An absolute gem of a place on the Natal North Coast (Umdloti)

Member Name: sparkleem

Product:	Umdloti
Date:	02/06/09 (12 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quieter than Umhlanga rocks with family friendly swimming and dolphin spotting!

Disadvantages: Not the best if you want to party!

Umdloti is a little gem on the North Coast of Kwa-zulu natal. This stretch of coast line is also known as the Dolphin Coast - for good reason!

Umdloti is a small place, with a shop and a couple of bar restaurants. There are a number of houses to rent and lots of sea-fronting apartments. Almost all accomadation is in one row along with only the small non-through road separating the buildings from the beautiful beach.

The whole of the KZN coastline is so beautiful with fantastic beaches. What makes Umdloti special is the large natural tidal pool, made of rocks which separate a swimming area from the rough sea and currents. Also great for some snorkling! Climbing (carefully) along the rocks at low tide can give some fantastic rock-pool finds, the largest being a little like looking into a tropical aquarium with blue, yellow and black-white stripy fish.

To the north of the rock pool is a more open area of sea, inhabited mainly by surfers and kitesurfers. Many an hour can be spent watching these adrenaline junkies doing their thing in the waves and surf!

For day-trippers, parking is free along the road opposite the beach and feels fairly secure in that you can keep peeking over the wall to check on the car...

Umdloti beach is understandably popular with families. Visiting during summer, but not South-African school holidays, the beach can be busy but nowhere near as busy as a European beach gets! In other words, there is plenty of space to run around but usually enough people for your children to make some new friends.

We stayed five days in one of the self-catering apartment buildings. The apartment was fairly standard, and I am sure they are all fairly similar. The highlight was, however, eating breakfast on the sea-facing balcony each morning. We soon realised that a large pod of Dolphins swam slowly past every morning (around 8.30 I think). They seemed to be feeding on fish just on the other side of the rock pool. A memory for life!

Note: Undloti is often also spelt "Umdhloti"

Summary: Amazing sea views, dolphin spotting and family friendly swimming and snorkelling.