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Go bananas at the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast
Author: Marion Whitehead Multimedia: Images Published: 12 August 10 in Getaway Magazine
Sandy bays, good fishing, excellent resorts and a multitude of adventure activities are just a few of the reasons the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast has long been a favourite with holidaymakers.
Marion Whitehead checked up on some popular stalwarts and ferreted out a few hidden gems.
The array of resorts along this coast makes choosing a base the most difficult part of your holiday. It depends on how you want to spend your time. Divers will want to be near Umkomaas to ‘ access Aliwal Shoal, whereas golfers are spoilt for choice along the entire coast.
Popular resorts such as Scottburgh, Margate and Ramsgate appeal to those who like a bit of a buzz and nightlife. If you want a quieter spot with plenty of natural beauty, Trafalgar and Pennington are for you. A good tip is to check the map for areas where the old main road is furthest from the coast as towns here are more likely to be lush, sub-tropical paradises.
The beauty of the South Coast is that it caters for all budgets, from a posh golf estate or luxury guesthouse to a self-catering unit or caravan park. Remember the railway line runs along the seafront from near Durban to Port Shepstone so tooting trains will fill your view from time to time, no matter how much you pay for your accommodation. This could be extra entertainment value for the kids.
The entire South Coast is only 150-odd kilometres long so wherever you stay, you’ll have a wide range of activities from which to choose.
Beaches
The big, warm blue ocean is why most people holiday on the South Coast. There are so many palm-fringed beaches that you can choose a different one to match your mood each day. At the five Blue Flag beaches you are assured the water and the environment are clean and that lifesavers are on duty. Facilities include toilets and swimming pools with paddling sections for kiddies. Margate has a Supertube and paddle boats on the lagoon.
Just want to park off under your umbrella without getting sand on your shoes? Beaches such as Scottburgh and Southbroom have lawns from where you can watch the antics in the sea. The lifesavers reckon 400 people on the beach is a quiet day.
If you fancy something a little wilder and less commercialised, unfurl your beach towel at Clansthal, Mtwalume, Glenmore and Leisure Bay. Choose a beach that slopes gently as you’ll get dumpers and strong backwashes at the steeper ones. If the tide is high, it’s often safer to swim at one of the many tidal pools dotted along the coast, such as Granny’s Pool at Southbroom.
Favourite surfing beaches include Umzumbe, Banana Beach and St Michaels-on-Sea (called St Mikes by the locals – venue for the SA Championships this year).
When there’s a spring tide, and rough Sea, swimmers at Uvongo beach are glad life-saver Thulani Nzama is keeping a beady eye on them.
He’s a product of the strong surf culture on the South Coast, where youngsters start their surf lifesaving training as nippers, grow into Juniors and then big dudes like Thulani.
Mfazazana is not well known, so is a great place to chill.
Fishing enthusiasts are famously secretive about the best places to cast a line, so just follow the locals. When the shad were running early one morning, I saw them vying for the best spots at the Vongo River mouth.
The rocks near the San Marina tidal pool and the Mpenjati River estuary are also popular with those in the know.
The annual sardine run happens sometime in June or July. The locals complain that it’s not what it used to be, but the sight of dolphins, whales and sea birds herding shoals of fish and tucking into this fast-food bonanza is a spectacle not to be missed.
Creatures great and small
Fresh sushi is on the menu and the fussy king cobra is waiting for the mix of raw rodent, snake and chicken necks to be presented on a plate as he refuses to eat off newspaper. Terence Whittle, owner of Pure Venom, admits his reptiles are spoilt, but then he regards them more as pets than an investment in a business that displays the scaly creatures and breeds them for export.
His staff members have ‘Face your fear’ embroidered on their khaki shirts. Terence certainly knows all about it, having spent 28 days in a coma after being bitten while topping up the water bowl of a western diamond-back rattlesnake. When you work with snakes, you’re bound to get bitten,’ he shrugs.
Apart from the snakes, crocodiles and alligators on show, there’s a restaurant and shop that sells items to make your pet snake more comfortable, such as basking lamps and Leaping Lizard calcium powder. I was tempted by the snake deterrent spray.
