Sodwana Bay Nature Reserve with its many exciting coral reefs and outstanding climate, has distinguished itself as one of the premier sport diving destinations in the world. It offers many popular dive sites with a great diversity of underwater seascapes and marine flora and fauna including branching, table and plate corals, beautiful overhangs, drop-offs and mushroom rocks, as well as spectacular night dives. Scuba diving equipment is available for hire. 

In summer, loggerhead and leatherback turtles come out of the sea to nest on the Sodwana beaches. Guided turtle tours are popular with visitors. Aside from Sodwana’s wealth of opportunities for diving , boating and angling, a five-km self-guided trail is available for the enjoyment of nature lovers and bird enthusiasts. Malaria precautions are necessary.

Activities at Sodwana Bay National Park

Fishing

Sodwana Bay is a paradise for fishermen (shore and ski-boaters), snorkellers and scuba divers

Ski-boaters and shore anglers have the opportunity to catch a number of different game fish. Sodwana has produced record billfish and sailfish.

Snorkellers and scuba divers

The diversity of fish and invertebrates on Africa's southern-most coral reefs attract many scuba divers and there are excellent snorkelling spots along this Sodwana Coast.

Conditions are good throughout the year, but the best diving is from April through to September. On a good day visibility can reach up to 30 metres. The weather is typically subtropical. The water temperature is usually above 20°C and can reach 29°C in summer.

There are a number of dive sites to choose from.

Turtles at Sodwana Bay

During the summer months loggerhead and leatherback turtles come out of the sea at night to nest on the beaches. Night turtle tours are provided during December and January. Departure times vary with the tide.

How to get to Sodwana Bay

From the north turn off the N2 at Jozini and follow the signs to Mbazwana and on to the park.v From the south turn off the N2 at the Ngweni/Sodwana Bay turn off and travel through to Mbazwana which is 80 kms away on a gravel road.

The alternative is to turn off the N2 into Hluhluwe village and take the new SDI road which will eventually be tar all the way to Mbazwana.

The nearest town which has a full range of services is Hluhluwe which is 80 kms away.

Sodwana is also within easy driving distance of a number of amazing game reserves including Mkhuze, Phinda & the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park.

Accommodation at Sodwana Bay

• Amakhulu Central Reservations
  Merle offers a very friendly and professional service to book accommodation in South Africa. She is passionate about South Africa and thinks everyone should be visiting and exploring this country. She believes it should be an affordable experience. Over the years She has researched rural retreats, farm stays, and all kinds of adventure holidays in South Africa. She specializes in the Drakensberg and Wild Coast regions and I cannot imagine a tourist being in better hands when planning a vacation
  
• Accommodation at Sodwana Bay
  This website is the best I have yet come across for accommodation in South Africa. You communicate directly with the accommodation establishment and the entire booking is carried out online.
  
• Sodwana Bay Camp
  features ten five-bed Swiss-style log cabins and ten eight-bed log cabins - all selfcatering
  
• Sodwana Bay Lodge
  close to the pristine Lake Shazibe nestling behind the world's highest natural dunes, a short distance from the sea, the Lodge offers twin-bedded reed and thatch chalets as well as a diving school.
  
• Mseni Lodge
  situated in Sodwana Bay National Park with direct access to the beach, it offers twenty cabins with bathrooms and showers en suite.
  
• Rocktail Bay Lodge
  situated within the Maputaland Coastal Forest Reserve midway between Sodwana Bay in the south and Kosi Bay in the north it offers the the most private beach experience in South Africa on 40 kilometres of unspoilt, undeveloped and pristine coastline.