Hi, we’re Jean and Carl from Umtentweni
Umtentweni IS BEST KNOWN FOR it’s beautiful tree lined roads and gardens, which the tranquil atmosphere only obtained from a garden suburb nestling on the shores of the Indian Ocean.
GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN from the top of Port Shepstone Lighthouse, with its fantastic views over Umtentweni with its surf fringed beaches. The lighthouse is over 100 years old and is still an invaluable aid to seamen traversing this coast which is renowned for its shipwrecks.
THE BEST sunrise PICTURES CAN BE TAKEN AT the beach off Shad Lane, with rocks in the foreground, and a red glowing ball of the sun rising over an azure and white sea.
For OTHER HAPPY SNAPS enjoy yourself on the Umtentweni beach, surfing, body boarding, swimming or just playing in ‘grannies pool’. The beach has beautiful soft sand sloping into the ocean and is a great family beach.
WHEN THE WEATHER’S GOOD, I LIKE TO chill out on the beach with a fishing rod or just sunbathe by the swimming pool.
WHEN THE WEATHER’S BAD, I LIKE TO get together with friends in one of our friendly pub or restaurants – but the weather is rarely bad!
Many people THINK THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT IS winter, BECAUSE the weather is warm with clear blue skies giving you the energy to do so many things – but my personal favourite is the very hot summers that we have, cooled by a gentle sea breeze.
MY FAVOURITE BREAKFAST SPOT IS Jaxx. Sit on the verandah and watch the passing ships and wonder where they are going to, or coming from.
FOR LUNCH, I SUGGEST 3rd Avenue Pub & Grill – it’s just a short walk from the beach.
MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANT IS Schooners Galley, TRY THE seafood – its delicious. For a formal meal sit inside or for a more casual meal sit on the deck outside.
BEST LATE NIGHT SNACK FROM The Curry Den. Drive in and take away your late night curry.
MY FAVOURITE rugby watching SPOT IS Jaxx – especially when there is a good game on.
FOR A NIGHT OUT ON THE TOWN TRY Zizi’s – a beautiful restaurant where you feel really special.
IF YOU WANT TO MEET LOCALS, GO TO Quenchers – a quaint pub in a very old building.
Umtentweni’s BEST KEPT SECRET IS our fabulous pristine beaches. We have many kilometres of unspoilt, surf fringed almost deserted beaches where you can take a walk to the rock outcrops and search for shells and mussels.
MY FAVOURITE THING TO DO WITH FRIENDS IS to have a braai at the grassy braai area right next to the beach. Braais and tables and chairs are provided, and the kiosk is there if you need anything extra.
TO RELAX AND RESTORE MY SOUL, I LIKE TO spend time on the beaches away from people and the hustle and bustle.
IF YOU’RE FEELING ADVENTUROUS, TRY the surf at ‘Tweni beach – it’s fantastic.
MY FAVOURITE WALK IS among the trees along the Umtentweni River.
MY FAVOURITE book SHOP IS Ronnies Book Shoppe which is piled to the ceiling with hundreds of mainly good quality second hand books for a very low price, or to exchange.
MY FAVOURITE whale WATCHING SPOT IS the viewpoint off Old St Faith’s Road. Here you can see whales playing in the bay, or watch the gannets and dolphins following and feasting on the Sardine Run, an annual migration of huge shoals of sardines who sometimes come so close to the shore that they swim on to the beach.
IF YOU’RE HERE IN June, July or August, JOIN IN THE FUN AT The Sardine Festival. This takes the form of many different events up and down the South Coast – fishing competitions, mountain bike races, golf tournament, jazz festivals, half marathon and walk, soap box derby, trade, exhibition and agricultural shows, a Portuguese Festival, traditional tribal ceremony and much more.
MY FAVOURITE GALLERY IS Nicks Art. CHECK OUT his outdoor exhibitions in the JTV car park on certain weekends.
MY FAVOURITE BUILDING IS Royston Hall, ITS a beautifully restored and kept 19th century house set in its own nature reserve with fabulous views up the Umzimkulu River to the sea. Built for the harbour master when Port Shepstone was a port it has a fascinating history.
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN? A FUN OUTING IS ice creams from the beach kiosk.
BEST CHEAP AND CHEERFUL OUTING IS collecting mussels from the rocks.
WHEN MONEY’S NO OBJECT, I LIKE TO go to one of our fantastic restaurants and really splurge.
THE MOST UNUSUAL THING I SEE HERE IS trumpeter hornbills in my garden, fish eagles at the Umzimkulu River, gannets diving for sardines, tiny oribi in the sugar cane fields, and the plaintive cry of the tree dassie.
MY FAVOURITE WEEKEND GETAWAY IS to go to Port Shepstone Country Club for a game of golf on their beautiful course.
WHEN I WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, I like to help the local ratepayers association with a beach cleanup.
I Love Umtentweni BECAUSE it has a wonderful tranquil atmosphere and all the locals are so friendly and helpful. It is an ideal place to come and relax and get rid of your city tensions. But it is close to all the amenities of Port Shepstone, the shopping malls and boat trips at Shelly Beach, the razzmatazz of Margate and the excitement of extreme sports and fantastic scenery, hiking trails and game and nature reserves at Oribi Gorge.
Useful Umtentweni Links
- Umtentweni Attractions
- Umtentweni Hotels
- Umtentweni Accommodation
- KwaZulu Natal Accommodation
- Hotels in KwaZulu Natal
- Hotels in South Africa
Desirable Digits
Jaxx: +27 (0)39 695-1731
Schooners Galley: +27 (0)39 695-0701
Curry Den: +27 (0)39 682-5559
Zizi’s: +27 (0)39 695-0224
Quenchers: +27 (0)39 695-0793
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