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South African Beaches
South Africa is known for its great game reserves and the Big 5 -- the buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhino. But amidst the natural land-locked wonders are a series of beaches with striking turquoise waters and sparkling white sandy shores.
KwaZulu-Natal Coastline
The KwaZulu-Natal Coast beckons visitors with nice weather and miles of sandy shores. Many beaches in the area boast 320 days of sunshine each year.
Durban is the main hub of activity in KwaZulu-Natal with the best amenities for a beach vacation. South Beach is the place to be along Durban's Golden Mile, with resorts and sunbathing on the sandy golden shores. New Beach is playing host to football fanatics as one of the official hosts of Fan Fest for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. If you can't score tickets to the event, take in a match on the big screen with thousands of other revelers.
South Africa is known for its amazing safari encounters with the Big 5, but the uShaka Marine World offers a different wildlife experience. This park consists of Sea World, an aquarium filled with dolphins, seals, penguins and fish, as well as water rides at Wet 'n Wild and a large beach area with activities including jet-skiing, paddle boats and beach rugby.
Over on KwaZulu-Natal's south coast, Margate is a great family beach with soft golden sand lined with coconut palm trees. The gentle surf is ideal for swimming and boogie-boarding and kids will love the nearby water park and coves, perfect for a rock pool treasure hunt.
Eastern Cape
The beaches on the Eastern Cape range from the family-friendly surf spots around Port Elizabeth to the craggy Wild Coast. Located in Algoa Bay along Port Elizabeth's Sunshine Coast, Hobie Beach has prime real estate in South Africa's water-sports capital. The water is clear, calm and warm, ideal for swimming, but also for boardsailing, kite-surfing, windsurfing and jet-skiing. There's adventure underwater as well with shipwrecks and coral reefs teeming with fish. The fun doesn't end on the sand -- the nearby Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World is a complex of hotels, restaurants and gaming venues.
Serious surfers flock to Jeffreys Bay for first-rate surfing. The best waves roll in between June and August and the area is most crowded during the on-site Billabong Pro world surfing championship every July.
The Wild Coast is a series of secluded beaches bordered by milkwood trees. Mdumbe Beach is an unspoiled gem near Coffee Bay that has great views. The beach is quiet and often empty save some wandering cows that may pass by the surfers on the beach. The Coffee Shack hostel in Coffee Bay is a friendly spot to spend the night when exploring the area.
