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<h2><b>NEED TO KNOW</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A new one-of-a-kind escape is coming to the African continent. Opening July 2026, Club Med South Africa Beach &amp; Safari marks the debut of the  brand in South Africa, a perfect combination of beach holiday and safari experience. Here’s what guests can look forward to:</span></p>
<p><span class="da_icon" style="font-weight: 400; display: flex; align-items: center;"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-144470" style="min-width: 30px; width: 30px; padding: 0px; aspect-ratio: 1/1; margin-left: 2rem; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/sunset.png" alt="" />Unspoilt beaches on the Indian Ocean’s Dolphin Coast</span><br />
<span class="da_icon" style="font-weight: 400; display: flex; align-items: center;"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-144470" style="min-width: 30px; width: 30px; padding: 0px; aspect-ratio: 1/1; margin-left: 2rem; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/biodiversity.png" alt="" />A private 18,000-hectare game reserve at Mpilo Safari Lodge, home to the Big Five</span><br />
<span class="da_icon" style="font-weight: 400; display: flex; align-items: center;"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-144470" style="min-width: 30px; width: 30px; padding: 0px; aspect-ratio: 1/1; margin-left: 2rem; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/sea-1.png" alt="" />Club Med’s first ever surf school</span><br />
<span class="da_icon" style="font-weight: 400; display: flex; align-items: center;"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-144470" style="min-width: 30px; width: 30px; padding: 0px; aspect-ratio: 1/1; margin-left: 2rem; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/buffet.png" alt="" />All-inclusive dining, activities, and family programs for every age</span><br />
<span class="da_icon" style="font-weight: 400; display: flex; align-items: center;"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-144470" style="min-width: 30px; width: 30px; padding: 0px; aspect-ratio: 1/1; margin-left: 2rem; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/booking.png" alt="" />Debuting in July 2026, bookings open from 14 October 2025</span></p>
<h3><b>WHERE IN SOUTH AFRICA IS IT LOCATED?</b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The upcoming resort is located along KwaZulu-Natal’s Dolphin Coast, just 30 minutes from King Shaka International Airport and less than an hour from Durban. The property will span 32 hectares of pristine coastline. That allows guests to enjoy the rolling dunes, lush coastal forests, and vast sandy beaches, creating a breathtaking backdrop for a vacation unlike any other. Depending on the season, dolphins and whales can be spotted offshore, adding a unique natural experience.</span></p>
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				<a href='https://staging.destinasian.com/partner-content/pioneering-a-leap-into-south-africa/club-med-south-africa-beach-safari-safari-lodge-artist-impression-2/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="500" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-safari-lodge-artist-impression-2-1024x683.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large" alt="Stay in comfort at the heart of the wilderness at Mpilo Safari Lodge." aria-describedby="gallery-1-148002" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-safari-lodge-artist-impression-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-safari-lodge-artist-impression-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-safari-lodge-artist-impression-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-safari-lodge-artist-impression-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" style="width:100%;height:66.67%;max-width:1200px;" /></a>
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				Stay in comfort at the heart of the wilderness at Mpilo Safari Lodge.
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				<a href='https://staging.destinasian.com/partner-content/pioneering-a-leap-into-south-africa/club-med-south-africa-beach-safari-big-five/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="500" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-Big-Five-1024x683.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large" alt="Explore a private 18,000-hectare game reserve at Mpilo Safari Lodge—home to Africa’s legendary Big Five." aria-describedby="gallery-1-148000" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-Big-Five-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-Big-Five-300x200.jpg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-Big-Five-768x512.jpg 768w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-Big-Five.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" style="width:100%;height:66.67%;max-width:1200px;" /></a>
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				Explore a private 18,000-hectare game reserve at Mpilo Safari Lodge—home to Africa’s legendary Big Five.
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				<a href='https://staging.destinasian.com/partner-content/pioneering-a-leap-into-south-africa/club-med-south-africa-beach-safari-pool/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="500" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-pool-1024x683.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large" alt="Unwind by the resort&#039;s pool." aria-describedby="gallery-1-148001" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-pool-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-pool-300x200.jpg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-pool-768x512.jpg 768w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Club-Med-South-Africa-Beach-Safari-pool.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" style="width:100%;height:66.67%;max-width:1200px;" /></a>
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				Unwind by the resort&#8217;s pool.
