St Lucia scenery and activities

We spent two nights in the remarkable wetland region of St Lucia, one of South Africa’s great natural treasures and a place I had wanted to visit for many years. Renowned for its huge hippo population, rich birdlife, estuary and coastal wilderness, it more than lived up to expectations. For us, it was a wonderful mix of wildlife, beautiful scenery, and the relaxed atmosphere of a small town built around one of Africa’s most extraordinary natural environments.

Map of places visited

St Lucia estuary boardwalk and beach
 

The first thing we did was head to the estuary boardwalk for a walk through the wetlands.The highlight was seeing an African fish eagle soaring overhead — always such a magnificent and unmistakable sight. Afterwards, we drove to the nearby beach for a swim, enjoying the warm Indian Ocean and the relaxed coastal atmosphere.

Boat trip

In the afternoon, we went on a sunset boat trip on the estuary. Choosing a smaller, more intimate boat turned out to be a fantastic decision and made the whole experience feel far more personal and relaxed. It ended up being one of the highlights of the trip. We saw hippos, crocodiles, monitor lizards and kingfishers at close range, while our guide, Heynie, was both highly knowledgeable and wonderfully entertaining throughout. The standout moment was an incredible close-up sighting of an African finfoot — a bird that is usually extremely secretive and difficult to see.

As the trip drew to a close, the estuary was bathed in the most beautiful golden light. Watching a sublime African sunset with hippos silhouetted in the foreground was one of those unforgettable moments that perfectly captured the magic of St Lucia.

Cape Vidal beach

During our full day in St Lucia, we drove through the beautiful iSimangaliso Wetland Park to Cape Vidal. There was a run taking place through the park that day, so we left a little later than planned and had great fun shouting encouragement to some of the tail-end runners from the car as we drove along. The drive itself was wonderful, passing through lush coastal bush and wetland scenery with plenty of wildlife along the way. At Cape Vidal, we had a lovely swim in the warm, clear water and spent time soaking up the spectacular coastal setting.

iSimangaliso Wetland Park

iSimangaliso Wetland Park is an enormous protected coastal wilderness area made up of wetlands, estuaries, lakes, coastal forest and beaches. As we drove through the park, we took a number of detours to explore different sections, stopping often to admire the expansive views across the pans and estuaries. The scenery was remarkably beautiful, with wide open wetlands, calm water, reed beds and coastal vegetation stretching in every direction. It was easy to see why the area is regarded as one of South Africa’s great natural treasures.

Mission Rocks

On the way back, we stopped at Mission Rocks, a beautiful stretch of rugged coastline within iSimangaliso Wetland Park. The combination of rocky shoreline, rolling surf and unspoilt coastal scenery made it a wonderful place to pause and take in the wild beauty of the area before heading back to St Lucia.

Memorable moments: The epic spray

I have always struggled with seasickness. Over the years, two specific voyages have etched themselves into my memory—not for the scenery, but for the sheer, green-tinged misery of the experience.

The first was on my eighteenth birthday in Mauritius. To celebrate the milestone, our family chartered a yacht for a cruise. It was a choppy, restless day, and as the boat pitched, my stomach began its own rhythmic descent into darkness. I reached a point of such profound nausea that I actually had fantasies of diving overboard just to end the motion. I desperately wanted to be sick, hoping for that legendary moment of relief, but my body refused to cooperate.

I was sitting doubled over, staring at the deck in a state of absolute "suffer-fest," when a well-meaning hand thrust a large plate directly under my nose. It was piled high with pungent tuna sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs. That was the breaking point. The smell was the final sensory assault I couldn't survive. I scrambled for the back of the ship and delivered an epic, birthday-defining spray into the Indian Ocean.

Ten years later, I found myself on a ferry from Israel to Egypt. The Mediterranean was in a foul mood, and the ship was tossing violently. This time, I wasn't alone in my suffering; the entire deck was a gallery of green faces. I retreated to the stern to reenact my eighteenth birthday, joining a line of fellow passengers who were all projectile vomiting over the railing.

What sticks in my mind most vividly, however, isn't the sickness—it’s the gulls. An entire flock of them hovered in our wake, shrieking with delight. They weren't just following us; they were diving into the sea to feast on our collective misery. It was a sobering reminder of the natural order: while we were experiencing the lowest point of our human existence, the seagulls were having the best lunch of their lives.

Beaching and boating in Plett

Plett provides the best beach holiday imaginable. We swam just about everyday and body surfed to our heart's content.  On one morning, we joined Jo's hiking girls for an 8 km hike along the beach.  Antony, Colin and Matt also did the "beach swim challenge:, walking to and catching a wave at all 8 beaches. There was also much munching of granadilla lollies.

The beach

Out on the boat

Gert took us out on his boat a couple of times and we went out to sea, all the way to the Robberg point.  Lots of seals and sea birds to enjoy and great views of the coast line.