2023 Rates DIVING / GEAR rental

Please note rates are subject to change with fluctuations in Rand / Met exchange
This is based on the exchange of 3.5

• 6500 mets / R 1858.00 : Discover Scuba
• 24 000 mets / R 6858.00 : Open water Scuba Course
• 23 500 mets / R 6715.00 : Advanced Scuba Course
• 23 000 mets / R 6572.00 : Rescue Scuba Course
• 1500 mets / R 430.00 : Instructor Fee
• 400 mets / R 115.00 : REEF tax – per week
• 1100 mets / R 315.00 : Passenger on dive boat – No diving
• 9 000 mets / R 2572.00 : Boat Rental
• 2000 mets / R 572.00 : Refresher course / if not dived in 12 months
• 2550 mets / R 730.00 : Wild Dolphin Ocean Safari – includes snorkel gear & reef tax
• 2000 mets / R 572.00 : Priority given – Pre Paid Dives / each – Both Open water and advanced divers
• 2000 mets /R 572.00 : Dives paid in the resort
• 1200 mets / R 343.00 : Free Diving
• 1350 mets / R 386.00 : Full Kit hire
• 230 mets / R 66.00 : Mask
• 230 mets / R 66.00 : Fins
• 320 mets / R 92.00 : Cylinder rental per dive
• 300 mets / R 86.00 : Air Fill
• 270 mets / R 77.00: BC rental per dive
• 270 mets / R 77.00 : Regulator rental per dive
• 230 mets / R 66.00 : Weight belt rental per dive
• 230 mets / R 66.00 : Wet suit rental per dive
• 450 mets /R 130.00 : COMPULSORY Reef tax for the week.

Fazazela / Kosi Bay Border

TAKE TYRE PRESSURE DOWN TO AT LEAST 1.5 BAR

It is also a GREAT idea to fill up your car at the last petrol stop : The TOTAL garage in Manguzi / Kosi Bay.
Please have your car registration papers ready.
These MUST be original and CERTIFIED by the commissioner of oaths forms.
These state the VIN number or chassis number and the engine number.
The license disc on the car windscreen also reflects these numbers.

Once through police check, have your passport and drivers license card ready.

On Mozambique side of border, to your left is a small immigration building. Here you will fill in the car import paper work.

Proceed then to one of the insurance huts it will be R250 for 3rd party insurance which you are obliged to take.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has implemented new regulations that require drivers of cars with South African-registered plates to carry certified documents proving ownership. This new requirement will be implemented at all South African border posts, according to Vishnu Naidoo, SAPS head: Media Communications.

The certified documents should include:

• A certified copy of vehicle registration/vehicle license papers which must be presented at the border posts.
• A letter from the bank giving authorisation to take the vehicle across the border and must indicate dates of travel.
• Both the bank letter and license papers should be signed by a Commissioner of Oaths.

If the driver of the vehicle is not the owner of the vehicle:

• An affidavit from the police giving authorisation from the financial institution/owner to take the vehicle abroad is required.

If the car is rented:

• The driver must have a letter from the rental company giving permission to take the vehicle out of the country.

Regulations do change, and a customs officer advises SA travellers to check with the SA Auto Club on border regulation updates.

PLEASE BE SURE TO STAMP YOUR PASSPORT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER..MOZ AND SA !!

GPS co-ordinates for Ponta Malongane

S26°47’22.9″ E32°53’16.3″

 

Border Transfer times

If you wish to bring your own 4×4 across the border.. please let us know.. so we are able to send relevant info regards this.

Border transfer times are: 10 am or 2 pm

We often suggest to guests to take a relaxed drive to Pongola on the previous day, Which is about 5 hours from Johannesburg or Pretoria…overnight here on route… we will suggest a great B&B …then take the easy 2 and a half hour drive to border early the next morning.

Thus able to meet the 10 am transfer..

Please let us know ASAP if you want this option.

OR drive through the night, Leaving Jhb at 12pm ..to make the border by 8am ..its opening time .. this is if you are bringing your own car over the border.

OR

Leave Jhb / PTA no later than 5am for the 2 pm transfer

PLEASE let us know what you decide regards the above so I am able to plan your transfer times accordingly.

Please do let us know if you have any more questions / or need any more assistance on explore@halogaia.com

 

PLEASE: Once at the border.. You need to ensure you have ALL passports ready to be stamped on BOTH sides of the border.. SA and MOZAMBIQUE.

Please once stamped take a look at stamped pages of the passport.
Make sure you actually see the stamps and that are dated correctly.
All children under 18 to have ALL official letters and UN Abridged Birth certificates.

