Pomene Lodge Hot

Pomene Lodge is situated in the quiet and peaceful area of Pomene Bay, here you cannot escape the rhythmic sound of the ocean nor miss seeing perfect sunsets over the estuary, and with virtually no solar pollution at night the sky’s really come alive.

Pomene Lodge is very popular within the South African market who like to self cater and camp in the extensive grounds or take advantage of the Lodge’s self catering accommodation as its easy for them to drive and bring their own provisions, for us, who are travelling a lot further and need to fly, we have 10 stunning Water Chalets situated on the beach of the estuary on a full board basis, a touch of rustic luxury.

The main building of Pomene Lodge hosts a reception, a shop, a bar, a reading area, restaurant, and beautiful infinity swimming pool with a shady terrace facing the estuary. The Dive Centre is located on the estuary side of the beach just a 2 minute stroll from the Water Chalets.

Please note due to its remote location there is no mains power at Pomene Lodge and electricity is generated only between the hours of 8am until 12pm, then again from 4pm until 10pm, but you do adapt to this routine very quickly.

The Water Chalets are built on stilts on the beach from local natural materials such as bamboo, wood and grass. They are in the perfect position to enjoy the sunset from the verandas, watch the dolphins when they swim in the estuary and the flocks of flamingos taking to flight, at high tide several chalets will have the estuary flowing gently below them, great for a snorkel, swim or paddle.

Spacious and illuminated by huge windows, the chalets are equip with mosquito nets, 2 fans, private bathroom, veranda with a table and chairs, plenty of room for clothes storage and a personal safe. Although air conditioning isn’t available the traditional construction and location of these buildings allow for plenty of ventilation and air circulation.

There are several options of reaching Inhambane (the closest international airport) depending from where your international flight is originating. If you are taking a few days or week in SA first on SharkWeek for example there is now a daily flight from Johannesburg to Inhambane, if you wish to fly as direct as you can from the UK you can fly into Maputo with Ethiopian Airways or TAP and then fly or drive up. As there are a few options available and we suggest this is discussed with your advisor to see what flying options best suit you.

Transfer time from Inhambane airport to Pomene Lodge is approximately 4 hours, during this time you will pass through 2 towns, several small villages and some of the most breathtaking and wild countryside you could imagine.

The restaurant sits in an elevated position on the beach overlooking the estuary with tables being both inside and out, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a good meal and take an evening drink whilst watching the amazing African sunsets.

Pomene Lodge is available on a full board basis only, the restaurant has an à la carte menu based on local fresh products, meats and fish, with this in mind not all dishes are always available, but what is will be fresh and seasonal.

Breakfast is served continental style with cereals, toast, fruits, breads and yoghurts, so if you’re planning on diving make sure you get in bright and early.

Lunch there’s choices such as toasted sandwiches, salads, burgers & fries and local fish dishes.

Dinner will have choices of fresh catch of the day, from game fish, large prawns and the wonderful local Blue estuary crab, to steaks, curries and sometimes even a traditional English roast.

As mentioned earlier nearly everything in the restaurant is prepared from fresh, not a potato is peeled until fries are ordered, be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes for your meals to be served, we are sure though that the meal, the view and the ambience more than compensates.

The Fish & Tackle bar is situated the other side of the infinity pool to the restaurant and is reached via a small rope bridge, it’s a small bar with a lovely atmosphere, seating is available both inside and out on the beach terrace.

The bar has a wide selection of international and local wines, beers and spirits, you can also grab a great coffee and sometimes a bar of chocolate or packet of crisps, isn’t it amazing what you miss when its not readily available.

There are a few activities available at the lodge if you don’t wish to dive or laze around the pool, these include horse riding, quad biking, guided walks in the mangrove with a local guide, a trip to the old hotel, fishing, canoe/kayak in the bay or even a sunset cruise. All activities are arranged locally on arrival.

Pomene has some great dive sites. There are three diving areas, Zambia Shoal (8 – 16 km from the north estuary mouth), Pomene Point (5 – 9 km from the south estuary mouth) and the estuary, at Pomene the RIBS are launched from estuary before making their way around the point into the open waters.

The diving day starts around 9am for the open sea dives but will be confirmed to you locally, here the pace of life is pretty slow and relaxed. During the morning you can take 2 dives before returning for lunch, when conditions permit an afternoon dive may also be available.

Pomene is blessed with an almost pristine estuary, which provides very interesting dives at high tide. The usual dive is a walk in from the dive centre, starting off on an artificial reef, with an amazing amount of life, a swim over the sand channel, and a slow drift along a sea grass bed. Once the tide changes it slowly brings you back to the dive centre. The maximum depth is only 6m, and the high tide usually brings good visibility. Highlights on this dive are 5 species of Seahorse, Pipefish, Razorfish, small Frogfish and a variety of molluscs and crustaceans, when the tide is right the site is excellent for a casual night dive.