Why go abroad for a balmy, tropical beach holiday if you could go to Sodwana? This east coast jewel is rich in biodiversity and a haven for scuba divers, snorkellers and deep sea anglers seeking adventurers beneath the blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Sodwana Bay is regarded as the southern most coral reefs in the world and the only tropical dive site in South Africa. Covered with dense coastal forest, the holiday town is a conservation area that forms part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Loggerhead and leatherback turtles also love Sodwana – it is the area they return to every summer to lay their eggs.

• Go on a lake cruise. The best way to experience the Kosi Lake system is by boat. This series of interconnected lakes stretch over 18km.
• Fishing. Many come to Kosi Bay just for the chance to catch kingfish at Kosi Mouth.
• Explore the Thonga fish traps. This age-old traditional method of fishing minimises the impact on the fish levels within the Kosi lakes.
• Visit Tembe Elephant Park and get up close and personal with some of the biggest mammals in Africa.

• Go diving. Dive sites in Sodwana range from 12m to over 40m, suitable for divers of all experience levels.
• Go snorkelling. The most popular snorkelling spot in Sodwana Bay is known as Jesser’s point and forms wonderful shallow protected snorkelling spots at low tide.
• Go on a guided turtle tour and see loggerhead or leatherback turtles nest and hatch on the local beach – a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience.
• Buy a cappuccino from the Sodwana Beach Kiosk and enjoy it on the beach.
• Browse the stalls for anything from reed baskets, to wooden bowls and hand-carved wooden fish – the perfect place to do a bit of souvenir shopping.

Affectionately called ‘The Village’, Mtunzini is a beautiful small coastal town that has been declared as a conservancy. Open parks of grassland and forest are interwoven with streets, homes and businesses. It is not unusual to see zebra, duiker, bushbuck and many other species grazing in the parks or crossing the streets. Mtunzini overlooks a large stretch of unspoilt beach, with the Mlalazi River winding its way lazily through coastal forest before reaching the sea. It is a dolphin friendly area, so no shark nets are in place. Water sports can be enjoyed at the lagoon, which also has ample picnic facilities. The rare Palmnut vulture inhabits the grove of raphia palms, which were introduced to Mtunzini about 100 years ago and have been declared a natural monument.

4 November
Mtunzini Rotary Club presents ‘Art in the Shade’, an art fair event to provide a market platform for local artists to sell their creations and meet the public and other artists. Artists include painters, sculptors, photographers, carvers, crafters and more. 10% of sales go to Emoyeni Hospice, which supports more than a 1000 child-headed households. Contact Sue Bernon at suebernon@telkomsa.net

• Spend a day on Mtunzini’s pristine beach.
• Walk down the timber boardwalk in the swamp forest, past thousands of Fiddler crabs and mudskippers, to the heart of the colony of raphia palms.
• Embark on a nature hike along one of Mtunzini’s many forest trails.
• Grab your binoculars and see how many different bird species you can count. Watch out for the Palmnut vulture, Green Twinspot, Grey Sunbird, African Cuckoo Hawk, African Finfoot, Narina Trogon and the Mangrove Kingfisher.