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="dropcap">C</span>lub Med South Africa Beach &amp; Safari brings Club Med’s signature all-inclusive spirit to one of the most culturally rich and ecologically diverse corners of the world. The resort claims to represent a new standard for global explorers with architecture that blends into the landscape, interiors inspired by Zulu influences, and experiences that range from wellness to wildlife.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Club Med&#8217;s new South Africa Beach &amp; Safari resort offers a wide range of luxurious accommodations, with a total of 411 rooms and suites. Choose from 345 spacious rooms (Superior and Deluxe options), or upgrade to one of 66 Ilanga Exclusive Collection Suites for a more intimate holiday experience</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The accommodations are designed with light wood, natural stone, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Family-friendly layouts, private terraces, and décor inspired by the coast make  it a welcoming stay for all ages. Along with the wonders of nature, guests can enjoy:</span></p>
<p><span class="da_icon" style="font-weight: 400; display: flex; align-items: center;"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-144470" style="min-width: 30px; width: 30px; padding: 0px; aspect-ratio: 1/1; margin-left: 2rem; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/swimming-man.png" alt="" />Four swimming pools, including a main pool at the heart of the village, a serene Zen pool for adults, a lively family pool area, and an exclusive pool reserved for the Exclusive Collection Ilanga section.</span><br />
<span class="da_icon" style="font-weight: 400; display: flex; align-items: center;"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-144470" style="min-width: 30px; width: 30px; padding: 0px; aspect-ratio: 1/1; margin-left: 2rem; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/restaurant.png" alt="" />Two restaurants, including Oceana for global cuisine and Nguni Gourmet Club for South African specialties.</span><br />
<span class="da_icon" style="font-weight: 400; display: flex; align-items: center;"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-144470" style="min-width: 30px; width: 30px; padding: 0px; aspect-ratio: 1/1; margin-left: 2rem; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/cocktail.png" alt="" /><span style="font-weight: 400;">Five distinctive bars and a coffee shop for all-day treats</span>.</span></p>
<h4><b>ARCHITECTURE</b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Designed by renowned South African firm Craft of Architecture, the resort reflects a collaborative process that blends local expertise with the brand’s signature sensibility. The result is a series of open, modern-style lodgings seamlessly integrated into the surrounding landscape. Interiors have been shaped by a partnership between Mobius, a Durban-based studio, and MHNA, the Parisian atelier of Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet, a long-standing Club Med collaborator. Together, they have created a contemporary beachfront resort with subtle nods to Zulu culture, from graphic motifs and handwoven textiles to raw natural materials and an earthy palette.</span></p>
<h5><b>THE SAFARI EXPERIENCE</b></h5>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Guests can take a short flight or drive to take part in a safari experience within Mpilo Safari Lodge. Here guests can come face-to-face with Africa’s Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and Cape buffalo — within a vast private reserve. Here, 75 premium safari tents are equipped with modern comforts, a swimming pool, restaurant, adult lounge, family-friendly activities, and a kids&#8217; zone. Daily guided safaris are led by expert rangers with special programs designed for children.</span></p>
<h6><b>SPORT AND WELLNESS </b></h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Club Med invites  guests to embrace the island’s spirit of vitality through a wealth of outdoor pursuits. At the Surf School (the first in Club Med’s history), professional instructors guide adults and children (from age six and above), through the waves with confidence. On land, the adventure continues with gravel biking across sugarcane fields and coastal trails, padel courts, and even the thrill of the flying trapeze. Balancing the energy of exploration, the resort’s wellness centre offers a haven of calm, complete with spa treatments, a hammam, and open-air palapas where yoga sessions unfold by the sea.</span></p>
<h6><b>FAMILY FUN</b></h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">True to the Club Med spirit, families are at the heart of the resort, with kids’ clubs available for younger guests, starting from four months old. The  Amazing Family! program offers shared activities, and a dedicated family pool area that allows guests to make the most of the vacation together.</span></p>
<h6><b>COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY</b></h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Built on a former sugarcane plantation, the resort embraces eco-sensitivity with green roofs, natural ventilation, solar canopies, and water-saving systems. Partnering with local farmers through Agrisud NGO and maintaining strict biodiversity protection has enabled the preservation of dune forests and wetlands. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The resort is also aligned with the Bye-Bye Plastics programme, Club Med’s signature drive to eliminate single-use plastics at all its Resorts.</span></p>
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