Getting there: From Shelly Beach, take the Izotsha Road inland, turn left at the school towards Gamalakhe and watch for the sign on the left. Open daily 09h00 -17h00, demonstrations at 11h30 and 15h00. Entrance R40 for adults, R30 for children. Tel 039-685-0704, website.
You’ll get a few toothy smiles at Riverbend Crocodile Farm, which is devoted to Nile crocodiles, from weeny hatchlings to big meanies. An informative video in the education centre details how these big reptiles have survived so well through the millennia. There’s also a snake house where a really big black mamba lives with his slithery pals.
Getting there: It’s on the R620 outside Southbroom. Open 09h00 -16h30 daily, Sunday croc feeding at 15h00 and snake demos at 14h30. Cost R43 an adult, R20 to R33 for children. Tel 039-316-6204, website.
Amanzimtoti Bird Sanctuary is a small, municipal park where 150 species of birds congregate around a dam and monkeys play in the trees. Picnic on the deck or on the lawns with spur-wing geese and white-faced ducks, then go birding along a circular route through forest. Look out for greenback herons and giant kingfishers.
Getting there: From Amanzimtoti, travel south along Kingsway Road and turn right into Umdoni Road at the Kuswag School sign. Continue under the railway bridge and the entrance is immediately on the right. Open 06h00 – 18h00. Entry is free. Tel 031-903-1203.
At Uvongo Bird Park, you can see difficult-to-spot birds, such as the purple-crested turaco, as well as exotic parrots and pheasants. There’s a walkthrough aviary, but the majority of birds are in cages. However, it keeps the kids entertained for ages, especially if you buy a bag of mealies to feed them. There’s a tea garden where you have to guard your cake from cheeky peacocks.
Getting there: It’s on the main road through Uvongo. Open 08h30 – 16h30 during holidays. Cost is R30 for adults and R20 for children. Tel 039-317-4086.
Granny Goose Animal Farm is a fun place to pat and feed the ponies, goats, pigs, chickens and geese. There’s also a jungle gym and tuck shop selling eats, or take your own picnic.
Getting there: Take the Bushy Vales turn-off from the R61 between San Lameer and Trafalgar. Open times are 09h00 – 16h00 (closed Mondays). Cost is R20 for adults and R10 for children. Tel 083-301-4676 or 039-313-5100.
Family fun
Illovo Nursery is not just a place to buy plants. The Terrace Tea Garden on a deck high among the trees is famous for its breakfasts and lemon meringue pie. There’s a play area for kids, a pet shop and an animal enclosure housing a range of creatures, from hamsters and wolf-whistling parrots to Monty the python (not in the same cage). Feeding time is from 12h00 – 13h00.
Getting there: On the R102 about 3 km south of Winkelspruit, follow the signs to Illovo Nursery. Open daily 08h00 – 16h30. Entrance to animal enclosure is R12 a head. Tel 031-916-6212.
Mac Banana has a barnyard, pony rides and quadbike lifts for kids next to a restaurant serving banana pancakes, banana milkshakes, banana … it’s amazing what you can do with this KZN staple. Stock up with nuts, dried fruit, jams and fresh farm produce from their shop.
Getting there: Find it on the R61 between Palm Beach and Munster. Tel 039-319-1454.
Pistols Saloon has a pub and vibey music bar for big people and a Wild West Museum and farmyard for little people.
Getting there: It’s on the R61 between Ramsgate and Southbroom. Tel 039-316-8463.
If you’re a lighthouse spotter, tick these: Green Point Lighthouse between Umkomaas and Scottburgh, Port Shepstone Lighthouse and info centre, and North Sand Bluff Lighthouse at Port Edward.
Nature calls
Lush sub-tropical forests, thick coastal bush and numerous river estuaries make the KZN South Coast a natural paradise, despite much of it having made way for development. Larger reserves slightly inland, such as Oribi and Vernon Crookes, are well known, but there are many small gems tucked away along the coastline.
The original mangrove swamps have mostly been decimated, so it’s quite a surprise to find a boardwalk through black and white mangroves on the edge of Durban’s Prospecton industrial area. The mud is pocked with the holes of mangrove crabs and, if you’re early enough, you could spot banded mongooses out catching their breakfast. The iconic call of the fish eagle resounds across the swamp. Other resident birds include longcrested eagle, Goliath heron, African darters, Egyptian geese and three kinds of kingfishers (pied, malachite, and mangrove).
