South Coast

The coast between Durban and the Wild Coast is very well developed with small towns, many hotels, guest houses, golf courses and other amenities. It's an excellent family holiday destination with all the attendant activities and amenities and the weather is warm and the sea water positively balmy. But don't be misled by all that - it's a pretty exciting spot, too, with loads to do, including abseiling, gorge swinging and white water rafting. The diving off the South Coast is excellent, with Protea Banks rated as one of the best shark diving destinations in the world and the surfing is great. Although this area is not visited by the spectacular southern right whales so easily seen in the Cape, the dolphin and whale watching is good, with humpback whales, bottlenose, humpback and common dolphins regularly seen.

In late June or early July, the South Coast comes alive as the sardine run gets into full swing. Stretching all along the coast from just north of East London, the sardine run is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in the world. Anglers, sightseers, divers and documentary film-makers alike crowd out the South Coast towns as well as the Wild Coast.