If you have pre-arranged a border transfer you are welcome, if border not too busy,  to ask the SA officials if you may drive your  car over to MOZ side and unload luggage directly onto the transfer vehicles, then only the driver need  take your car back to SA side. And park and sign car in to lock up… it is 5 min walk back to border..

The border officials on MOZ side do get sticky about the amount of alcohol and meat brought over the border..
THUS please do not pack more than the suggested amount.

PLEASE BE SURE TO STAMP YOUR PASSPORT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER..MOZ AND SA!

 

Halo Gaia is simply assisting with the management of this service for a local self-employed family. It is therefore important you please provide ALL the below details – at the time of your booking.

• Arrival Date
• Arrival Time
• Departure Date
• Departure Time
• Where you will be staying – RESORT / Estate and unit numbers too

Transfer / return – is only CONFIRMED on email notice of FULL payment

R 250.00 per person – return
R 400.00 per trailer – return
The trailer return rate – is ONLY if you are also booking passengers to transfer
R 300.00 per trailer – ONE WAY – If there are no passengers

The driver will always be parked near the Moz stamping station / Moz side of border . It will usually be either a BLUE – IZUZU double cab OR BLUE – IZUZU SUV

Driver name : Aaron  – I will update details of car & driver if this should change

PLEASE keep in contact with COURTNEY via WhatsApp +27 73 544 1485.

This is please for on route travel purpose / change of arrival plans / delays ONLY

Respectfully – The WhatsApp option is NOT for last minute planning – as ALL your necessary info is on this document and would have been sent in EMAIL correspondence.

There is a shopping centre in Ballito to buy supplies, along with a bottle store. Please be sure to have a good road map in hand in conjunction with these directions!

• From King Shaka Airport take N2 to Stanger,  proceed to the Hluhluwe turnoff,
• Leave Highway here DO NOT DRIVE TO JOZINI
• Drive through the small town of Hluhluwe
• follow the R22 Coastal Forest Road
• (there are MANY traffic circles and speed bumps of different sizes )
• KEEP GOING until you reach a large and final circle ( you cannot go straight only left or right ) saying Jozini to left and Kwangnanse to right
• Turn RIGHT. This is the road to Mangusi / Kosi Bay – but it is not signposted as such.  However if you ask the locals along the route they will confirm you are on the road to Mangusi. Or KOSI BAY
• Travel through the town of Mangusi, this road will take you to the Farazela or Kosi Bay border.

Time wise it is about 4.5 hours – 5 hours depending on stops from King Shaka Airport to the Border.

Parking

Safe Secure lock up paid for (aprox R40 per day) parking 100M on the left side before the border. Drive up to the border and off load luggage and passengers and then drive back and Park

Border Transfers

Border transfer times INN are 9h30am 13h30pm sharp. Border Transfer OUT on the Sunday is 13h00 and o the Monday at 09h00. (These will have been booked in advance through the office)

Plus minus another 1 hour from the border to Halo Gaia Camp in 4×4 pick up.

• IF you are running late please contact (call but best SMS) Courtney in Mozambique 00258 844 55 4319 who will call ahead for you. BUT you run the risk of waiting at the border for a long while for another transfer if you miss your booked transfer!
• You will be charged a R50 penalty should you miss your border transfers another vehicle needs to be sent to collect you, generally the pick up will allow for ½ hour grace time.
• Drive safely!
• JHB N17 HIGHWAY TO Springs.
• Highway will take you all the way to ERMELO. This is a TOLL Road.
• In ERMELO look for the N2 TO PIET RETIEF.
• FROM THE N2, GO THROUGH PONGOLA.
• FROM PONGOLA, 47 KM’S TURN LEFT TO JOZINI DAM.
• AT JOZINI, TAKE THE LEFT FORK TO KOSI BAY AND NOT TO SODWANA BAY. GO OVER DAM WALL.
• There are small potholes on this road.
• CONTINUE ON THIS ROAD TOWARDS KOSI BAY

AT T-JUNCTION TURN RIGHT TO TRAVEL FURTHER TO KOSI BAY.

