Beaches - Bonanza of Beauty and Bliss

Overview Continued

The shoreline passes Isipingo and the industrial areas of Prospecton, Reunion and Merewent before skirting the oil refinery near Durban International Airport and the nearby Happy Valley Nature Reserve. From there, the beach is once again a playground...but now for Durban. First in line are suburban residents of the Bluff - a gigantic headland that forms the southeastern 'arm' of Durban Harbour. Brighton Beach, Cave Rock Beach, Anstey's Beach and Garvies Beach are all highly popular and offer interesting walks through the coastal bush that ends almost at the water's edge. Waves off the Bluff are frequently dotted with surfers...the swells are often bigger here than at the 'city beaches', and when the wave-shaping wind direction is unfavourable on the city side, it's generally perfect on the Bluff. Swimming is safe!

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Resuming with the shark-netted, lifeguard-protected beaches on the northern side of the harbour, Addington Beach is to a large degree sheltered from the ocean rollers, making it ideal for learning the various ocean sports. Ski-boats and small fishing craft launch from this wide, flat expanse of golden sand. The shoulder-to- shoulder pleasure grounds that follow - South Beach, North Beach, Battery Beach, Dunes Beach and Oasis Beach - are all but a stone's throw from other wonderful holiday experiences. The daily dolphin shows and fascinating marine life at Sea World, thrilling spray- filled rides at Water World, chilling inhabitants of the Snake Park and scaled-down perspective of Mini Town all offer a memorable added dimension to the fun of surf, sand and sun. Salt-water paddling ponds and olympic-size swimming pool ensure that we cater for 'water-babies' of all ages! Among all these attractions are cinemas, restaurants, fast- food outlets, amusement arcades, flea-markets and the opportunity to watch traditional arts and crafts being created.

World-class hotels and holiday apartments line the entire stretch of beachfront, and strolling the long, water's-edge promenade soon reminds you that Durban is coastal Africa's premier playground in the sun!

Heading towards the northern suburbs, Country Club Beach, Tekweni Beach and Laguna Beach are overlooked by two golf courses and major sporting complexes. At the wide Umgeni River mouth, Blue Lagoon Beach is the city's most popular fishing locale, while beyond the river, Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve and La Lucia offer long, tranquil walks along empty sands.

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Shark-net protection resumes at the satellite-resort of Umhlanga , a fully-developed beach paradise with distinctly 'Mediterranean' feel to its layout. Up-market hotels, holiday apartments and time-share enclaves line the picturesque beaches and, at sunrise and sunset, the O'Conner Promenade is alive with young and old working on their fitness regimes. Further invigorating - and informative - walks lie within the Hawaan Forest, Umhlanga Ponds and sea-fronted Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve.

About 10km further - through vast, swaying green plantations that give this stretch its Sugar Coast title - lies the somewhat less- developed haven of > Umdloti ...with two swimming beaches, a rock- enclosed tidal and holiday cottages almost on the sand. The much- frequented 'casting-points' such as Sentinel Rock are an appropriate reminder that good fishing is to be enjoyed everywhere along our coastline!

Long, wide golden beaches then front the residential areas of La Mercy, Genezzano, Casuarina and Tongaat Beach...

overview continued .... || Beach Database

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