Getting there: The boardwalk starts at Isipingo Island Institute in Reunion Park. From Durban on the N2, take the Prospecton /Isipingo turn-off, go left at the top of the off-ramp and into Prospecton Road, then left into Refinery Road and then the Avenue. Just before the Sapref security checkpoint, turn right to Reunion Park. The Isipingo Island Institute is immediately on the right just inside the gate. Open 07h30 – 16h00, no charge. Tel 083-777-7192.
TC Robertson Nature Reserve outside Scottburgh is named after the famous pioneer conservationist who retired to this area. King Shaka’s Spring, the spot where the Zulu king rested while his army played war games on the beach in 1828, is the site of a natural spring. There are grassy picnic and braai sites beside the Mpambanyoni River and bird watchers can look out for the 180 species recorded here. On the 10-kilometre trail, bushbuck, and grey and blue duiker are sometimes seen and many trees are labelled for easy identification.
Getting there: Driving south past Scottburgh on the R102, turn sharp right soon after crossing the Mpambanyoni River bridge. Unrestricted access, donations welcome. Tel 039-976-0464 or 082-406-9891.
Skyline Nature Reserve is a quiet spot outside Uvongo with a remarkable arboretum planted more than 40 years ago. Well-maintained paths lead to two dams and the long bird list includes purple-crested turacos. You’re unlikely to see the large-spotted genet residing there, but if you walk quietly, you may see the Egyptian or large grey mongoose near the water.
Getting there: Travelling south through Uvongo on Marine Drive, turn right at the traffic light just before the bridge over the Vongo River, then immediately left and follow the signs to Skyline. It’s on the right just after you cross a bridge over the R61. Open 0600 – 18h00, no charge. Tel 039-315-0112.
Mpenjati Nature Reserve outside the sleepy village of Trafalgar is a rather neglected Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife park that hasn’t had its signage or picnic areas repaired since the last floods.
That doesn’t detract from the great natural beauty of its estuary where you can canoe and fish (with a permit). You may battle to find the start of the walks through the coastal dune forest, but ask the friendly reserve controllers for directions.
Stroll along the beach at low tide towards Trafalgar to see the ancient fossilised trees embedded in the rocks.
Getting there: Travelling south from Trafalgar on the R61, turn left after the bridge over the Mpenjati River into the southern section of the reserve.
Open 07h00 – 17h00. R15 a person entrance fee. Tel 039-313- 0531 (mornings only).
Birds galore
The 14 established bird routes on the KZN South Coast offer a combined bird list of 386 species – more than one-third of the total number of birds recorded in Southern Africa. The great diversity of habitats include coastal and wetland environments, forest, woodland and grassland.
The 3 257-hectare Umtamvuna Nature Reserve offers a combination of riverine forest and rocky cliffs bordering the Mtamvuna River. On one of the short trails on the riverbank early one morning, we heard a lovely duet of black-collared barbets echo through the canopy. Olive thrush, red-eyed dove, dark-capped bulbul and olive sunbird hopped about the branches above us, adding their calls to the chorus.
My bird guide for the morning was Innocent Mzindle, an engaging young man from Imvuselelo Guiding Tours. With his help, identifying birds on the banks of the river was a piece of cake. We heard Knysna and purple-crested turacos, as well as samango monkeys, but they chose to stay hidden among the leaves despite Innocent’s calls mimicking them.
Getting there: Driving south into Port Edward on the R61, turn right at the traffic light and follow the signs to Umtamvuna Nature Reserve on the Izingolweni Road. Turn left at Old Pont Road if you want to walk the trails along the riverbank, or continue to the main entrance. Open 07h00 – 17h00. Entrance is R15 a person. Tel 039-311-2383, website. Imvuselelo Guiding Tours, tel 073-893-0241 or 073-043-5692, e-mail imvuselelogt@gmail.com.
Umdoni Park beside the sea at Pennington is a 210-hectare reserve protecting the coastal forest and the creatures living in it. It is home to both the crowned and crested eagles, plus a wide range of smaller birds. A network of seven trails, ranging from a short 15-minute walk to a two-hour ramble, criss-cross the area, skirting the Umdoni Golf Course and a river gorge.
