About Elephant Coast Beaches
Whether you have booked your Elephant Coast accommodation already or it's still on your to-do list, you're sure to have the summer vacation of a lifetime on the beaches of this exquisite stretch. The Elephant Coast is in KwaZulu-Natal, where the beaches are known for their warm waters and the enormous variety of marine life that can be found beneath their surface.
Did you know? Visiting the beaches of the Elephant Coast is an experience in itself. Pairing it with visits to world-acclaimed spots like the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park make your time on the South African shores even more magnificent.
Cape Vidal is an excellent choice for beach-lovers that want a spot for the little ones to swim and play, thanks to the rock pools. It is also fabulous for snorkelling because these rock pools are inhabited by an array of colourful fish, anemones, and marine plants. This beach is accessible via a game reserve, which makes it a really stunning day trip for the whole family.
In fact, snorkelling can be enjoyed at many of the beaches along this part of the South African coastline. The Kosi Bay Estuary is a prime snorkelling spot, but swimmers are cautioned to stick to the rock pools. Here, you will see colourful fish and gorgeous coral reefs in the clear water. This is also a great spot for qualified SCUBA divers to head into deeper waters. This estuary and its waters are home to about 1 200 fish species, turtles, and rays. A massive bonus is that the ragged-tooth shark can be spotted here quite frequently too. Whale sharks make their appearance between the end of October and March, while whales can sometimes be seen in the area between August and December.
Sodwana Bay is famous for its turtle tours, snorkelling and SCUBA diving. But, it's also a fantastic beach for skiing, surfing, fishing and swimming in the warm (but refreshing) waters of the Indian Ocean. This makes it ideal for families that are after the ultimate “beach day”.
Lake St Lucia is the largest estuarine system on the continent. Its beaches stretch on for miles, and the waters have a distinctly tropical feel, thanks to their warmth. This area is home to stunning coral reef, which is the habitat of choice for a wonderful variety of marine species. Tours to look for the resident turtles, hippos and crocodiles are all thrilling.
The best fishing beaches along the Elephant Coast include Cape Vidal, Jesser Point (Sodwana Bay), Hulley Point (Mabibi), First Rocks (St Lucia), and Rocktail Bay (just south of Kosi Bay). Start planning your Elephant Coast getaway to enjoy spectacular beaches and an incredible variety of marine species.
Popular Elephant Coast Beaches
Mabibi Beach
Overnight? Accommodation in Mabibi
Indulge in the serene ambiance of Mabibi Beach, cradled by verdant coastal forests and kissed by soft sands beckoning you to wander or simply bask in the warm ...
Kosi Bay Beach
Stay? Kosi Bay Accommodation
Kosi Bay Beach delights all with its regular appearance of the humpback whales and dolphins. Situated in the Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, this soft sandy beach is very ...
St Lucia Beach
Overnight? Accommodation in St Lucia
The unspoilt beach of St Lucia is yet another testimony to the natural splendour of the KwaZulu-Natal coastline. Golden sands and warm blue waters are the order of ...
Sodwana Bay Beach
Overnight? Accommodation in Sodwana Bay
Very little compares to the magnificent beach that is Sodwana Bay Beach, which is idyllically perched on the Elephant Coast in KwaZulu-Natal. Whether you want to ...
Alkanstrand
Overnight? Accommodation in Richards Bay
Dubbed the tourism gateway to Zululand and Maputaland, Richards Bay is characterised by its exquisite beaches and the gorgeous terrain that is so typical of the ...
Lala Nek Beach
Stay? Kosi Bay Accommodation
For the ultimate in a wild South African getaway, experience the raw, untouched appeal of the Elephant Coast when you stay in KwaZulu-Natal. This part of the ...
Need to Know
WhereElephant Coast Beaches, Elephant coast coastline, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
WhenBest During Daylight Hours
OvernightStay in Elephant Coast Accommodation, KwaZulu Natal
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Additional Reading
- Best Beach House Stays in South Africa
- Best Places to Stay on the Elephant Coast, South Africa's True Wilderness Revealed
- Best Places to Stay in Hluhluwe – the doorstep of iSimangaliso Wetland Park & Hluhluwe-iMfolozi
- Everything You Need to Know to See the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Properly
- 10 rivetting reasons to visit the Elephant Coast
Beaches of KwaZulu Natal
KwaZulu Natal and Durban boast 600km of subtropical beaches on the warm Indian Ocean coastline. What makes this fantastic coastline even better is that KwaZulu Natal also has fantastic weather all year round - even in winter. The water is warm and contains an abundance of magnificent tropical fish and coral reefs. Find out more about KwaZulu Natal's beaches.
Wish you were here?
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options in Elephant Coast
Kosi Bay Casitas
Located in Kosi Bay, Kosi Bay Casitas offers accommodation for up to 53 guests. Here guests are near to a variety of attractions and activities i...
Utshwayelo Kosi Mouth Lodge
Nestled in the most north-eastern corner of South Africa lies Utshwayelo Kosi Mouth Lodge. The lodge offers superb Kosi Bay accommodation and is ...
Kosi Forest Lodge
Kosi Forest Lodge is the only private lodge in the Kosi Bay Nature Reserve - an unspoilt wilderness that is part of the Isimangaliso Wetland Park...
Royal Thonga Safari Lodge
The lodge is designed to emulate the local Tonga building style and each of the fourteen chalets are uniquely positioned to offer guests total pr...
Kingfisher Bush Lodge
Kingfisher Bush Lodge is situated close to the well known Kosi Bay lake system. We offer self catering tented accommodation in either Luxury Tent...
Kosi Moon Bed and Breakfast
Kosi Moon Bed & Breakfast offers comfortable accommodation in the lovely area of Manguzi, near Kosi Bay. Rooms are offered on a bed only basis, a...
Lodge Umusa
Lodge Umusa offers charming, eco-friendly chalets that can be booked on a self-catering or bed-and-breakfast basis. Our lodge in Kosi Bay is a pe...
Chinderera Eco Lodge
Situated in Kosi Bay, Chinderera Eco Lodge offers two private luxury eco-units which sleep either two or four guests on a full board basis. The u...
Rhino Sands Safari Camp
Rhino Sands Safari Camp offers five-star accommodation in a tented, luxury safari destination, that is designed to bring an authentic safari expe...
Things to do in the area
Turtle Tracking in Kosi Bay
Turtle tracking is offered every night from 15 November to 15 January at Kosi Forest Lodge in Kosi Bay. These excursions (including transfers to ...
Mabibi Beach
Indulge in the serene ambiance of Mabibi Beach, cradled by verdant coastal forests and kissed by soft sands beckoning you to wander or simply bas...
Kosi Bay Beach
Kosi Bay Beach delights all with its regular appearance of the humpback whales and dolphins. Situated in the Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, this soft s...
Kosi Bay Trail
Whilst there is a Kosi Bay Trail that takes roughly four days to complete, which can also be done as a slackpacker version, there are variations ...
Lala Nek Beach
For the ultimate in a wild South African getaway, experience the raw, untouched appeal of the Elephant Coast when you stay in KwaZulu-Natal. This...
Accommodation convenient to Elephant Coast Beaches
FIND / South Africa Accommodation / KwaZulu Natal Accommodation / Elephant Coast Accommodation