Background on Umdloti

Umdloti is a small town situated at the mouth of the Mdloti River, 25 kilometres north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The town's name is derived from the Zulu word, Mdloti, which is a species of wild tobacco growing in the area.

The town is situated between Umhlanga Rocks and Ballito and is a coastal conservancy, surrounded by fields of sugar cane and indigenous forests, offering travellers a chance to relax in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, laze around on golden beaches, experience beautiful sunsets, stroll on the beach or go for a swim in one of Southern Africa's largest natural tidal pools.

A cliff splits the town into an upper and lower area, and a variety of small shops, restaurants, a garage and even a Post Office are available. If one watches carefully small animals and a variety of bird life can be seen wandering around. This town is of course famous for dolphin and whale watching, and the dolphins regularly swim close to the shores!

Umdloti offers a rich Zulu culture blending in with the ancient traditions of Africa, offering travellers an unforgettable experience under the African sun!

Entertainment

Gateway Shopping Centre - this is the biggest shopping complex in the Southern Hemisphere, and is situated only seven kilometres from Umdloti.

Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom - an all-new casino and entertainment centre, situated a mere two kilometres from Umdloti. Even though it is very impressive, it retains an intimate atmosphere. This casino offers something for everyone, and our holiday home is the perfect stopover should your only goal be to visit Sibaya!

Suncoast Casino - This casino is located in central Durban, and offers 7 000m² of great fun and hopefully lots of good fortune!

Food

In order to best describe the types of restaurants available in Umdloti, they have been categorised below:

There are a dozen or so different places at which to enjoy a meal in and around Umdloti, catering for all sorts of different tastes, occasions and budgets.

Nature and Wildlife

Umdloti has more to offer than just the eye can see. Stunning beaches, mysterious forests, exquisite bird life, excellent diving spots and the opportunity to do some dolphin watching right from your balcony - all this and much more awaits you when you visit Umdloti!

Beaches

More than five kilometres of pristine beaches can be accessed from North and South Beach roads. Once there, you will find interesting rock pools, snorkeling sights and safe swimming areas - all protected by shark nets. The natural tidal pool and Selection Beach are perfect for children to swim in!

Umdloti is also familiar for its dolphin and whale viewing opportunities during certain times of the year. It is estimated that there are about 800 resident dolphins in the area, a number that increases to over 15,000 during the annual sardine run, which occurs during July and August. Humpback and Southern Right whales are plentiful during the calving season from July to November.

Fishing

Umdloti is a coastal reserve area and therefore fishing is limited and in some areas prohibited. When fishing or harvesting from the rocks, please ensure that you have the appropriate permits and adhere to the rules.

Diving

There are some beautiful diving spots near Umdloti's beaches. Selection Reef is a large submerged rock housing many beautiful fish and reefs. Rivermouth Reef is a deep pinnacle with deep caves that attracts a lot of colourful and rare reef fish. The tidal pool area opposite Carmarque is also good for diving and offers a safe place to start.

Flora and Fauna

Umdloti is surrounded by natural indigenous bush and is home to many species of plants, flowers and birds that can be viewed from your doorstep! The forest starts just above the dunes that are usually covered with flowers and other hardy flowering shrubs. Plants such as Wild Date Palms, Wild Banana Palms, the Coastal Silver Oak, Milkwood trees and Wild Fig trees can all be found in Umdloti.

Should you be the unfortunate bearer of a Blue Bottle sting, simply put some of the Natal Dune Vygie's sap, which grows wildly on the dunes, on the sting. This plant has thick fleshly leaves with purple flowers all year round.

The Hawaan Forest

This is a unique woodland area that has remained untouched for centuries. Many species of plants can be seen here, as well as a number of animals and birds. Should you wish to visit this forest, walks can be arranged with the Umhlanga Centre of the Wildlife Society.

Animal and Bird life

Wildlife is abundant in Umdloti and guests are often welcomed by curios animals coming to see what is going on. Vervet monkeys, bushbuck, duiker, chameleons, frogs and giant snails are often seen.

Many different species of birds can also be seen in trees and flying about looking for food. Crowned guinea fowl, yellow-billed kites, fish eagles, storks, herons, blue cranes and luries are just some of the species found. Some great spots for bird watching include Mount Moreland, the Umdloti Lagoon, Sweetwaters Stream and the Umhlanga Ponds.

Shops and Services

Below is a list of shops available in Umdloti, should you require any of these services during your stay.

• ADT Security Services
• Aqua Tours and Transfers (executive taxi service)
• Seaside Liquors
• Beauty Salon
• Umdloti Hardware
• ATM Services: ABSA and Cirrus
• Car Hire Services
• Dance Classes
• General Maintenance
• Friendly Grocer
• Hairdressers
• Total Garage
• Umdloti Spaza: Support the locals, its fun!
• Umdloti Kwikspar
• Umdloti Beach Shop
• Umdloti Video Shop
• Umdloti Post Office
• Umdloti Pharmacy
• Umdloti Launderette
• Places of Worship

Airport

King Shaka International Airport is located approximately 5 kilometres from Umdloti, should you wish to fly to KwaZulu-Natal. A vehicle can be rented at the airport, or a shuttle service can be used to get you to Umdloti.

Activities

For the more adventurous at heart, the following activities can be enjoyed during your visit to Umdloti:

Beaches and tidal pool - there are three beautiful beaches in Umdloti, namely Newsel Beach, Selection Beach and Umdloti Beach. The tidal pool is also excellent for snorkelling.

Surfing, diving, fishing, canoeing and kite boardingare some of the activities that can be enjoyed.

Microlight flights, horse riding, bird watching, parasailing, guided quad trails and a visit to the Natal Sharks Board can be enjoyed offshore.

Spa treatments and world-class golf courses are available in close proximity.

Whale and Dolphin watching should definitely take place and for a nice family outing, the local craft market also boasts several opportunities to purchase local crafts.