Four-star rating for Wild Coast Sun

The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) has upgraded Sun International’s family-friendly Wild Coast Sun beachfront resort to four stars in the hotel category, following a range of upgrades and improvements recently made to the property.

The TGCSA is the only officially recognised quality assurance body for tourism products in South Africa. In its announcement, the organisation said, “We congratulate you and your team on this achievement, and we acknowledge your efforts to contribute to the sustainability of the Tourism Industry in South Africa through your commitment to quality assurance.”

First established in the 1970s on the Mtamvuna River border between the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, The Wild Coast Sun is Sun International’s only beachfront resort. From its earliest days as a casino and hotel, the property has grown into what is now an exciting beach resort with an endless array of fun activities for the entire family to enjoy.

“Visitors can walk from our property and right onto pristine white beaches that stretch for miles. And on that walk, they can even hunt for old relics that have washed up from old shipwrecks along the coast. This is a truly beautiful and unique part of South Africa and a great place to book a family holiday. There will be no time for the kids to get bored here.” – General Manager, Peter Tshidi

In addition to hotel and restaurant amenities, the TGCSA also considered the star quality of the broader resort and its activities. The comprehensive list of accolades includes:

• Resort Award
• Family Friendly Award
• Responsible Tourism Award
• Water Sports Award
• Cycling Friendly Award
• Equestrian Award
• Golfing Award
• Hiking Award
• Holistic Wellness Award
• Spas and Beauty Award

The resort’s conferencing facility was also upgraded to Four Stars. The Wild Coast Conference centre boasts 11 venues, offering a variety of exceptional settings.

Aside from the welcoming hospitality that can be experienced within the Wild Coast sun, The resort is the perfect family holiday destination. Flanked by the Indian Ocean, river, lagoon and 750 hectares of lush indigenous bush, the resort also boasts an R80-million water park, a games area for children, outdoor sports, an 18-hole championship golf course, a casino and a range of restaurants.

Accepting the award, The Wild Coast Sun GM Peter Tshidi said, “This award recognises the hard work we have invested in improving the property. Even during the lockdown, we were not idle, but all pulled together to ensure that the TGCSA would see our property‘s star quality.

The Wild Coast is an absolute tourism gem that deserves to recognised. Where else can you choose from deep-sea fishing, rock, surf, fly or spearfishing, scuba diving, hiking trails and horse rides on the beach? And there’s even a river and lagoon where you can paddle-boat, canoe or relax with cocktails on a river cruise.

“Visitors can walk from our property and right onto pristine white beaches that stretch for miles. And on that walk, they can even hunt for old relics that have washed up from old shipwrecks along the coast. This is a truly beautiful and unique part of South Africa and a great place to book a family holiday. There will be no time for the kids to get bored here.”

Sun International’s must-visit Wild Coast Sun beachfront resort is located 5km from Port Edward; the resort straddles the border between KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape provinces. It is a two-hour drive from Durban’s King Shaka International Airport and a 90-minute drive from Durban and a 30-minute drive from Margate Airport.

Tshidi pointed out that nature lovers can explore the natural forests and even pay a visit to the nearby Red Desert, a geographical phenomenon officially recognised as the smallest desert in the world and a national heritage site.

“My sincere thanks to all my staff and management who so ably assisted in achieving this amazing feat,” said Tshidi.