Access to a reliable boat is critical to a visitor’s enjoyment of The Sanctuary as this is the quickest way of accessing the many wonderful facets of the peninsula. While boats can be hired form The Sanctuary, most private homes have their own boats. Two engines per boat are essential if going out to sea.
4 wheel drive vehicles are necessary to traverse the soft sand of The Sanctuary’s terrestrial areas. Most homes have their own vehicles but some visitors have no need for vehicles if their holidays are marine oriented.
The Sanctuary vehicles are used for managing the conservation area, and are not equipped to transport guests or their luggage. Please contact Dugong Lodge for hiring a vehicle.
Private boats and vehicles may not be rented out.
It is essential that all vessels and vehicles are sea- and roadworthy (check spare tyre and jack). 2-way radios on boats are essential and it is strongly recommended that cell phones are taken along on any expedition. One of the special features of The Sanctuary is its unpredictability and wildness. This can on occasion carry risks and unforeseen circumstances should be planned for proactively before setting out.
moving around
by boat
distance table
| From | To | Approx Time (Minutes) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vilanculous | The Sanctuary | 25-45 | Depends on destination / weather / tides |
| The Sanctuary | Bangue Island | 15 | 2km circuit beach walk. Pansy shells |
| The Sanctuary | Magaruque island | 30 | Good snorkelling |
| The Sanctuary | Benguerra island | 60 | |
| The Sanctuary | Pansy Island 2 Mile Reef | 80 | Fantastic snorkelling at medium to low tide |
| The Sanctuary | Santa Carolina / Paradise Island | 120 | Interesting Island. Deserted hotel. Good snorkelling. |
| Sanctuary Mainland | Nyati Sand Spits | 20-30 | Exceptional unlimited beach walk. Surf swimming. |
by road
Distance table in kilometres.
Time based on the shortest route between two points.
| FROM | Sanctuary Office | Mazarette | Worlds View | Marape Gate | Dugong Lodge | Lake None | Lighthouse | Ocean View | Marape Zone | Chingonguene | Clinic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanctuary Office | 0 | 20 | 40 | 30 | 5 | 40 | 70 | 70 | 35 | 40 | 90 |
| Mazarette | 20 | 0 | 30 | 50 | 20 | 60 | 80 | 60 | 45 | 45 | 100 |
| Worlds View | 40 | 30 | 0 | 45 | 45 | 60 | 80 | 60 | 45 | 20 | 100 |
| Marape Gate | 30 | 50 | 45 | 0 | 35 | 30 | 45 | 45 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Dugong Lodge | 5 | 20 | 45 | 35 | 0 | 45 | 70 | 70 | 40 | 20 | 90 |
| Lake None | 40 | 60 | 60 | 30 | 45 | 0 | 30 | 30 | 50 | 34 | 80 |
| Lighthouse | 70 | 80 | 80 | 45 | 70 | 30 | 0 | 30 | 60 | 90 | 100 |
| Ocean View | 70 | 60 | 60 | 45 | 70 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 70 | 60 | 100 |
| Marape Zone | 35 | 45 | 45 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 0 | 60 | 100 |
| Chingonguene | 40 | 45 | 20 | 30 | 20 | 34 | 90 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 90 |
| Clinic | 90 | 100 | 100 | 30 | 90 | 80 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 90 | 0 |
reef coordinates
| Name of Reef | GPS coordinates | Depth | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brindle Bass | S21 30’12.4 E35 29’23.9 |
Max. depth: 17m | Soft corals and featuring lots of caves and overhangs. Has a strong current. Large numbers of snappers, angelfish, rubber lips here and keep a look out for brindle bass, reef sharks, kingfish and eagle rays. |
| The Potholes | S21 31’17.6 E35 29’35.2 |
5 – 12m | Dive on a low tide only in good weather. A great place for black tail reef sharks and nurse sharks, which hang around the caves, potholes and overhangs. Potholes 35m in diameter. |
| Turtle Ridge | S21 31’36.4 E35 29’42.9 |
Avg. depth 14m | Great for photographers, a flat narrow coral reef excellent for turtles. Lots of reef fish including parrot fish and snappers as well as game fish like barracuda. |
| Greek Temple | S21 36’49.6 E35 30’15.2 |
12 – 18m | A great dive with caves and overhangs. Best dived at low tide allowing lovely light for photographers. |
| 5 Mile Reef | S21 47’10.6 E35 29’49.4 |
8 – 20m | Not as diverse as 2 mile reef but a good location for spotting the large pelagics and Zambezi sharks. Exploring caves and swimthroughs. |
| 2 Mile Reef | S21 48’14.7 E035 30’20.1 |
10 – 22m | Aquarium of 1-9m, excellent snorkelling on 2.5m tide |
| Magaruque | S21 57’46.5 E035 25’35.4 |
Avg. depth: 6m Max. depth: 14m |
|
| Marline Pinnacle | S22 01’00.1 E035 33’11 |
Avg. depth: 30m Max. depth: 37m |
|
| Baluba | S22 02’32.7 E035 31’28.6 |
8 – 15m | Rocky reef with many hiding holes for morays and crustaceans and ideal location for scorpion fish. |
| Allan’s Realm | S22 07’04.0 EO35 33’57.2 |
20 – 32m | Two pinnacles. Giant guitar sharks, manta rays, schools of barracudas, reef sharks and hammerhead sharks. |
| Camel Humps | S22 08’43.1 EO35 34’04.1 |
14 – 40m | Two twin pinnacles separated by a canyon. |
| Pinnacles | S22 10’15.3 EO35 34’09.2 |
14 – 40m | Large canyons between reefs with large caves. Rays and groupers prominent |
| Amphitheatre | S22 11’45.0 E35 33’51.8 |
Rich reef life, with large mantas and bull sharks. |