12 things to do in St Lucia, South Africa

St Lucia is a small town on the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal almost completely surrounded by wilderness.

Visitors to this incredible destination will find themselves immersed in a natural setting that few other destinations can offer.

There is good reason why this area was South Africa's first proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you only have to spend a little time here to discover why...

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1. Explore the waterways of Lake St Lucia

Lake St Lucia is the largest estuary system in Africa. It's huge! And one of the best ways to explore it is from the water.

2. Stroll the Estuary Boardwalk and do some birding at the estuary mouth

The boardwalk leads to the beach while passing through a beautiful coastal forest. It meanders fairly close to the estuary so keep an eye out for birds and animals along the shoreline as well as in the water.

3. Enjoy some beach time on the unspoiled coastline

The length of coast from St Lucia right up to the Mozambican border is one of our favourite stretches in South Africa. The beaches are simply out of this world. While St Lucia has a number of winners within the town limits, a few other beaches worth checking out include Mission Rocks as well as Cape Vidal.

4. Snorkel Cape Vidal's rocky point

Speaking of Cape Vidal, we'd rate this as one of the top snorkeling destinations in South Africa. The snorkeling spot is right on the beach and follows a finger of rocks that extends out toward the open ocean. This rock-shelf creates a breakwater that makes for epic snorkeling conditions.

Guided snorkeling trips are available at Cape Vidal, and we'd highly recommend them.

5. Hike to Bat Cave on the Eastern Shores

This is a great little trip if you're keen for something a little different. Just north of Mission Rocks is a small cave which is home to a colony of Egyptian fruit bats. You can access the cave from the beach, although you'll need to time your trip with a low tide to ensure you can get there and back without getting wet.

Don't forget to bring along a torch or headlamp so you can see the bats when you get there.

6. Greet the ocean's giants on a boat-based whale watching tour

Whale watching is an absolute must in St Lucia! Nothing can really give you an appreciation for these gentle giants like watching them from the water. There are a number of excellent tour operators who run whale watching trips from St Lucia from around mid May to December when the humpback whales are around.

7. Explore St Lucia and surrounds by bicycle

One trip we found really great was the cycle tour of St Lucia. Your guide leads the way and stops off at a number of very interesting sites as well as points out various plant and animal life along the way. It's a nice way to get around and also a great way to get in some holiday exercise too.

8. Horseback ride the beach and bush

St Lucia is one of the coolest places to go horse riding. There aren't too many places out there where you can ride through a game reserve and along the beach all on the same trip.

The horse riding trails pass through a section of the Eastern Shores of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and is a great way to get right up close to the wildlife without scaring them away. We encountered a number of zebra, wildebeest, and other antelope that where perfectly relaxed around the horses.

After that it’s onto the beach for a brisk ride back to the town, passing by the estuary mouth along the way.

9. Explore the Eastern and Western Shores on a guided evening game drive.

Night drives are the best!! The bush seems to come alive at night and so getting onto an evening game drive is a real experience. The public aren't allowed to drive in game reserves after dark so you'll need to do this with a guide, but that's well worth it. Their eyes are accustomed to spotting animals in the dark and they offer a really great experience.

10. Self-drive

St Lucia is near both the Eastern and Western Shores Sections of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. This area has been the success story of a re-wilding project that started a number of years ago and is now home to many of Africa's big wildlife including elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopard and so much more.

The roads in the park are mostly tarred with a few gravel tracks here and there, but visitors can explore the park in their own vehicles without any trouble.

There are a number of excellent view sites and picnic spots within the reserve, so be sure to pack for the day.

11. Witness turtles nesting on the sandy beaches

The turtle season runs from November to March and is an excellent time to be in St Lucia. The town is abuzz with the talk of turtles and St Lucia is one of the most accessible best places in the country to witness them nesting and hatching.

12. Take in the peace of an African sunset

There are a number of great places to watch the sunset, but the aptly named Sunset Jetty is probably the best one.

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