Mabibi

Mabibi is a small camp on top of a coastal dune in northern Maputaland, and the whole appeal is what is not there: no village on the beach, no shops, no day visitors, a handful of campsites under coastal forest and a wooden stairway of about 130 steps down to the sand. The beach runs empty in both directions, backed by dune forest, with a reef close enough offshore to snorkel from the beach on a calm day. Loggerhead and leatherback turtles come ashore to nest between November and February and the camp arranges guided night walks to see them, run under the long-standing Maputaland turtle monitoring programme. The camp is community-owned, which is part of the arrangement that keeps development off this coast. Getting there means deep sand track and a 4x4, and everything you need has to come with you.

What you actually see

• The dune camp - sites under coastal forest with a 130-step stairway to the beach.
• The empty beach - no development in either direction along the sand.
• The nesting turtles - guided night walks in summer under a long-running monitoring programme.
• The community ownership - a camp run by the local community, which limits development.

When to go

April to October for weather; November to February for turtles. Two days minimum.

Honest expectations

4x4 only - the sand track defeats ordinary cars and towing out is expensive. No shop, no restaurant, limited power; bring everything including water containers. Malaria risk is real. The steps are hard work with gear. Turtle walks are strictly guided and timed.

Nearby

Lake Sibaya is inland; Rocktail Bay and Kosi Bay are north.