This Iconic All-Inclusive Brand Is About to Plant Its First Flag in Africa — With a Twist

Club Med is preparing to open its first-ever resort on the African continent, and the all-inclusive pioneer is not doing it in the expected way. On July 4, the brand will debut Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari, a 32-hectare property north of Durban in the KwaZulu-Natal region — but the beachfront resort is only half the story.

The second half is Club Med Vikela Safari Lodge, a companion property tucked inside a private 18,000-hectare game reserve about two hours inland. Guests can split their trip between surf school and sundowners on the Indian Ocean and game drives through protected bushveld, all under one all-inclusive booking. It is the first time Club Med has paired a beach village with a dedicated safari lodge anywhere in its portfolio.

The coastal resort will open with 411 keys, including 310 Superior rooms, 35 Deluxe rooms and 66 suites reserved for the brand's premium Exclusive Collection tier. The lineup includes an adults-only Zen pool, a surf school and the multi-restaurant dining setup Club Med fans know from Mauritius and the Seychelles.

The South Africa opening is one piece of a larger push. Later in 2026, Club Med will also open its first property in Borneo, a 17-hectare resort on the coast of Kuala Penyu in Malaysia, bordered by the Padas Damit forest reserve. That property is scheduled for November and will lean heavily into jungle walks, pottery workshops and cultural programming.

Both openings reflect a strategy shift that has been underway for years. Club Med is moving upmarket and into destinations where all-inclusive has historically been rare. Safari travel and rainforest ecotourism are two of the most fragmented, highest-margin segments in adventure hospitality, and Club Med is betting that travelers want someone else to handle the logistics.