The Wildebeest's guide to South Africa
Cape Vidal
Afrikaans name: Kaap Vidal
The beach at Cape Vidal
Photo © Andy-Kim Möller - Fotolia.com
KwaZulu-Natal
Cape Vidal is part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park otherwise known as the St Lucia Marine Reserve. It is a strip of land separating Lake St. Lucia from the Indian Ocean.
It was named after Lt. Alexander Vidal who was one of the officers accompanying Captain Owen on a mission to survey the area.
It is a popular venue for fishing. Besides fishing from the beach you can also launch ski-boats for some deep sea fishing. Snorkelling is also popular. Between November and January some private companies run "Turtle Tours" which, to me, sounds like a must-do activity.
It is also a popular spot for nature lovers and there is abundant bird-life in the area. There are trails through the forest that give you a chance of seeing some really good birds as can be seen in the checklist below. Besides the forest trails there is plenty of grassland habitat along the road leading to Cape Vidal from St. Lucia. Of course there is plenty of water habitats where good birding can be had.
From Cape Vidal you can reach the eastern shores of Lake St. Lucia where you may see Nile Crocodiles, Hippos, Buffalo and various antelope. Don't forget that the coastline of Cape Vidal, which is part of the St. Lucia marine reserve, is also home to numerous interesting creatures. These include Whale Shark, Humpback Whale, various species of dolphin and sailfish.
There are a number of well-equipped log cabins available for hire and campers can make use of the camping area which has 50 sites. The camping and caravan sites are near the beach making them popular with fisherman.
Please check up on the malaria conditions before your trip and take the necessary precautions.
Bird checklist for Cape Vidal
Some of the birds that may be seen at Cape Vidal.
Scaly-throated Honeyguide
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Broad-billed Roller
African Pygmy-Kingfisher
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Red-chested Cuckoo
Green Malkoha
Livingstone's Turaco
African Wood-Owl
Buff-spotted Flufftail
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Sanderling
Curlew Sandpiper
African Jacana
Black-winged Stilt
Kittlitz's Plover
White-fronted Plover
Grey-headed Gull
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
Southern Banded Snake-Eagle
African Crowned Eagle
Yellow-billed Egret
Black-crowned Tchagra
Gorgeous Bush-Shrike
Woodwards' Batis
Black Saw-wing
Terrestrial Brownbul
Eastern Nicator
Lesser Swamp-Warbler
Willow Warbler
Rufous-winged Cisticola
Croaking Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Rudd's Apalis
Green-backed Camaroptera
Ashy Flycatcher
Brown Scrub-Robin
Dark-backed Weaver
Green Twinspot
Grey Waxbill
African Firefinch
Mountain Wagtail
References and further reading
Wild Issue 9 - Author: - Published: 2010 - Page: 47Wild Places of Natal - Author: Olive Shepherd - Published: 1989 - Page: 51
Where to see Birds in KwaZulu-Natal - Author: Bennett and Herbert - Published: 1995 - Page: 38
Top Birding Spots in Southern Africa - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 1992 - Page: 262
The Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa - Author: P. Briggs - Published: 2020 - Page: 159
Things to do in Moer & Gone Places - Author: Jacques Marais - Published: 2015 - Page: 29
The Dive Sites of South Africa - Author: Anton Koornhof - Published: 1992 - Page: 134
Road Tripping South Africa - Author: MapStudio - Published: 2014 - Page: 144
Readers Digest Illustrated Guide to Southern Africa - 4th edition - Author: - Published: 1986 - Page: 364
Maps of the Zululand and Maputaland Reserves - Author: Honeyguide Publications - Published: 2016 - Page: 8
go! Drive & Camp No 39 - Author: - Published: 2020 - Page: 28
Lighthouses of South Africa - Author: Gerald Hoberman - Published: 2009 - Page: 323
Country Life - Issue 246 - Author: - Published: 2017 - Page: 44
go! - Issue 135 - Author: - Published: 2017 - Page: 51
Chris and Tilde Stuarts Guide to Southern African Game and Nature Reserves - Author: Chris and Tilde Stuart - Published: 1989 - Page: 102
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
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