At Kosi Bay the chances are small of being crowded by others

You’d go to Clifton if you wanted to look at beautiful bodies. If, on the other hand, you prefer your beach deserted, jump in your 4x4 and head for Black Rock, where a long golden beach, jagged black rocks and coastal forest come together south of Kosi Bay. You can swim all day or cast a line – just make sure to reapply the Everysun regularly.

Thanks to its isolation and the limit of 12 vehicles per day, this beach is never crowded.
A word of warning, though: Without a GPS and a Tracks4­Africa map it’s easy to get lost in the confusing network of jeep tracks. Buy the Tracks4Africa “RSA Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State 10.10” map (it’s compatible with Garmin-map-capable GPSes only).
You can also make use of the services of one of the local guides, whom you’ll find outside the gate at Kosi Bay Camp. The guiding fee is negotiable, but they usually ask between R75 and R100 per day.

Be first in line. All the permits for Black Rock are issued at the Kosi Bay Camp for a specific day; you also need a permit for your guide. Permits are free.
Facilities: Black Rock beach has two long drops, but no toilet paper or taps.

GO! says: Bhanga Nek Beach, on the other side of Lake kuNhlange, is also worth a visit; the route along the coast is very scenic. The road  is narrow, so be on the alert for approach­ing vehicles, especially on blind rises.

Get an idea how Hansel and Gretel must have felt when they were lost in the woods as you walk the Samango Trail, which runs through Kosi Bay Camp.

The trailhead is next to stand num­ber  10 and the path immediately dis­appears into the dense riverine vege­ta­tion. The route is not clearly marked and it’s easy to get lost. Be alert and don’t let children walk the trail alone.
Keep your eyes and ears open for red-capped robin-chat and southern boubou in the low shrubs, and square-tailed drongo, yellow-bellied greenbul and horn­bill in the canopy. See if you can spot hippo droppings on and next to the pathway… Remember, never walk here after dark, when the hippos come out to graze.
If you keep left, you’ll walk the shortest and best part of the trail, which ends in the parking area above stand number 16.
For the longer route, turn right about 50 paces before the parking area and follow the white wooden poles. This route can get quite steep and sandy, and isn’t nearly as scenic as the first section through the trees.

How long? About 30 minutes for the short route and 45 minutes to an hour for the longer route.

GO! says: Slap on the Tabard in the summer months to keep the mosquitoes at bay.

The Tonga people have been fishing in these lakes with the fish traps for nearly 700 years.

If you take only one holiday photo, make sure it’s of the Kosi Bay fish traps (it’s no coincidence that they feature on most iSi­mangaliso brochures).

Sunrise or sunset is the best time to take a photo, so make sure you’re in the right place.
But where, you ask? Drive 500 m past the entrance gate to the Kosi Bay Estuary and turn right onto a sandy road. You’ll reach a place where a vehicle can turn around, but continue until you get to the edge of the dune – and start clicking away.
The fish traps are a cultural treasure. The Thonga people have been fishing in this lake system for nearly 700 years.
They don’t use fishing rods or nets, but fish traps built of reeds, wood and woven palm fronds.
Fish enter the kraal through a narrowing passageway and once they’re in they can’t get out. Then the fishermen just come to collect their catch.
Each trap has its own design, taught to the fisherman by his father, and which he will pass onto his sons.
Where’s your permit? Get a permit from the Kosi Bay Camp a day beforehand – it’s free.

GO! says: Be respectful – ask permission before taking photos.

From the boat you experience the lake system from a different angle.

“You have to camp at Kosi Bay for at least two weeks – and a boat is a must!” says Andries Fick, my neigbour in the campsite. He’s been coming here since 1971.
“We catch Natal stumpnose, spotted grunter and huge yellowtail… The yellowtails can weigh up to 20 kg.”

I’m not much of a fisherman, but when I set out with Andries one morning, I realise there’s another good reason for having a boat: You see the lake system from a different angle. We cruise through the Mthando Channel, a shallow, reed-clogged section that connects Lake kuNhlange and Lake kuMpunwini.
Pied kingfishers and reed cormorants perch on branches and African purple swamphen scrabble in the reeds.
Later we motor past a grumpy hippo bull and a swarm of greater flamingos, right to the edge of
the estuary, where we have to
turn around.
February is the best month to cast a line, Andries says, because the fish are abundant and the weather is good. For bait he usually collects sand prawn at Lake kuNhlange; apparently fish find them irresistible.

Cost: Free if you’re staying at the campsite; R15 per day for day visitors if you bring your boat.

GO! says: You need a KZN Wildlife sticker for your boat. It costs R40 for six months and R80 for a year; buy one at the campsite. Also make sure you have all the paperwork for your boat.

In this clear and still rock pool you can see up to 150 different species of fish!

There are many beautiful places to snorkel on this stretch of coastline, but the best is probably Kosi Bay Estuary.

The estuary is protected from the ocean and the water is clearer than a rock pool in the Drakens­berg… and 10 times warmer. You’ll see patches of coral reef and lots and lots of colour­ful fish: more than 150 species occur here. And, apart from white-breasted cormorants diving for prey, you’ll only have to share the water with Nemo and friends.
Give all the marine creatures you encounter lots of space and don’t touch anything. Stonefish and lionfish occur in the estuary, which have spines full of lethal venom. Just float on the surface, keep your eyes open and you’ll be fine.

How to get there: Drive to the R22 tar road from Kosi Bay Camp and turn right towards the Mozambican border. Turn right onto a dirt road 11,2 km further and look for the white-and-blue Kosi Bay Mouth and Utshwayelo Lodge & Camp signs.
Turn right again. The entrance gate (open from 6 am to 6 pm) is 4,5 km further on the dirt road.
A sandy road (which requires four-wheel drive) leads to a parking area next to the estuary. The best spot for snorkelling is on the opposite shore. Walk across where it’s shallow. On the other side you’ll find a small bay beneath the forested dunes. Spread your towel on the sand, put on your mask and jump in!

Where’s your permit? Get your permit a day beforehand from reception at Kosi Bay Camp – it doesn’t cost anything.

GO! says: Ask the car guards at the parking area to show you the best place for snorkelling and where to walk through the shallows to get to the opposite shore.