therefore doubles as a Family suite sleeping four. There is full power in all the rooms.

The central public areas are decorated in earthy African style and include an open-air bar, sitting area and dining area. However dining is usually outside on one of the river decks. The swimming pool is landscaped into a rock face and there are two grass tennis courts and a croquet lawn. There’s also a private Tsala for massages, and honeymooners and other romantics can opt for a private candlelit dinner on a sanpan floating on the Zambezi River under the stars.

Chuma House
Chuma House was named after David Livingstone’s faithful friend and is an exclusive two bedroom villa. Guests have their own private chef to cook all meals, a butler service and a private guide, vehicle and boat for all their activities. There are two en suite bedrooms - one double room with a bath and outdoor shower and one twin room with a bath and in-door shower. The spacious lounge and dining room area,  outdoor verandah, deck area and private swimming pool all have lovely views of the Zambezi River.

Islands of Siankaba
If you don’t mind being further away from the Victoria Falls, then I would also recommend the Islands of Siankaba, a romantic forest retreat built on two pristine islands in the Zambezi River 47 km upstream from the falls and 30 km from the Chobe National Park. On the smaller island, nine luxurious en suite teak and canvas guest chalets nestle in the tree canopy, overlooking the river, and come complete with ball and claw baths. Mokoro trails, nature trails and village walks are complimentary activities, while the full gamut of options at Victoria Falls can easily be arranged.

Islands of Siankaba is well priced compared to the other lodges discussed above and if you choose to stay here, we would book a visit to the Victoria Falls with your transfer so that you see the Falls before going to your lodge. As it is further away from the Falls, this means it is closer to the Botswanan border and Chobe National Park so its well worth considering if you are heading into Botswana afterwards as your transfer times will be much shorter.

For more information visit our main website at http://www.cedarberg-travel.com