A Day at Thonga Beach Lodge

At Thonga Beach Lodge there are so many fun activities that paradoxically, you need a strategy to mindfully appreciate each one rather than rushing from one to the next. The days follow the pleasing rhythms of the ocean, and are planned according to the tides. If there is an early low tide, we recommend the Ocean Experience which is an adventurous boat launch and ride out to Gogo’s Reef or one of the spectacular snorkelling or diving spots along the pristine coastline. You may be lucky to pass dolphin on the way, and if they are in a sociable mood, you might be able to swim with these lovely creatures of the sea. Alternatively, sign up for early morning kayaking and glide through the serene Lake Sibaya to the dawn cry of the Fish Eagle.

Glide through Lake Sibaya in the still of dawn

By the time you return, you will be ready for a buffet and hot a la carte breakfast which is cooked to order, which may be eaten outside on the deck in the dappled sun. Don’t forget to book a treatment at the spa, to complement your sensory experience of seaside wellness.

A guided rock pool snorkeling activity is scheduled at low tide for beginners or you may sign up for PADI accredited scuba diving training with one of the Thonga qualified guides. Swimming in the turquoise sea, sunbathing or taking a long beach walk will build up your hunger for a buffet lunch, which you may choose to enjoy any time between 12.30 and 2pm.

Dine to the sounds of the sea in this cool dappled shade

In the afternoons there are cultural tours and guided forest walks and be sure to plan these around the delicious baked delicacies offered at afternoon tea. In the late afternoon or early evening you may enjoy your sundowers while watching cormorants tessellate in to roost as the sun sets over Lake Sibaya. Bar snacks and a sumptuous three course dinner may be appreciated along with the cool breeze on the deck or you may arrange a romantic candle-lit dinner by the sea. During turtle nesting and hatching season, moonlit outings on the beach are an experience to remember.

However you choose to spend your days, remember to experience each sensory activity fully, so that although your time here in this paradise will always feel too short, at least this way you will have lived fully every moment of your stay.

You will always long to return to this protected and pristine beach – photo by Roger de la Harpe