• PASS THROUGH THE TOWN OF MANGUZI / KOSI BAY,
• KEEP STRAIGHT TOWARDS THE BORDER.
• WE WILL COLLECT YOU AT THE BORDER WITH 4X4 – PLEASE PARK YOUR VEHICLE ON THE “SA” SIDE AT PARKING AREA AND WAIT ON THE MOZAMBIQUE SIDE FOR US.
• If the border is particularly busy due to a peak season time, do not, if you are not taking your own car over the border but awaiting a transfer, wait in the long queue of cars – drive as close as you can to gates, even if this means to drive on the verge unpack bags. Wait with bags while one of you goes to park your car in lock up. Walk bags over the border, this will save you a lot of time.
• NB: RETURN JOURNEY Mark 85km from leaving the border to turn off.
• PLEASE TURN LEFT ONTO THE ROAD TO JOZINI.
• Look for the following road marks as the sign posting is very poor.
• At MAKATINI MOTOR SPARES, MASA ILEAH SUPERMARKET..Old TOTAL garage and thatch roof market..TURN LEFT
• THIS IS AT THE same T-JUNCTION INTERSECTION:  WHEN YOU originally travelled from JOSINI TO KOSI BAY.
• THE DRIVE FROM JHB – KOSI BAY TAKES APPROXIMATELY 8 – 9 HOURS

IMPORTANT NOTICE

PLEASE BE EXCEPTIONALY ALERT FOR LIVE STOCK ANIMALS, COWS & GOATS ON THE ROAD ESPECIALLY ONCE YOU REACH PIET RETIEF, PONGOLA & JOZINI.

Please be sure to have a good road map in hand in conjunction with these written directions. And most importantly In~joy the journey & safe travel.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TAKE YOUR TYRE PRESSURE DOWN TO AT LEAST 1.5 bar

We usually do this in last town MANGUZI – 15 to 20 km from the border you are then able to take a SLOW drive to the border and not need deflate at the border..

PLEASE also Fill your car with fuel at this station / fuel is more costly in Mozambique and keep in contact with Courtney on route via SMS -+ 258 844 55 4319 or WhatsApp + 27 73 544 1485. We will thus know when you are at the border and when to expect you in camp.

Once at the border IMPORTANT TO MAKE sure you stamp your passports on both the SA and Moz sides of border PLEASE ensure to CHECK THE STAMPS. 

DO YOU HAVE A GPS ? Co-ordinates to Malongane Village & resort : S26°47’22.9″ E32°53’16.3″

Once through the 2^nd border gates, you will note the NEW tarred road. This Road will take you to Maputo and Ponta Do Oura ONLY. Ponta Malongane will still require 4×4 access.

Take the tarred road  – until you get to the first traffic circle. Take the First exit OUT of circle – turning LEFT.

Continue the tarred road for a few km until you see a very small inconspicuous sign. PONTA MALONGANE – Turn LEFT here – NOW onto the sandy tracks.

Best advice is to stick with middle roads. There are many tracks; it seems confusing, but embrace the adventure!
AVOID any extreme left or right turns. Signs are not great but follow the intermittent blue and white signs that say Ponta Malongane / Wakene. Journey to camp can take as much as 40 min.

You will pass a small school on left and then approach an inland lake – Lake Sugi. Follow the road around the lake into the Malongane Village.

Once in Village pass craft markets on your right and follow road past Tartaruga gate and road will take you right to the reception gates of PARQUE DE MALONGANE.

Here at reception.. present your printed confirmation vouchers. I will send this to you separately.

REGULATIONS for Travelling with children under 18

Please see below the details for bringing children under 18 years over the Kosi Bay Border :

• Valid Passport / at least 6 months
• Un Abridged Birth certificate / reflects names of BOTH biological parents
• Certified Copy of BOTH Parents ID document
• The attached official letter from HOME AFFAIRS – signed by BOTH parents and certified

Optional extra – But we do recommend it – An affidavit by both parents / reflecting dates of travel / certified.

• BOTH above letters – are to state dates of travel / Arrival & Departure dates.
• If a Parent has passed away – A death certificate should be included.
• If a parent has never been present in the life of the child – an exemption letter can be acquired at the Home Affairs office – They do even offer an UNABRIDGED birth certificate without the name of absent life parent .

DOWNLOAD PARENTAL CONSENT AFFADAVIT

Vehicles:

• Vehicle Registration/ Licence Papers (all vehicles and trailers)
• 3rd party Insurance (one can buy it at the border or at the Total Garage in Kosi Bay for R 150.00)
• Letter from Insurance Company stating vehicle is insured for travelling in Mozambique
• Letter from owner (or bank) granting permission to cross the border
• ZAR decal on vehicle (Blue triangle decal on tow vehicle)
• Reflective vest!
• 2 x Triangles
• Tyre emergency inflator
• Spare keys
• Drivers Licence
• Passport

We would suggest you fill your car in Kosi Bay/Manguzi before entering the border. Ponta do Ouro has a gas station, but their fuel is very expensive.

