It's human nature to ignore the gems on our doorstep. Locals may drive right past, but when foreign visitors come to the North Coast many of them view it as the tropical beach destination they've always dreamt of.
Just a leisurely 30-minute drive from Durban, this area is the playground of the bottlenose dolphins, who frolic their way up and down the coast all year long.
Long famous as the heartland of South Africa's sugar industry, it is also popular for its uninterrupted beaches and endless blue skies, where taking it easy is a way of life.
Schools of up to 200 dolphins, which break up into smaller groups or pods, are often seen playing in the surf. If you want to get up close and personal with a dolphin, this is the place to be.
Marine Eco Adventures, situated in Ballito, conducts trips into the deep where you can come into contact with these creatures.
For the more daring there's shallow reef snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing charters.
The northern KwaZulu-Natal beaches have quite a different character from those of the city or South Coast, with some of the largest and most thickly forested coastal dunes in the world. Little communities, resorts and intimate hideaways are scattered up and down the coastline, offering every pleasure from sunbathing to deep-sea fishing.
You simply haven't had a holiday until you've felt the white sand between your toes, swum in one of the many tidal pools or sipped a cocktail sundowner with a beach stretching forever on either side of your private balcony.
This is the playground of the wealthy "sugar barons", whose homesteads can be seen atop tree-shrouded hills in the cane fields inland.
These fields of swaying green cane have been the basis of the region's economy for generations. The first Indian immigrants to South Africa came in the 19th century as indentured labourers to work in the sugar industry.
The up-market resort town of Umhlanga Rocks marks the southernmost extent of the Dolphin Coast.
As you move north, lush green rolling hills of sugar cane affording glimpses of clear blue ocean becomes a feature of the landscape. Ballito, located in the heart of the coast, lies between fields of sugar cane and is flanked to the east by golden beaches and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.
Ballito is well known for its superb, safe beaches.
Magnificent rock pools, sandy beaches and safe bathing are synonymous with this region. Accommodation here is plentiful with timeshare resorts, self-catering apartments and cottages, and a growing number of bed-and-breakfast facilities available.
The subtropical climate of the north is ideal for golf courses and some of the best in the country are to be found here.
These include the beautiful Zimbali, Mount Edgecombe, Prince's Grant and Umhlali golf estates.
The North Coast is steeped in history of all kinds. The history of the Indian community in South Africa is as entwined with the region as is that of the mighty Zulu nation.
Shaka's Rock, about 40km north of Durban, is believed by some to have been a lookout of the Zulu King Shaka.
Other sources suggest it was a place used by the king to execute miscreants by flinging them into the sea.
There is a reconstruction of Dingane's kraal at Gingindlovu, and the King Shaka Memorial in Kwa-Dukuza, 45 minutes out of Durban, is the official burial site of King Shaka. Visitors are encouraged to learn about Zulu heritage at the interpretation centre near the memorial.
Boer settlers moved through this area and British forces led by Chelmsford crossed the Tugela en route to Isandlwana during the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War.
So whatever your taste, whether it's history, ecotourism, sport or just plain lazing around, the North Coast has it all.
Get on the N2, it's just 30 minutes away. - Staff Reporter