Chitika

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Umhalanga Rocks,boasting one of the best coastlines in South Africa.

By Chelsea Hirschfield


South Africa's shopping mecca,Gateway shopping mall. The mall features Barnyard Theatre, Ster Kinekor cinema, Cinema Nouveau, IMAX, rock climbing wall, artificial waves, skateboard park, huge games room, Woolworths, Edgars, Truworths, Game, Exclusive Books, Musica, over 30 restaurants and more. Valet parking is available for those who want to enjoy a luxurious day of shopping, family rooms for mom's and babies are secured with panic buttons that link directly to the security control room as well.

A world-class entertainment and tourism destination in Durban is Ushaka Marine World. Spanning over 15 hectares of prime beach front, uShaka Marine world begins were the Durban's Golden mile ends. This is Africa's largest marine theme park; it incorporates fresh and sea water, lush vegetation, natural materials and the re-creation of a wreck of a 1940's cargo ship. Focused firmly on family entertainment, no matter what the occasion, you will always find something to do,uShaka Marine World is also home to the fifth largest aquarium in the world.

The Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve is a 76 hectare reserve with the largest population of mangrove trees in the Durban area. This area is used as an education centre, where black, red and white Mangrove trees can be seen. There are sand dunes, a selection of birdlife and you can also to encounter the strange mudskippers - fish that use their pectoral fins to either skim over the water or to propel themselves across the mud. There are three trails in the reserve, taking the visitors to the bird hide and to the swamp, where waders come to feed and just be careful because there are thousands of fiddler crabs wondering around ready to pinch.

Only a short drive from Durban, begins the coastline of Umhalanga rocks which starts near the landmark lighthouse that dominates the beach. From this point, the long, sandy beaches are a cosmopolitan collection of white hotel buildings and blocks of apartments that easily signify the lifestyle sought by this incredible stretch of coast, that is at once known as a tourist Mecca and a seaside village that has refused to lose its small town appeal. Given the warm Indian Ocean waters, the rocky lined beaches that allow for plenty of seaside paddling, shell searching and attractions alike, it isn't hard to imagine why so many people want to live here.

One of the most well known Hotels in Umhalanga is the Sibaya Lodge. What an amazing place. There was a wide range of foods and wines we could choose from. There was a great pool and there is a casino in the hotel as well. Sibaya has a unique venue which embraces traditional Zulu architecture in a typical village layout, so we got to learn so many interesting things too.




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