Getting there: Drive into Pennington from the R102 and turn right at the Umdoni Golf Course sign. Beyond the boom, follow the signs to the environmental centre where the trails start. Guided walks must be arranged in advance. Tel 076-684- 1855, website.
Adventure activities
When you dive on Aliwal Shoal, it’s best not to go blundering into any of the reef caves as this is where the raggies and other sharks like to rest up. They get upset if you go too close, advised Carl Elkington of Oceanworx Dive Charters before a group set off from the beach at Umkomaas.
Aliwal Shoal is one of the top 10 dive destinations in the world, thanks to the huge variety of sharks you’ll see hanging about this 1,5-kilometre wide fossilised sandbank and reef in shallow water about five kilometres off-shore from Umkomaas. It’s a marine protected area, so you need a permit to dive there.
Ragged-tooth sharks cruise this area in winter and congregate to mate in spring, while summer is good for tiger sharks and hammerheads. Turtles and dolphins are seen year-round.
Further south, Landers Reef off the coast of Rocky Bay is a deeper fossilised sandbank popular with more experienced divers. Protea Banks is 7,5 kilometres offshore from Shelly Beach and in summer is home to Zambezi or bull sharks and game fish.
A reef dive will cost you R275 if you have your own equipment. Tel Oceanworx on 039-973-2578, website.
Margate-based 2nd Breath Scuba Diving offers a shark awareness diver course that is Padi approved. It costs R1 730 for two half days – the first devoted to theory and the second consisting of two dives. Tel 039-317- 2326, website.
Deep-sea fishing offers plenty of excitement, particularly around Protea Banks, with game and bottom fishing from charter outfits based in Shelly Beach.
Awesome Charters does pleasure cruises as well as fishing. Tel 082-560-8991, website.
Go mountain biking on a network of trails on some of the farms outside Port Edward, rated from easy to highly technical. Clearwater Trail Centre also rents out bikes and has a deck with a spectacular view of the Mtamvuna River gorge 240 metres below.
Day permits cost R30 for adults and R15 for children. Tel 039-311- 1130, website.
If you need an adrenaline fix, try a cable slide or swing 165 metres above the gaping abyss of Oribi Gorge, 12 kilometres inland from Port Shepstone.
Wild 5 Extreme Adventures also offers abseiling, white-water rafting, horse rides and mountain biking. Tel 039-687-0253, website.
The golf coast
With at least 12 golf courses along this coast, you can play a different one every day. San Lameer has well-established greens, cropped short by roaming green keepers: impala and other antelope. The championship course was designed by Peter Matkovich and Dale Hayes and the abundance of water features has seen it voted among the top 10 courses in South Africa a number of times. The par-3 fourth hole is a copy of Augusta National’s famous 12th where you play across water to a narrow green. Tennis, bowls and squash are also catered for and the resort fronts onto Marina Beach, which has Blue Flag status. Tel 039-313-5141.
Southbroom (tel 039-316-6051) and Selborne (tel 039-688-1800) at Pennington are highly rated courses which regularly host championships and make the most of the lush, sub-tropical setting, abundant water and sea views.
Amanzimtoti Country Club is famous for its 18th hole and putting green just off the shoreline in front of the clubhouse. ‘It must be the only course in the country where you can play next to the beach like this,’ says manager Dave Richards. Many of the holes favour shots hit from left to right, making it a slicer’s paradise and popular with beginners. It’s also one of the more affordable courses to play, with green fees of R165 for affilliated visitors. Tel 031-902-1166.
South Coast Blue Flag beaches
• Hibberdene
• Margate
• Ramsgate
• Marina Beach
• Trafalgar
Creepy facts
- Black mambas are among the fastest and most aggressive snakes.
- Gaboon vipers have the longest fangs (about 4 cm).
- Puff adders have an advantage over other snakes as they can strike left and right, as well as forward.
- Snakes tire easily and can’t maintain speeds for very long.
- Adult snakes eat only twice a month in summer and can’t digest when they’re cold.
Note: Any prices quoted in this article, as well as contact details could change. Please confirm information for any activity before visiting.
More info on the town of Umzinto | More info on the Umdoni Coast area |
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