Fodor's Expert Review Bulungula Lodge

This Fair Trade lodging (Bulungula's only lodge) is owned by the local community, which is not an uncommon thing on the Wild Coast, but what makes it different is that the local people are fully integrated in the running of the lodge. Accommodations are in traditional rondavels (round thatched huts) overlooking the lagoon and ocean with simple furnishings: a bed, a table, and a stick suspended from the roof on which to hang clothes. The eco-friendly, odor-free composting toilets and paraffin-fired hot showers are communal and situated in colorfully decorated thatched buildings. Meals are served in a large lounge-cum-bar, where you can engage in long discussions. You can use the cooking facilities, but far more appealing (and delicious) are the generous, simple, well-cooked meals on offer. A shuttle is available from a pick-up point just outside Mthatha and from closer destinations (where there is safe parking). If you are self-driving, you can find a detailed map on the Bulungula website (and you are warned to follow it very carefully). Guided trips include canoeing, cultural tours, horseback riding, and a 37-km (23-mile) walk to Coffee Bay via Hole-in-the-Wall, but you can opt for a full-body massage, learn traditional fishing skills, or simply hang out and drink home-brewed beer in the village, sitting on the grass and getting to know the residents.