Page 298 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

296  THE EAST C O AST AND INTERIOR

3 North Coast

This subtropical region is
renowned for attrac tive
towns, sheltered bays, quiet
beaches and forested dunes
that give way to a green
carpet of sugar cane and
timber plantations. North ern
KwaZulu-Natal has escaped
the rampant devel opment of
the South Coast and offers
unspoiled nature at its best. Visitor canoeing in a lagoon on the Mlalazi River

Umhlanga Ballito its grove of raffia palms, which
Road map F3. 20 km (12 miles) NE of Road map F3. N2, 30 km (19 miles) has been designated a National
Durban. * 24,500. @ Umhlanga N of Umhlanga. * 19,200. @ Baz Monument. The nearest known,
Express. n Chartwell Drive, Bus. n Ballito Drive, 032 946 1997. other group of these rare plants
031 561 4257. Open Mon–Sat. Open Mon–Sat. _ Mr Price Pro (Jul). is on the Mozambique border,
∑ umhlanga-rocks.com ∑ thedolphincoast.co.za 260 km (163 miles) north. The
Now a suburb of Durban, Ballito and the neighbouring rare palm­nut vulture is a fruit­
modern development lines the Salt Rock extend for 6 km eating raptor that may be
ridge above Umhlanga and (4 miles) along a coast spotted here, and the swamp
includes shopping malls known for its beaches, forest and raffia palms can be
and business parks. But rocky head lands and seen from a raised boardwalk.
it retains its atmos­ sheltered tidal pools. Mtunzini lies in a belt of
phere as the premier Lining the main unspoiled coastal forest that
holiday resort on the coastal road are many falls within the Umlalazi Nature
North Coast and has good restaurants. Reserve. Comfortable log
excellent beaches, Accom modation ranges cabins tucked into the forest
timeshare resorts, hotels Hibiscus flower from luxury holiday apart­ border a marsh, and along the
and restaurants. The ments and timeshare banks of the Mlalazi River there
promenade, which extends for resorts to family hotels and is a circular walk through a
3 km (2 miles), provides stunning attractive caravan parks. mangrove swamp that is alive
views of the golden sands that with crabs and mud­skimmers.
have made Umhlanga famous. Mtunzini A second walk leads through
A local landmark is the red­and­ Road map F3. N2, 29 km (19 miles) the dune forest to a wide, sandy
white Umhlanga Lighthouse, in SW of Richards Bay. beach and reveals glimpses of
front of the Oyster Box hotel. The pretty village, whose name fish eagles and kingfishers. Shy
Further north, at the mouth of means “in the shade”, is set on a forest animals such as vervet
the Ohlanga River, forested hillside overlooking the sea. Its monkeys, red duiker and
dunes form part of a nature streets are lined with coral trees bushbuck are often seen.
reserve. A boardwalk crosses the and in winter their red flowers
river and the forest teems with add splashes of colour to the O Umlalazi Nature Reserve
blue duikers, birds and monkeys. townscape. It is well­known for Entrance in Mtunzini village. Tel 035
340 1836. Open 5am–10pm. &
∑ kznwildlife.com

4 Gooderson
Dumazulu Lodge
and Traditional
Village
Road map F3. Bushlands Rd,
Hluhluwe. Tel 035 562 2260.
Open daily. & 8 0 =
∑ goodersonleisure.co.za
Situated in the heart of Zululand,
this lodge is a thriving cultural
Holiday apartments and hotels line the beach at Ballito village, where guides give
The dizzying suspension bridge across Oribi Gorge, which cuts through the sugar cane farmlands of KwaZulu-Natal

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