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The South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal is South Africa’s ultimate beach holiday destination, and has been since the end of the nineteenth century. And no wonder, it has one of the best climates in the world.
In winter the sea is warm and the air is balmy. In summer the sun is hot and the nights are almost tropical. There is no time of year when you cannot havea holiday on the South Coast.
An Inviting Dream
 The effect of such perfect weather is that everything on the South Coast exists in a state of happy tranquillity. The scenery is almost dreamlike, the countryside gentle and friendly, the people laid back and hospitable, and the beaches inviting.
A road and a railway line wind along the coast, giving the traveller tantalising glimpses of rocky little coves, wide golden beaches, wooded ravines, tumbling rivers and picturesque lagoons.
Sun-kissed Beaches
The first thing a holidaymaker will do is head for the beaches. And what beaches! Some of them stretch forever with vistas in the distance of misty headlands. Others are tiny little crescents nestling in rocky coves or wooded bays. Whether the requirement is sun-kissed solitude, or beach festivals and games, the beaches are waiting to welcome you. Most beaches on the South Coast are completely safe with lifeguards on duty and shark nets to protect bathers. It is a point of pride that, despite the many thousands of holidaymakers that descend on the beaches every year, holiday periods are almost completely incident-free.
The Wet and the Wild
Apart from swimming and water sports, there is much to do on the South Coast. The combination of warm and cold water, as sea-currents from the north and south collide, presents unrivalled opportunities for fishermen. During winter, whales come up the coast to calve, and dolphins cavort in the waves all year round. There are several licensed operators who take visitors out on whale or dolphin-watching safaris.
Dive Wrecks and Caves
Diving is extremely popular on the Protea Banks and Aliwal Shoal, with dives suitable for everyone from experienced to novice divers. The sea-life is rich and colourful, with several wrecks inhabited by bass, fiery scorpion fish and tiny endemic harlequin goldies. There is even a special cave where ragged-tooth sharks congregate – this is the ultimate diving thrill.
World-class Surfing
South Coast surfing is in a league of its own – the rollers come from the wide southern oceans, intersecting the land at right angles and creating world-class surfing conditions.
The Great Sardine Rush
Every winter (June/July), millions of sardines swim along with the cold fingers of water that extend up the South Coast and – in a spectacle unique to this region – come close enough inshore for people to wade out and scoop the fish out of the water. This has become a classic South Coast phenomenon that attracts visitors from all over the world.
Inland Action
 If you can tear yourself away from the beach, there is plenty to do on dry land. The Artist’s Route meanders down the R102, with shops and studios selling pottery, art, craft, wood, leather and fresh produce.
Further inland, Oribi Gorge offers action adventure with a gorge swing, abseiling, white-water rafting, horse-riding, hiking, mountain biking and 4x4 trails.
Several of the smaller nature reserves on the South Coast are renowned for their wild flowers, and local botanists are happy to take guided flower tours. For golfers, nine 18-hole golf courses offer picturesque golfing on challenging courses. And for train enthusiasts, the Banana Express is a quaint narrow-gauge steam locomotive that runs between Port Shepstone and Izotsha as a remnant of the grand old days of the railroad on the South Coast.
Abundant Accommodation
Some holidaymakers like to feel close to nature in a tent or a caravan or an isolated spot – others like the bright lights and the crowds and a festival atmosphere. Whatever your wish, you’re exceptionally well catered-for on the South Coast.
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