Looking out from my hotel balcony over the Umhlangamkulu Lagoon, I can make out the ocean just beyond. I’ve been sitting quietly, hoping to catch a glimpse of the resident pair of African crowned eagles on the estate. No luck yet.
San Lameer on KwaZulu-Natal’s south coast is not only a hotel and self-catering holiday property, it’s also a 200ha nature conservancy proclaimed by the KwaZulu-Natal Parks Board in 1997. This means that only 40% of the land may be developed.
It was the very first golfing estate developed in South Africa. The 599 villas (some are private, some can be rented) surround the challenging 18-hole championship golf course, which seamlessly blends with the dunes and grassland biomes.
From the hotel, you have easy access to two blue flag beaches and you can keep an eye out for sightings of impala, bushbuck, red, blue and grey duiker on your walk there. The province’s sub-tropical climate means that even in winter, the days are warm and sunny. The landscape is green and leafy, bringing an island-feel to the resort (think cocktails and flip-flops all year round).
If you’re not a golfer and you’re all beached out, the list of facilities for a range of activities on offer goes on:
- 9-Hole pitch & putt course
- 9.7km Mountain bike trail
- Bicycles for hire
- Tennis courts
- Squash courts
- Bowling green
- Paddle boats
- Climbing walls for children
- Two swimming pools – one with slides
- Walking trails
And if you’re already tired just reading that list (you’re on holiday, after all) head to the spa and ponder over the menu of more than 100 treatments.
With 11 treatment rooms, two private Jacuzzi pods, an indoor heated pool, a sauna, and a hair and nail studio, no pamper stone is left unturned. The therapists are warm and friendly, but most importantly, professional and knowledgeable.
Storming around
For this lovely trip to the tropics, we took the Ford Ranger Stormtrak for a spin. The 2L Biturbo double cab was the perfect companion, and the colour – Rapid Red – might just be my favourite to date.
Picture: Anita Froneman
This adventure-hungry bakkie had more cargo space than I knew what to do with, and creature comforts like seat warmers, rain-sensing wipers and an effortless Bluetooth system made it a great road trip vehicle.
Picture: Anita Froneman
The parking assist features, a rear camera plus front and rear distance sensors, made life super easy and the bakkie’s size less intimidating in cramped parking lots.
The San Lameer resort is so inclusive that there’s no real reason to leave the premises. There’s a laundromat, superette and even a library on the estate. All the essentials, then. Forget Zanzibar and Mauritius, we’ve got San Lameer right here.
Rates
Hotel: From R1 537 per room for two adults, classic room. Includes breakfast.
Reservations: Booking.com
Contact
Phone 039 313 0111 or email [email protected]
Website: sanlameer.co.za
Pictures: Supplied
ALSO READ: Airbnb is looking for crazy home ideas – and wants to fund them