Malaria:

Southern Mozambique is a very low risk malaria area, we do advise you to consult your physician. There is a clinic in Ponta Do Ouro and a hospital in Manguzi, the last town on the SA side. There is also a lovely efficient local pharmacy in Ponta do Ouro.
Visa/Border:

• South African Passport holders don’t need a Visa!
• Foreign passport holders can obtain their Visa at the border and the cost is +- R 890.00 , if you prefer to get your Visa before arriving in Mozambique you may go visit your closest Mozambique Consulate.
  Johannesburg: 011 327 2942
  Pretoria: 012 401 0300
  Durban: 031 304 0200
  Cape Town: 021 426 2944
• Alcohol : You may bring in 1 ltrs Spirits and 2.25 ltrs of wine.
• ATM – You can draw money in Ponta do Ouro, but you will receive cash in meticais.
• Kosi Bay border post and Ponta de Ouro is 10kms from the border.
• GPS coordinates for Kosi Bay border post: -26.864252,32.829391
• Car Lock-up area for those that don’t have 4×4 and using a border transfer – Available on the South African side of the border @ about R50.00 per day per vehicle. All vehicles are under 24-hour guard.
• Border Time: 08h00 – 17h00
• Travel time:
  Approx. 7-8 hours from Gauteng.
  Approx. 5-6 hours from Durban.
• Boats / Jet skis:
  Private boats, Jet skis and spear fisherman all need permits to be able to launch or fish. These permits can be obtained at the Maritime offices opposite Coco Rico on your far right. Jet Skies are only allowed for fishing and not for fun – we pride ourselves in living in harmony and responsibly with our surroundings.Launch permits 800mts
  Fishing permits 400mts
  Passenger permits 200mts
  Spearfishing permits 600mts

Currency:

The local currency is meticais and generally they work on an exchange rate of R1 = 3meticais / 3.5meticais. Rands are however accepted at all shops and restaurants. Ponta Do Ouro has a local bank.

Shopping:

Ponta Do Ouro has a bank, bottle store, pharmacy, surf shops, fishing tackle shop, butchery, hardware store, petrol station, internet cafe, supermarket, (limited) craft and curio market and a colourful food market where you can buy fruit and veg grown locally, alcohol, cigarettes, airtime, prawns, cashews, bread, etc.

Water:

Bring your own drinking water.

Fun Activities:

• There are numerous dive sites and coral reefs. This is a tourist destination to please any person interested in scuba diving, deep sea fishing, snorkelling, swimming on white sand beaches. Both Ponta Malongane as well as Ponta Do ouro offer diving experiences with qualified Dive Centres, we recommend Gozo-Azul. Swimming with the Dolphins is one of the major attractions of this area, we recommend the Dolphin Research Centre in Ponta D’oura. Surf fishing is good from the beach and local Deep Sea fishing Companies offer stunning fishing opportunities and can be arranged.
• Turtles lay their eggs between Nov and February on our beaches which you can witness if you take a calm stroll on the beach after dark. The hatchlings make their way to the ocean from Jan-March. Please never disturb the when they come out to lay eggs and refrain from touching them / their hatchlings at all times.
• Humpback and Southern Right Whale sightings are magnificent from July to Nov. Pods of dolphins can been seen all year round.
• Quad bikes, surf boards and kite surf boards can be hired, and lessons are available in Ponta Do Ouro.
  About Ponta do Ouro (Point of Gold):There are many different stories as to the origin of the name, from a sunken ship carrying gold bars, to a beautiful golden sunrise. The historical truth might never be known, but the modern day value of what is one of the most beautiful and unspoiled bays in the world, can certainly lay claim to golden treasures.Ponta do Oura consists of few accommodation resorts, private houses, a Petrol Station (Petrol/Diesel), a local market and curio centre, local pubs/restaurants and the main campsite overlooking the boat launch beach.If you do bring meat along, it must be vacuum packed. Bring all groceries with you, including long life milk. Fresh bread is available every day.

Climate:

The months from November to April are characterised by warm temperatures accompanied by relatively high humidity levels whereas the winter months are moderate to warm with much lower levels of humidity.

The warm waters of the “Mozambique Current” flow southwards from Madagascar to within 10 Kms of the coastline. The sea temperature generally tracks the land temperature and will go up to 28 degrees in the summer months and down to 21 degrees C in the winter months. This is an ideal ecosystem for the vast number of species of game and reef fish, dolphins, whales and turtles that traverse this area as well as for all of the other activities suited to an “all year round” warm water location.