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About
Cape Vidal offers the best of two worlds - it is situated on the exquisite Zululand coast with all its amazingly rich marine life, and it provides direct access to the Eastern Shores Nature Reserve with its populations of elephant, rhino, buffalo, crocodile, hippo and reedbuck to name but a few. The beach and off-shore areas at Cape Vidal fall within the St Lucia Marine Reserve which is visited seasonally by humpback whales during their migrations, as well as loggerhead and leatherback sea-turtles that come to the beaches north of Cape Vidal from November to February to nest. Other marine “big game” includes the huge whale shark, marlin, sailfish and dolphin. Cape Vidal lies on the edge of the St Lucia Marine Reserve which extends from 1 km south of Cape Vidal to the Mozambique border, and three nautical miles out to sea. Six loop roads off the main St Lucia to Cape Vidal road provide excellent game viewing and bird watching. Cape Vidal is the site of the wreck of the wooden barque “Dorothea” which struck the reef during a storm in 1898. Artefacts from the wreck may be seen in the bay at various times, and these include a massive piece of chain that lies on the reef, and a steel mast tube lying against the inner, shallow part of the reef. The sheltered bay is a designated launch site for ski-boats, and offers good rock and surf angling. Salt water fly-fishing is a popular pastime. Cape Vidal Resort is set in a bay sheltered by a rock reef that is completely exposed at low spring tides, providing a multitude of rock pools and prime snorkelling areas. On either side lie kilometres of deserted, unspoilt beaches ideal for long walks, while inland there are self-guided drives around the fascinating wetlands and rich coastal forests. -
Activities
Cape Vidal offers several forms of relaxation. The area has become well known for its excellent ski-boat fishing. Surf fishing is also rewarding. Scuba diving is not permitted, but there is a safe but unprotected bathing area which is sheltered from the sea by a reef. The camp is situated beside dense coastal forest and abounds with a great variety of birds and small mammals. There are no self-guided trails at Cape Vidal, however game viewing along the many tourist roads can be rewarding. Six loop roads off the main St Lucia to Cape Vidal road provide excellent game viewing and bird watching Turtle tours, run by private tour operators, are available from November to January. Croc feeding times: Saturday 13:30 pm; Sundays 11:30 amThe weekend cost including the feeding show of R 75.00 per adult and R50.00 per child (3 to 12 years), and this include the guide for a feeding show. Concession for school groups (only during the weeks and exclude public holidays) R 40.00 per leaner, R20.00 per educator and free for a bus driver. (NB: Crocodile Centre provides the guides for the schools, for a minimum of 25 leaners. Less than that it’s a self-guided tour) The schools are welcome to bring their own guide at their own costs. The schools that are coming over the weekends will be charged a normal weekend rate based on their age. Weekly entrance fee is R60 per adult and R35.00 per child (3 to 12 years), all self-guided unless they enquire the guide at their own cost. A staff member is allowed to bring a maximum of 4 people as his/ her family (staff member included) for a free entry and this is based on proof provided. More than that, a full rate will apply. For booking enquiries, Crocodile Centre can be contacted on 035 590 1386 or email:
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Useful Info
Please consultant a General Practitioner regarding anti-malaria precautions before entering the area. No pets are allowed into the reserve. Litter must be placed in the bins provided. This includes fish offal and scales which, if left on the beach or at the campsites, may constitute a health hazard. The gutting or cleaning of fish anywhere other than at the area provided for this purpose is prohibited. Visitors are forbidden to feed any wild animal especially monkeys. Feeding wild animals results in the loss of their natural wariness of humans. They soon learn to take any food they can find and become bold, aggressive and dangerous and inevitably have to be destroyed. For your safety and theirs, ensure that your tent or caravan is securely closed and that all food or edible refuse is kept out of sight. Cape Vidal falls within the southern portion of the St Lucia Marine Reserve and visitors should remember that a special set of conditions apply to this reserve. Power-boat skippers are required to be in possession of a valid skipper’s licence. A maximum of six persons per campsite is allowed. Lighting plants and generators are not permitted. No plug points for electric razors are provided. The entrance gate, managed by the iSimangaliso Wetland Authority, is the control point of the game reserve and once closed, will not reopen for visitors who are late. No vehicles are allowed on the reserve roads between 19:00 - 05:00 in summer and 18:00 - 06:00 in winter. Motorcycles are not permitted in the reserve. No vehicles may be driven on the bathing beach except for the purpose of ski-boat launching. Four jet skis may be launched per day for fishing purposes only. A maximum of 120 day visitors’ cars are allowed into the Cape Vidal area per day. The entrance gate located at the Crocodile Centre, opens and closes at the following times: Summer (November - March) 05:00 - 19:00 Winter (April - October) 06:00 - 18:00 Cape Vidal falls within the southern part of the St Lucia Marine Reserve section of iSimangaliso. This reserve extends from 1 km south of Cape Vidal to the Mozambique border and three nautical miles out to sea. Special conditions apply to this section of the Park, such as that all bait and bottom fish in this area are protected, and may not be collected. Marine queries telephone +27 (0) 35 590 9004.
