Family Beach Vacation - SA
 

My family and I (spouse, 2 kids) are looking towards a week long "beach getaway" vacation in March. Will probably need a break from Kinshasa by that time.
Have heard great things about the KZN coast in SA, but don't know much about it.
Having spent 3 years in Namibia and recently (December 2006) done a safari in Kenya (thanks Sandi!) we are leaning towards a beach only vacation. Prefer a self-catering cottage or house (maybe enough room for another family of 4) directly on the beach. Located in a relatively safe area and not too far from town.
Any ideas the fodorite community could provide would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers,
Bill

Dear Bill

Having spent all my childhood holidays on the SOuth coast beach there is nothing more i love more than 2 weeks at the beach in a self catering house on the coast. I hav actually just come back from a week in Winklespruit. The sad news is, because of the mini tsunamies they had last year all the beaches were not swimming beaches as all the shark nets had been washed away and they could not gaurantee your safety, and I am not sure how long it was going to take to get it all back. So from Durban all the way to Uvongo it is really not a good place to go, so my information for you would be to look at anywhere from Margate onwards, Ramsgate, Southbroom, any area down there and you should be fine. There are so many people down there that do holiday letting, I have found some of the best to be Pam Golding, but if you look up self catering Hibiscus Coast they will give you the best ideas of what is around and available. If you can ry and go when it is not OSuth African school holidays as the price of accommodation quadruples! Southbroom has a great beach, but Margate has more for the kids to do in the immediate area. If you go, you must go and have waffles at The Waffle House between Margate and Ramsgate....yum yum yum

Doogle,
Thanks for the information. What about the North Coast above Durban? We would like to be within about 30-60 kilometers of a decent sized town/city. We'll be ready for a little shopping, etc.
Thanks again,
Bill

Hi Bill

I was in Amanzimtoti in November last year and I had a rainy day wher I drove around and had a look at accommodation, and there were some gorgeous units called The Dunes, I have not looked them up and I am not sure who rents them out, but they are so gorgeous and from what I aw really luxurious and Amazimtoti is only 15 minutes from Durban itself and there are lots of shops around there. Then if you go to the NOrthcoast look for something in Ballito, that is the nicer area or alterntivly Shaka's Rock, Umhlanga is okay, but I personally do not like the beach or the sea on the north coast as it is pebbly versus the south coast where the beach is smooth. On that note I also droe to Scotbrough on the South Coast and when I go back next year I am going there it is just superb, it is a whole little village that you can have anything you wanted, it reminded me of a little coastal town in elnglad, it is really lovely and the beach area was superb.

I have an apartment across the beach road from Thompson's Bay in Chaka's Rock, which immediately adjoins the North boundary of Ballito. It's usually regarded as part of Ballito. 45 kms from central Durban. And Umhlanga with its huge Gateway Mall is even closer.

I've just got back from there, and although the March storm damage is still evident and the Ballito "boardwalk" is discontinuous, the beaches have mostly been cleaned up and are currently full of holidaymakers now that the schools have closed. (Which is one of the reasons I'm no longer there!) Lifeguards are on duty and (as far as I know) shark nets are back.

There's still major work to be done, including repair of the shattered sea wall of the "Olympic size" Charlie's Pool at Thompson's Bay. But I think the relief money has recently come through from Government and by next March further progress should have been made.

But it's news to me that the North Coast beach is "pebbly"! I too hate that kind of beach, and I've been using the NC in preference to the SC since the 60's. Although the primary reason in that era was that it was largely "undiscovered" compared with much of the SC, to where up-country folk flocked during the holidays. Although let me hasten to add that both NC and SC have their "quiet spots", both then and now.

We spent five days in Ballito, and enjoyed the stay very much. The beaches were beautiful, even with the storm damage to the buildings. There seemed to be a variety of places to stay, and enough restaurants to make for an intersting stay. The day trips you can do all were within a one hour's drive, or just walking on the beach was fine by us.

The best beach horseback riding I have ever done was at Zimbali Estates. The horses were all in excellent condition, and the beach riding magnificient. You need to book this at the front desk of Zimbali Estates as the stable is one their grounds, and very difficult of find. Worth the effort.

The shopping, newer stores and friendly people and street vendors provided many treasures not found elsewhere.

After this stop, we went to Capetown, and also found nice places one could stay about thirty minutes from the main city. Great swim beaches near the penguins at Boulder Beach, and what looked like cottages one could rent.

Have fun!