Richards Bay

Richard’s Bay is home to South Africa’s largest harbour and is the world’s largest terminal for the exportation of coal. The transformation to its current status happened in 1976, after it had served as a makeshift harbour during the Anglo-Boer war in 1879, and remained as such until it was found that Richard’s Bay had great potential for development.

Notwithstanding the industrialization of the town, this area is home to some of the most spectacular wetland areas in the country, and is also home to some of the country’s finest and most unspoilt beaches. Richard’s Bay is also the centre of the Zululand Birding Route, one of the most popular birding route’s in the country. The route includes sand banks, mud flats, mangrove swamps, freshwater pans and forest areas.

Richard’s Bay has transformed into a vibrant town and offers excellent recreational facilities such as fishing, birdwatching, surfing, swimming and canoeing. It is perfectly situated for easy access to the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve and the Isimangaliso (St Lucia) Wetalnd Park, a World Heritage Site. It is only a few hour’s drive from Durban and is the closest coastal town of any major significance, to Gauteng. It is therefore a very popular holiday destination as well as being a busy industrial town. The Richards Bay Game Reserve is a great example of how industry and nature can live together in harmony.

It is also the gateway to Zululand from the coast and the drive to Empangeni via the Nkwalini Valley is one of the most beautiful in the province.

Getting there: Richard’s Bay is approximately 250km north Durban off the N2.

See Fishing on the North Coast

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