ZOCO SURFING ADVENTURES

SURFING HOLIDAYS IN & AROUND DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa's Zulu Kingdom - KwaZulu-Natal

The province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) includes Durban, the Drakensberg (including East Griqualand), Elephant Coast, Pietermaritzburg and Midlands, Zululand, South Coast, North Coast (Dolphin Coast) and the Battlefields regions. This rough guide covers the areas you will be travelling through.

Quick links: Durban | South Coast | North Coast | Zululand | South Africa News

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DURBAN

Is a scosmopolitan city of some three million people - a city where east meets west - a city beneath which beats the pulse of Africa. A city known as Africa's best managed busiest port.

It's a great city in which to shop, experience the nightlife and to relax. Leisure facilities abound. Visit uShaka Marine World, Wilson's Wharf on the Victoria Embankment and the nearby BAT centre. Enjoy fine and traditional dining, entertainment and shopping in scenic surroundings. Grey Street and the Warwick Triangle boast vibrant locals shops and markets. Beachfront stalls sell traditional arts and crafts. Enjoy the excellent entertainment on offer at the city's theatres and clubs or take a township tour.

THE SOUTH COAST

Sub-tropical forests, blue lagoons, golden beaches, rocky coves, the warm Indian Ocean and sunny weather make KwaZulu- Natal's south coast a popular year-round holiday destination. Swim, surf or just laze on the beach, working on your suntan. Four beaches, namely Margate, Ramsgate, Marina Beach and Hibberdene, have International 'Blue Flag' status.

Every winter, there is the phenomenon of the sardine run - millions of sardines migrate up the coast and people come from far and wide to scoop up buckets of this natural harvest.

THE NORTH COAST AKA DOLPHIN COAST

The Kingdom's north coast, also known as the Dolphin Coast, stretches from Zimbali to the Tugela River. This is the playground of the bottlenose dolphins, which frolic in the waters close to shore and are visible all year round. It offers luxury, beauty, sport and history.

When you're not surfing you can enjoy the good restaurants offering fine dining, nightclubs, excellent golf courses, horse-riding, climbing and angling. The great Shaka Zulu is buried at Kwa-Dukuza, and Nobel laureate, Albert Luthuli, lies buried nearby. Walk a 'muti' (African medicine) trail through the Harold Johnson nature reserve or visit historic battle sites such as the Ultimatum Tree, Ndondakusuka or Fort Pearson.

Zulu hospitality is warm and the people friendly. They are proud to show you their heritage. The North Coast is also home to a large Indian community. Look out for their temples; sample their spicy curries or shop for fresh produce at any of the numerous markets.

The north coast is a place to relax, kick back, and savour your surrounds. Enjoy.

ZULULAND

The sheer majesty of this region will take your breath away. Under the hot African sun, the cobalt blue Indian Ocean, Mangrove swamps and limpid lagoons, give way to rolling green hills and indigenous forests which shimmer in the distance before they reach the Drakensberg mountains.

While you are here, enjoy the welcoming wide smiles extended to you by the local people. Teeming private and provincial game reserves offer game- watching facilities as well as hiking and nature trails.

'The Zulu experience' will linger in your mind long after you have left this area. Take an ox wagon to Zulu villages of bee-hive huts and experience traditional Zulu hospitality, or a rural wedding ceremony and if you wish, visit a sangoma (traditional healer).

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