Imagine a sanctuary where a dazzling array of wildlife wanders freely — and so can you. The Marloth Park Conservancy is where the wilderness meets wellness. This tranquil nature conservancy may be 45 years old, but it remains one of South Africa’s best-kept safari secrets. Where is Marloth Park? Marloth Park is a nature and …
If you’ve ever seen photos of these cherished flowers, or indeed, the flowers themselves, you’ll immediately know why I am absolutely in love with them. And it’s not just me who holds them in high esteem. The Disa is actually a genus with 183 species, most of which are endemic to Africa. Its centre …
There are some people who have entered into our Fire Island family, whose stories spark hope and inspiration. One such person is the pilot who flies the Beach 18, bringing our guests to Machangulo, Kruger and Pebane.Petro Vermeulen began her piloting career in 1996, and despite a scare when she was in a small aircraft …
When we took over this hotel, to develop it into Vida Nova Retreat, our chief concern was ensuring it aligned with our portfolio of eco-properties. Each of our eco-tourism locations fit in with our ethos of living sustainably and in harmony with nature. How could we do this, with a hotel in the mother city? The wonderful …
It has been several months since our last island development update and we have made considerable progress with the project. We have changed tack a little with the accommodation build, and are delighted with the current style of units that we are erecting within the island’s natural forest. We have also moved away from the English translation of the island’s name and now favour using its Portuguese name, Ilha do Fogo.
When the owner, Robert Koski, and logistics specialist, Jan Van Deventer, visited Ilha do Fogo in Northern Mozambique back in 2014, their agenda was to look into setting up infrastructure for a boutique, five-star resort. However, what they discovered on the island changed the entire course of their plans.
They found around a dozen poachers on the island and the marine life was suffering at their hands.
When the first Arab explorers in their dhows sailed down through the Sea of Zanj from Arabia they discovered many small islands and, as they explored, they left few traces of their passing and must have been in awe of the absolutely unspoiled nature of the seas they sailed through.Off the coast of what is …
When you hear the word ‘poacher’, images of ruthless men, slaughtering elephants and rhinoceros and waving bloody tusks and horns, tend to pop into your head. However, what does it mean to poach?
“Water! Water! We have water!” I yelled, “We did it”. The relief, after many setbacks and months of preparation, flowed over me like the fresh clear drops dripping at my sandy feet.
For a moment I felt like Tom Hanks in Cast Away after he managed to make fire with two sticks. The fire changed everything. It asserted his dominance, if only in a small way, over the merciless expanse that surrounded him. There was new hope for life.
In Mozambique, there are five species of sea turtles that occur along the coast. They are all threatened and, therefore, protected by law (as they have been for over 45 years). Despite efforts to reduce the effect of illegal fishing on sea turtle populations, the capture of these creatures still occurs regularly.
