Perspective: Before the goose flies the coop

We visited Cape Vidal this past weekend with some friends for the opening of the crayfish season. Piet is an avid crayfisher and while I am allergic to the spiky cockroaches of the sea, they are always a crowd-pleaser.

The place itself was spectacular. White powder sand dunes, crystal clear water and wide open spaces.

Step off the beach and into your log cabin and the dream shatters.

I have been to Vidal a few times and I knew it was going to be very basic. I am the type of happy camper who loves the ‘rustic vibe’.

Before children we hiked and camped across South Africa and into the neighbouring countries.

I have slept on the ground and under the stars, had bucket showers and cooked my own two-minute noodles over a tiny gas stove many times.

So old, faded and even shabby doesn’t phase me.

Gross neglect however, really sticks in my throat.

This is one of KZN’s premier destinations. Yet the cabins were filthy and neglected.

Cape Vidal lies within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site about 30km north of the town of St Lucia. If you want to go there you have only two options: camping or the log cabins.

The cabins are booked out long in advance so it would appear Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is making a killing from the rentals.

We had a five- and a six-sleeper between two families and they were equally filthy. Cockroach poo in all the cupboards, broken tiles on the floor and above the sink, leaks in the roof, a stove that literally shocked you, only one of two microwaves worked, grime in the showers and a layer of soap on all the crockery so thick we had to rewash them all before using them.

Both cabins only had ceiling fans in two of the rooms and it was stiflingly hot without them.

A quick browse on TripAdvisor showed that we were not alone in our distaste. Visitors are telling people to avoid Vidal at all costs.

Personally I was horrified. Not so much with the filth (and that was bad enough) but more about what that said of the management of this incredibly special place.

It was as if nobody cared, which makes me wonder how well the game reserve is being looked after?

Is all the talk by government about how important tourism is just lip service?

Tourism is supposed to be our goose that lays the golden egg.

By the look of things at Vidal, no one is bothering to invest any golden egg back into the upkeep of the ‘resort’ as they have the nerve to call it.

Thankfully we did have one experience that gave us some hope.

We spent a night in the Mpila Camp at Hluhluwe iMfolozi Game Reserve on the way up to Vidal and the difference was amazing.

While the rooms were simple, you could feel the elbow grease that had gone into keeping them spotless.

The once pothole-riddled roads of the reserve have been re-tarred and we had some wonderful sightings (spotting the rarely seen wild dogs was such a thrill).

If KZN is serious about attracting tourists who would traditionally have gone to Cape Town or Kruger, then places like Cape Vidal need to be given the attention they are now desperately in need of.

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