Uncovering South Africa’s Secret Beaches on the North Coast of Kwa Zulu Natal

How many places in the world have 3 mile long secret beaches just 10 miles from an International Airport?

This December we headed to the North Coast of KwaZulu Natal. The new airport built for the 2010 World Cup was moved to the north of Durban and this opens up the North Coast of KwaZulu Natal also known as the Dolphin Coast.

Close to the popular holiday resort of Balito now just a 10 minute drive from the new airport we were taken by our local guide (and conveniently my father in law!) to the 1^st of 5 beaches all accessed via farm tracks or private housing estates that have miles of empty sandy beaches boarded by lush indigenous forest or sugar cane fields.

Whilst people queue for parking on the main Durban Beaches, fight for towel space in Plettenberg or freeze in the waters of Cape Town we found perfect beaches with a handful full of locals and fishermen right in the middle of South Africa’s busiest holiday season. (The pictures below were taken on 02^nd January a bank holiday).

You’d have to travel to remote Mozambique to find this sort of seclusion and for young families the added bonus this area of KwaZulu Natal is malaria free. Warm water, rock pools for the little ones and surf for the older kids makes it a family paradise.

Advice for exploring the remote beaches of KwaZulu Natal:

• Check the To Escape To guide in your travel pack to assure you’re visiting a beach with public access (you don’t want to be trespassing!). We have everything down to parking information. If it’s rained recently avoid the beaches down farm tracks as they may be muddy and need a 4×4.
• Take a cool box with drinks, lunch and plenty of ice. You can pick all this up at the large shopping centres on the outskirts of Balito (just a 5 minute detour off the main highway).
• Bring shade, a hat and plenty of sun cream even a beach tent if you have little ones (again all available at the local shopping centres).
• These beaches are not manned by life guards and the sea can be wild. Beware of dangerous sea currents and rip tides. Always ask for local knowledge and if in doubt stay in the shallows.
• If you or your family want to surf or learn to surf why not take a local guide and instructor to get you going.

Places to stay:

Sheffield Beach House: Your own beach house complete with staff just 20 minutes from the airport: Click Here

Thonga Beach Lodge: Take the hassle of visiting the remote beaches by actually staying on one with all service of a luxury lodge to fall back on: Click Here

Private warm rock pool full of little fish a child paradise. Photo taken in the height of the holiday season on the 02nd Jan bank holiday – one other family on the beach!

25 minute drive from Durban International airport. Taken on 02nd January a public holiday on the same day there were 3 mile queues to get to Balito beach just 10 minutes away. It’s worth knowing a local!