Umhlanga

Umhlanga

Umhlanga is a residential, commercial and resort town north of Durban on the coast of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

Umhlanga is named after the Ohlanga River, which reaches the Indian Ocean three kilometres north of the town.

Visitors from around the world flock to the holiday resort village of Umhlanga to relax and have fun on one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. The warm placid waters of the Indian Ocean make swimming a pleasure, and snorkelers will be delighted with the proliferation of coral reefs deeper in the waters.

Umhlanga Ridge is a new retail, office and residential node situated on a hill overlooking the Indian Ocean. It was largely developed on sugarcane land by property development company, Moreland Estates, owned by the Tongaat-Hulett sugar group.

Umhlanga's golden sandy beaches stretch northwards for more than 200 kilometres, all the way to the spectacular Isimangaliso Wetland Park, a world heritage site. Inland from Umhlanga, endless fields of sugarcane give way to the undulating landscape of the Valley of 1000 Hills, the massive Inanda Dam and the mystical hidden valleys of Zululand.

Business has relocated here from central Durban to Umhlanga, in a similar fashion to Sandton in Johannesburg, and Durban International Airport is set to move to La Mercy nearby.

The Umhlanga property market continues to go from strength to strength, offering luxury vacation housing and affordable apartments with great accessibility to all of Umhlanga's feature attractions. The residential aspect of Umhlanga too has grown incredibly. Gated communities and luxury estates have sprawled their way across the suburb, and in particular, Umhlanga Ridge, which used to be largely sugarcane, is now a much sought-after retail, office and residential area due in no small part to the incredible views over the Indian Ocean.

Central Umhlanga

Central to the Umhlanga coastline region is the holiday village of Umhlanga Rocks which was originally part of the sugar estate of Sir Marshall Campbell. From being a small, quiet village, it has now expanded into a thriving area that offers all the amenities of a well established town, whilst still retaining the feel of a friendly seaside community.

A breathtaking diversity of tropical fish and coral reefs wrap along the Umhlanga coastline, making it a perfect scuba diving and snorkelling destination. Surfers flock to Umhlanga’swarm waters to make the most of some incredible surf spots. If you fancy a trip down memory lane, you’ll be glad to know that Umhlanga is home to one of the last drive-ins in South Africa. Relive the good times as you cuddle on the back seat and enjoy a good movie at Umhlanga’s Drive In.

Besides the amazing shopping, surf, diving and swimming experiences, Umhlanga is also known for numerous other attractions. These include The Umhlanga Lighthouse was completed in 1954 and has since become a landmark attracting thousands of people yearly. The looming tower stands 21m high and has a focal plane height of 25m. So pack that picnic basket full of scrumptious snacks and go exploring around Umhlanga’s Lighthouse.