As an avid traveller looking to take a break and kick my feet up a bit, I'm one of few people who always has one question on arrival at a destination.
“Is there a gym here?”
While for some this might seem like a burdensome requirement that means more early mornings and less siesta, my mission to stay healthy and beat my slowly developing pot belly demands a stringent workout schedule. When arriving at the Wild Coast Sun Resort and Casino, I assumed the experience would be full of luxe dining and the ease of small town experiences. What I found was a haven for vacation seekers who love a little thrill.
Meeting some of the staff on arrival, I learnt that many of them have fulfilled ambitions that I have been planning to pursue as well. Marketing director Cynthia Nene has completed an Iron Man competition and will be in the running for a bigger sash and crown at an upcoming beauty pageant.
Front office manager Irvin Shange is a lean tower who crossed the finish line at this year's Comrades and is quick to dish his top tips on embarking on that journey.
The family spirit not only exists among the staff who support each other but also within the hallways of the hotel and its nearby experiences.
THE HOTEL
Let's start with the rooms. The hotel features a whopping 396 rooms, including luxe rooms and suites. The presidential suite boasts a large hallway that leads to a guest bathroom and kitchenette. The modern yet minimal décor is best represented by the dining room and living room, with a spectacular view of the beach.
The bedroom features a walk-in closet and double doors that open to a jacuzzi.
ABOUT THE RESORT
There are three main pools on the premises, two at the Greek restaurant Maltos (one is outside for catching a tan and the other is indoors in the dining area). The third is a splash pool that can be found along the pathways outside.
The gym was somewhat disappointing. While it's got enough room for cardio, it offers little equipment and only one treadmill. The carpeted floor does not inspire much for callisthenics and body-weight training, especially if you are an avid Converse-wearing barbell lifter like myself. There are promises, however, that the space will be getting an upgrade.
But if you are looking for a good run, jogs on the premises are highly recommended. For a challenge, I would suggest a beach run.
For those escaping the winter chill, the mornings and evenings are cool enough for sunrise jogs or sunset strolls. However, catching the flu might have dire consequences as a fellow journalist had to make arrangements for common fever and pain meds that were not available on site.
• Rates from R950 per person sharing. Rates are dependent on days (weekday vs weekend) and season. Check suninternational.com for specific dates and specials. The Presidential Suite sleeps two and is available from about R10,000 per night per couple.
WHAT TO EAT
There is an impressive selection of restaurants on site so even if you stay for a week, your palate will not be bored.
The usual suspects like Spur and Ocean Basket are near the water park, while you can find Panarottis and Fishaways at the Magic Company arcade, which makes this corner of the resort feel quite similar to Montecasino.
In-house chefs at the casino's private bar and lounge area, Sun Privé, offer separate dining with a light three-course meal. This includes a great example of their approach to prawns: pan-fried, battered and a juicy cocktail version. Mains include lamb chops or chicken served with seasonal vegetables that are home-grown at the Wild Coast Sun.
Seafood lovers are spoilt for choice at Maltos, with several delectable dishes on the menu including the mussel pot with grilled prawns served with a choice of Greek salad, rice or chips. If you ask nicely, you can swap it out with a Greek-style pita bread. They also have offerings like Kleftiko with a red-wine sauce.
Their star desserts include a vanilla bean gelato served on a hot double fudge chocolate; soft-serve with a gooey chocolate brownie and baklava done with a buttery pastry.
WHAT'S NEARBY
While quad biking is available on the premises, you can also take an hour's drive to the Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal for some rip-roaring fun with Wild 5 Adventures. The reserve is home to the world's biggest gorge swing, which goes 165m deep. While it might seem like an average bungee to some, the leap proved to be a transformative experience for many in our group, who were left in fits of either laughter or tears and with a renewed sense of life.
If you want a view of the gorge and its waterfall without taking the gobsmacking leap, try out the big slide, a short zip line that allows you to be suspended over the full view of the gorge. Another option is abseiling, estimated to take 15 minutes and gives you a closer look at the gorge as well as the flora and critters that are found on its floor.
Speaking of zip lines, the nearby Lake Eland Game Reserve (lakeeland.co.za) is home to a 4.5km trek with scenic views of green horizons. I highly recommend you try this adventure out closer to dusk. It also offers a downhill gravity scooter tour and romantics can try out the suspension bridge that runs for 80m and ends at a viewpoint primed for sweet selfies and photo ops.
- Wild Coast Sun:
- Quad bike tour, R285
- Wild 5 Adventures:
- Quad adventures, R450
- Wild 5 abseil, R700
- Wild 5 slide, R400
- Wild 5 swing, R795
- Wild 5 hike, R30 (adults), R20 children aged 6-12 and pensioners.
- Lake Eland:
- Day visitors R80 (adults), R20 (children)
- Zipline, R490
- Scooter tour, R350 (adults), R175 (children)
- Suspension bridge (free)
FOR TINY TOTS
If your little ones are sugar fiends who are always on the go, there are age-appropriate activities to keep them entertained for hours. If two pairs of media groups needed over an hour to effectively solve an escape-room scenario, then you should have your hands full for hours with the scenarios at Breakout. This is all available at the casino's arcade area, with South Africa's only indoor sky park towering over the space. Over 18m high, the sky park has 21 rope obstacles on a skytrail and a built-in zipline skyrail.
The ten-pin bowling (which supplies shoes for those who aren't fans of bowling in socks) has 10 neon-lit alleys.
The Wild Coast Sun also features the Wild Waves Water Park with five slides. The park has a dedicated area for children; and the lazy river, on which visitors float along on tyre tubes, is fun for all ages. You can also book an exclusive shack with its own pool and lounging areas and a dedicated crew member on standby to serve.
- Breakout room, R250 per adult, R180 for under 12s
- Skypark, R80 Friday- Sunday (off-peak season)
- Ten-pin bowling, R65 midweek, R75 weekends
- Water Park, free for hotel guests, R150 (adults midweek) or R170 (weekends); R75 (children and pensioners midweek) or R85 (weekends)
- VIP shacks, R1,200 per group
TAKING IT EASY
If you are looking for a moment to splurge and have fun with a little less throttle, one of the first things to try is a horseback stroll on the beach at the resort. These are run by a mother and daughter duo, and you can book rides between 10 minutes to an hour. There are 10 horses in total, but any that have gone for the long rides are typically given a break. Look out for the cutest horse among the herd who has a flair for the dramatics and sports a pink unicorn horn.
A short drive out of the resort will take you to The Riverside, where you can have a leisurely brunch on the Dreamweaver ferry. Waiters will have your drink of choice refilled while you tuck into a buffet of freshly baked and cooked goods. The menu can be adjusted for individual preferences and a halaal snack pack is also an option.
Also try a guided tour of the Red Desert, a field of oxidised cliffs and rocks that have turned an ochre colour with area-specific hybrids of flora, such as the protea, which have adapted to the arid unique earth in the area. This is reportedly the world’s smallest desert.
A little bit of a trek will take you to a tropical pathway, leading to a field with an open view of the ocean and surrounds.
- Horse riding, 1 hour R380, 40 minutes R300, 20 minutes R200, 10 minutes R100, 3-9 year olds (5 minutes) R50
- Dreamweaver boat ride, R150 per person
- Red desert, R35 (adults), R20 (under 18)
• Ntwasa was a guest of the Wild Coast Sun and South Coast Tourism.
