Aliwal Dive Centre Lodge, Umkomaas

7.6
4 Reviews

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Aliwal Dive Centre Lodge Reviews

As the name suggests, Aliwal Dive Centre Lodge caters for the diving fraternity with world-class diving here at Aliwal Shoal. This lodge is one of a handful backpacker hostels between Durban and Port Shepstone offering backpacker accommodation mainly for surfers along the south coast of KwaZulu Natal.

The Location

Umkomaas is fifty kilometers from Durban and seventy-five kilometers from Port Shepstone and -- via the many dive centres here -- gives the easiest access to some great diving. Aliwal Dive Centre is on Moodie Street, just a short, three-minute walk from the beach and a thirty-minute boat ride out to most of the dive sites.

Rooms and Bathrooms

There are around a dozen rooms here; all are clean and well-kept. The six-bed dorm we occupied is en suite with a small but tidy bathroom. Soap and towels are provided here. The dorm has a balcony with a warning to keep the door closed when the room isn't occupied due to thieving monkeys! The bunks are comfy and there is locker space for your belongings.

Common Spaces

There is very little in the way of common space. A terrace at the front of the dive centre looks out onto the car park and small swimming pool and features a long wooden dining table and some cushioned chairs and sofas. When we stayed, on a Saturday, the Dive Centre shut in mid-afternoon, locking guests out of the main office area, where the water boiler, fridge, and free tea and coffee are located! If you have a private room, all of them are en suite so you get your own tea- and coffee-making facilities; however, you're out of luck if you're in the dorm. A small book swap sits on the landing on the stairs up to the rooms, but that's it for common areas. The dive centre has a briefing and video room, but that's only in use for divers when the centre is open. The free Wi-Fi has a very erratic signal, but is accessible in all the rooms (or just about). A cooked breakfast is included in the bed price, which is a little higher than the other backpackers' on the south coast.

Summary

Aliwal Dive Centre has the cheapest beds in Umkomaas and is patronized mostly by divers doing courses here. It accepts guests of any hue, but you really stick out like a sore thumb if you're not a diver! There are no self-catering facilities here; only a water boiler and a toaster are available as long as the office and dive centre is open and after hours, you're on your own. Although there are a few choices just around the corner from the centre, they are not cheap. All in all, Aliwal Dive Centre and Lodge is a good, solid choice, but lacks the amenities one would normally expect from a South African backpackers' hostel.
Photos taken by the Hostelz.com reviewer — Genuine photos you can trust.
Front Gate
Reception
Front Terrace
Swimming Pool
Breakfast Area
Book Swap
En Suite Double Room 1
En Suite Double Room 2
En Suite Double Room 3
+3
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LondonroadMa
Hostelz.com Staff Reviewer
Published on Jul 9, 2018

Location and Contact

Facilities and Amenities

Digital Nomads

Family-Friendly Hostel

Older travelers (+50)

Quiet Rest

Solo Traveller

Bedsheets

Breakfast

Parking

Safe Deposit Box

Towels

Wi-Fi in Lobby/Commons

Wi-Fi in Rooms

Airport Pickup (750.00)

Air Conditioning

BBQ Grill

Concierge/Info Desk

Credit Card Payments

Entirely Non-Smoking

Food/Restaurant

Hot Showers

Kitchen

Laundry

Lounge Area

Outdoor Seating

Power Point/Sockets by Each Bed

Power Point/Sockets in Rooms

Swimming Pool

Lockers in Rooms

Luggage Storage

Wheelchair Accessible

Service Animals

Pet-Friendly

Genders: Males & Females

Max. Age: All Ages

Min. Age with Parent (dorms): All Ages

Min. Age with Parent (private room): All Ages

Min. Age without Parent: 14

Checkout: 10:00 (10 AM)

Curfew: No Curfew

Lockout: No

Maximum Stay: Unlimited

Minimum Stay: 1 night

Open Dates: 25th December Closed Christmas Day

Reception Hours: 7am - 4pm

Size: Small (less than 30 beds)

Sadly, this hostel has closed.

There are no more hostels listed in Umkomaas. What can you do? Here are alternative websites to find other accommodation:

Check Hostelworld

Hostelworld.com

Check apartments at

Airbnb.com

Use the lesser known Airbnb-alternative

Vrbo.com

Consider Hotels with

Booking.com

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