We spent a night in the small coastal town of Sodwana Bay, famous for its scuba diving and coral reefs. That was what drew Antony there. Even though we only stayed briefly, the place had a relaxed tropical feel, with warm ocean air and a very different atmosphere to the bushveld we had come from. Here, the Indian Ocean replaced game reserves and savannah as the main attraction.
We stayed in a lovely lodge amongst the coastal vegetation, with an excellent restaurant that became one of the highlights of the stopover. After long days of travelling and wildlife viewing, it was great to settle in, enjoy a good meal, and unwind in the laid-back atmosphere of Sodwana.
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| View from the lodge restaurant |
The main beach
Jo, Ant and I headed down to the main beach at Sodwana Bay for a swim and were immediately struck by how gorgeous the water was — warm, clear and inviting in that unmistakably Indian Ocean way. The beach itself was full of energy and activity. An endless procession of fishing boats came charging up onto the sand at remarkable speed so the fishermen could quickly disembark, creating a dramatic spectacle against the backdrop of the surf and dunes.
What made it even more fascinating was the sheer scale of the operation. Massive tractors rumbled backwards and forwards across the beach, hauling the boats in and out of the water with impressive efficiency. It was a wonderfully interesting place to watch and soak in the atmosphere, even if it was not the most peaceful beach experience I’ve ever had. Between the engines roaring, boats racing ashore and tractors grinding across the sand, there was always something happening.
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| Fishing boats ramping up on the beach at great speed so people could disembark |
Chilling at the lodge where Antony did his diving refresher course
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| Beautiful art at the lodge celebrating sea life |
Walking down to the beach at the lodge in the afternoon
In the afternoon, Antony and I walked from the lodge down to the nearby beach while Jo relaxed at the pool. The path down was quite steep but worth it once we reached the beach. It was a beautiful stretch of coastline with massive sand dunes and a very wild feel to it.
The weather was not exactly ideal though. A strong wind was blowing and the sand was whipping against our legs the whole time. We went for a short walk along the beach and took in the scenery, but the gale made it hard to stay there for too long, so we headed back fairly quickly.
Jo and I frolicking on the beach in the gorgeous morning light
The next morning, Antony headed off early for a dive while Jo and I enjoyed a lovely breakfast at the lodge, included in our stay. Afterwards we went down to the beach and I could hardly believe it was the same place. The wind had disappeared, the ocean was calm, and the light was absolutely perfect for photography.
Jo and I ended up having one of the most fun and special times of the whole trip. We spent ages running and leaping down the huge dunes, taking jumping shots, portraits and all sorts of playful photos. The beach was stunning and there was such a feeling of freedom and joy about the morning. What made it even more meaningful was sharing it with my wonderful sister. We both love photography, adventure and not taking ourselves too seriously, and that morning captured all of that perfectly. It was genuinely one of the highlights of the entire trip.
