Maputaland Coastal Reserve

If Robinson Crusoe had washed ashore on the pristine coastline of Maputaland, he wouldn't have found anybody to call Friday—and he certainly wouldn't have cared what day of the week it was. It's that empty and that magnificent. No other buildings lie within 16 km (10 mi) of Rocktail Bay Lodge, tucked away in South Africa's Maputaland Coastal Reserve, a narrow strip of wilderness that stretches from Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park all the way to Mozambique. If you love exploring untouched beaches, fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, and walking, coming here will be the perfect beach getaway after your safari. Rocktail Bay is not a game lodge, it's the quintessential small private beach lodge—the only animals you're likely to see are loggerhead and leatherback turtles. It's accessible by road or air, but lies far from any other major tourist destination and operates much like a game lodge. Besides glorious beaches, its major attraction is the annual arrival of giant loggerhead and leatherback turtles to lay their eggs. The beaches here are one of the few known egg-laying areas of these endangered animals, and the season extends from the November through early March. During these months rangers lead after-dinner drives and walks down the beach to look for turtles, and you can expect to cover as much as 16 km (10 mi) in a night. From a weather standpoint, the best times to visit the lodge are probably spring (September and October) and autumn (March-May). In summer the temperature regularly soars past 38°C (100°F), and swimming during winter is a brisk proposition. August is the windiest month, and it's in summer that the turtles come ashore to dig their nests and lay their eggs—an awesome spectacle.