A stylish piece of paradise

We were recently back in South Africa for 6 weeks and had a wonderful time enjoying all that the country has to offer. Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula, the winelands, Hermanus and a game reserve in Zululand. All world class destinations with world class service.
But the highlight was our visit to Thonga Beach Lodge. Quite a long drive but worth it for that level of seclusion and remoteness, the beauty of the location striking as one crests the last sand dune and descends to this stylish piece of paradise. The view of the private bay, breathtaking.

The accommodation was designer clever, merging with the natural dune vegetation, tasteful and upscale without being over the top and incorporating views of the ocean from every angle, not to mention our own private plunge pool. My wife loved this area to do her regular yoga and meditation practice, immersed in nature with fantastic views.

The food was superb and nothing was too much trouble for the chef and kitchen staff who were happy to cater for our dietary needs, in our case being vegan which can often be a nightmare for catering staff.
My wife also enjoyed a wonderful and professional massage by local masseuse, Gugu.

As a sailor I was keen to get out onto the water and was lucky enough to be treated to a boat ride, launching from the beach under the skillful command of skipper Mark, assisted by diving instructor, Danie. I had no expectations diving with the dolphins and snorkeling over one of the reefs, but what a treat. The first encounter was with 3 bottle nose dolphins who literally played with us, as interested in us as we were with them, coming right up close but just out of reach. The second was with a massive pod of spinner dolphins who were not as engaging but it was a privilege to see so many of them.
And then to cap that I was blown away by the amount of fish life (including turtles) on the reefs. Much to my surprise, as plentiful as the Maldives.

That 1 ½ hours on the boat was literally an experience of a lifetime.
There are many other activities offered by the resort like kayaking in Lake Sibaya across the sand dune, bike rides on the beach on fat tired mountain bikes and surfing. Unfortunately the wind didn’t blow hard enough to kite surf but it is the perfect location for it. Next time!

And then, before we knew it, we had to leave, thoroughly relaxed and uplifted for the experience. Our only regret was not being able to stay longer.
Congrats to the owners for their masterful vision and to General Manager Matt for managing the ambience.
I could not recommend Thonga Beach Lodge (A stylish piece of paradise) more highly.

Thank you to Donald A for this wonderful guest review on TripAdvisor