The holiday fun in going to Ponta do Ouro, really starts a long time before reaching the little Portuguese village. Leaving Johannesburg, you will only reach Ponta some 600 kilometers further taking the route to Middelburg, Ermelo and Piet Retief. Here the scenery changes rather dramatically to include many forests on the way to Pongola. From Pongola going southwards on the N2, you would take the Jozini dam turnoff into Pondoland and that would really be the last of any good roads as the road from here to the little town of Emangusi, is much worked on with many deviations making for slow travelling. The landscape, however, is interesting and the environment is turning into the real Africa.
You are bound to see real African 'butcher shops' along the road where carcasses are butchered and sold along the side of the road among other things. The little town of Emangusi is a bustling little place with much activity as this is the last town in the vicinity. You will fork off to Mozambique while the other road leads to Kosi Bay. The road up to the border is already a warning of what will come having reached the border. The border procedure is really rather simple and pleasant, but the road beyond the border is a deep sanded track all the way to Ponta. To the kids the real fun of the trip really started with the road from Jozini culminating in an exciting 4x4 experience in the last 40 kilometers or so, but also in the real African activities of Emangusi where you will need to stock up for your rented beach house. There is not much to be had in terms of foodstuff in Ponta itself, other than the basics.
Having reached your ponto do ouro beach house beach house some 40 minutes later you are bound to say: "Wow, this has all been worth it. I'll do it again!" And the kids would agree if you can find them!
If you want to find out more regarding Ponta do Ouro and other similar issues, visit the website http://www.pontadoouroinfo.com