Balmy weather, warm sea, miles of sandy, white beaches and a riot of green foliage... all these on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast help to create the deliciously languid atmosphere that spells "Holiday" with a capital "H".
The South Coast is a wonderful destination because it is so many places rolled into one. The coastal road is a winding ribbon dotted with dozens of resorts and beaches. This is value for money: the fact that you can stay in one place, but have the opportunity to explore so many other different resorts because they are so close together.
Around every corner is a pretty little cove to discover. You can walk or swim at a different beach every day of your holiday if you choose.
There is a huge variety of sights and activities: crocodile farms, nature reserves, a coffee plantation, a butterfly house. There are also paddleboats, water sports, microlight flips and abseiling. Simply walking and cycling is fun because of the pretty surroundings.
Enjoy the many coffee shops and restaurants in lovely settings. The sheer lushness and extravagance of the vegetation adds to the serenity and beauty.
Who can resist wolfing down scrumptious nosh while surrounded by tree ferns, palms and pretty, trailing "whatsits"? Otherwise, there are many spots right on the beach where you can just sip a tall drink and enjoy the sea breeze.
Because the South Coast is warm all year round, it makes for a good retreat in winter. You can even swim in winter. We visited in late May, which was just perfect. No crowds, yet it was not deserted and the sun was not too hot.
There are a variety of places to stay: Port Edward, Glenmore Beach, Marina Beach, Southbroom, Ramsgate, Margate, Manaba Beach, Uvongo, St Michael's-on-Sea, Shelly Beach and Port Shepstone, among others. You can take your pick also in the types of accommodation, from snazzy guesthouses to skyscraping holiday flats and hotels.
We chose Bellevue Guest Lodge in Ramsgate, a large estate with the owners living on the property. The self-catering units are a distance apart so the accommodation is discreet and quiet.
The units are surrounded by foliage of the surrounding parkland. One can take forest walks in safety within the large, secure grounds. There is a games room and pool.
Adjoining the resort is a technology park for children, a treat for youngsters. They can take a tour of the park and learn about technology and the natural habitat at the same time. Information boards educate the kiddies as they go from Point A to B. There is a circuit with various exercises children can do en route, such as building with blocks and popping marbles into curving tubes and seeing where they emerge.
The South Coast's beaches are pristine and seem safe. I saw elderly couples taking leisurely walks at sunset and I felt perfectly secure jogging on my own. Most of the beaches have blue flag status so the water is clean and the shark nets are in place. Margate, Ramsgate and Marina beaches were my favourites.
There is a Spur restaurant in Margate which has a vast, rambling play area for children. There are some special, memorable places to eat too. Also, what a pleasure it is to pop into a curry takeaway and grab a roti for under R25.
Places to stay
- Bellevue Guest Lodge (midway between Ramsgate and Southbroom): 039 316 6097
Out of season rate: R125 a person a night. (Minimum two nights on weekends.) School holidays & public holiday weekends: R140 a person a night. (Minimum four nights.) Easter, Christmas and New Year weeks: R175 a person a night. (Minimum seven nights.) Children under two stay free; children older than two are charged the full rate.
The following establishments are listed with South Coast Tourism:
- Seabrook Holiday Flats (opposite main Margate swimming beach): 039 312 0231. Out of season: R350 for the first four people and R50 thereafter; Peak season: R1 410 for the first four and R50 thereafter.
- North Sand Bluff Lighthouse: 039 311 1492 (Port Edward) What fun to stay near a lighthouse! There are two cottages. It costs R350 a cottage in low season and R550 a cottage in high season. They sleep two adults and three children or three adults and two children.
South Coast Tourism:
These are only a few recommended self-catering establishments, mostly in the Margate area. South Coast Tourism has a number of offices and staff will give you contact details of places to stay over the phone. Call them at 039 682 7944.
(They can also provide telephone numbers for their various offices along the coast.) Contact numbers are also given on www.tourismsouthcoast.co.za. Or e-mail [email protected]
Places to eat
- Waffle away the day at the Waffle House (039 314 9424) at Ramsgate Lagoon. It has been there since 1956, but it was called The Teahouse of the Blue Lagoon until the 1990s. It is still owned by the original owners and now has two sister waffle houses in England.
The waffles are Belgian style - made with no sugar and they are rectangular. Chomp on a selection of sweet and savoury waffles, from chicken curry to chocolate mousse.
- Blue Lagoon (039 314 4149). This is a tranquil place right on the Ramsgate blue flag beach and lagoon. Sit inside or on the wide, covered deck.
It is open seven days a week from 9am, so it is a good place to grab breakfast. It specialises in seafood, but also does steaks and pasta.
- Fish on the Pond (039 313 0907) is a restaurant at Simply Indigenous, the nursery at Marina Beach. It has a lovely setting among the trees and seedlings.
There is a large, restful pond. One can eat inside or out by the pond. It serves fish and chips, calamari, fish burgers and suchlike at reasonable prices.
- Mariner's (039 313 0448) is right on the beach at Marina Beach so the location couldn't be better. I didn't try the food, although they do seafood, steaks and curries and have a kiddies' menu. It was wonderful sitting there, having a drink and watching the sunset.
- Tight Lines (039 312 1270) is near the police station in Margate. Pick up excellent fish and chips here.You can eat outside at their wooden tables under umbrellas or take it away. It also sells fresh and frozen fish to cook at home.
- Del Monte (039 314 4348). This Ramsgate restaurant is special to me because we popped in just after arriving at the South Coast, exhausted and our nerves jangled from dodging cattle, those burping monster trucks and wayward pedestrians.
It was blissful to relax surrounded by tree ferns and with the moon and stars overhead. Inside the restaurant is tiny and cosy, with limited seating.
I would say the food is standard Italian fare, perfectly acceptable and reasonably priced. The staff were warm and child-friendly.
Del Monte is in the Bistro Village, next to The Bistro (039 314 4128), which is widely recommended.
The following restaurants are highly rated, but we did not get to them: La Cappanina (039 317 1078) and Trattoria la Terrazza (039 316 6162).