We have not had many travel opportunities since going into a hard lockdown on 27 March 2020; having gotten back in the nick of time from a fabulous Cape holiday!
I'm really missing seeing some of our favourite places, but also missing something else, and that is spending quality time with some of our favourite people.
I decided to do a nostalgic compilation of some of our favourite Kwazulu Natal coastal destinations down south; not wanting to take the chance on traveling much as our country's Covid figure are currently high, provincial borders are closed from time to time as well as our beaches during peak season!
You may recognise some of these photos as I have written about most of my favourites before, but need to re-visit them; if only in memory as I'm really feeling 'vacation-sick', not home-sick for sure, as home has been the place I've been spending most of my time.
We still cannot risk travelling outside our province, with very little warning about the closure of borders plus Covid figures rising again!
Caribbean Estates
I will start at the southern-most point in Kwazulu Natal with one of our favourites, the Caribbean Estates south of Port Edward which is right on the border between the Eastern Cape and Kwazulu Natal with the Umtamvuna River separating the two provinces.
This is a graceful and stunning eco-estate with homes ranging from small to large; each with its own unique architecture, but all in a Caribbean style and painted in gorgeous pastel shades.
There is a lovely tranquil river walk all along a boardwalk that takes one down to a large wooden deck, the perfect spot for fishing in the river estuary. The impressive Umtamvuna Bridge with its steel arches can be seen from here. On the eastern side of the resort the beach offers long stretches of gorgeous white sand and is not crowded, so that's a big plus!
We always book one of the 4 bedroom villas through our holiday club so we can take friends or family along.
Leisure Bay
Whenever we're down that way, we always take a drive and spend a day at an old childhood haunt of ours called TO Strand at Leisure Bay. We used to come here annually for laidback camping holidays when growing up; great for fishing, swimming and long walks. Our family all are fisherman and in the bottom right pic you can see my sister in law joining the menfolk, just like Mom Lily used to when she was still fit. I don't mind cleaning the fish so all the waste can be thrown back into the sea, and I'll gladly cook it, but fishing is one bug that never bit me!
This resort has camping sites as well as chalets with the Boboyi River on the one side and the other side fronting onto the beach; the best of both worlds in one place as at Caribbean Estates!
Glenmore Sands
Another old-time favourite of ours and the one we visit the most, is Glenmore Beach, a stone's throw from Leisure Bay; in fact as teens, we used to walk between these two beaches all along the coastal paths and sandy stretches.
We love staying at the Glenmore Sands as it's only a couple of steps away from the beach; again ideal for fishing, swimming and long walks on the sandy beach with rock pools here and there to look for bounty from the sea like mussels and oysters. Towards the southern side are massive rocks which are perfect for anglers.
The most stunning sunrises over the Indian Ocean can be seen from one's balcony.
They have a restaurant called The Nightingale which is named after the ship that stranded in 1933 on the rocks at Munster, just next to Glenmore Beach; this onsite restaurant makes the very best Prawn Curry I have ever tasted, served with the works; papadams, homemade mango pickles, sambals, chutney, banana & coconut!
We always bring friends or family along and have awesome memories of this unpretentious place with wonderful hospitality.
My friend @artywink & her hubby joined us here on this occasion.
Cow Shed Coffee & Pottery Shop
We never tire of visiting this area down south as there as many quaint little places like this awesome little coffee cum pottery shop.
The tables have all been hand- painted with scenes of farm animals and flowers, too gorgeous!
Their barista makes the most beautiful and delicious cappuccinos down south!
Beaver's Creek Coffee Estate
Not far from here is a coffee farm where one can see the whole process from the coffee seed to the final cup of the very best coffee.
They also have a wonderful coffee shop where one can have a light meal as well as buy some coffee straight from the farm.
Scottburgh
A little closer to Durban is a small coastal town where we've book the penthouse of the Blue Marlin Hotel a couple of times through our holiday club. With five bedrooms en-suite, large living room, a pool table and two dining areas as well as one large patio for braaing (BBQ) plus 2 smaller patios, all with gorgeous views of the Indian Ocean, there's enough space to invite your most favourite people.
Here we have had the most awesome fun with friends as the beach is few steps away and even though the weather was rotten one weekend, the fun and laughter never ended.
SO what do you think I miss the most about our local travels?
The change of scenery of course, but most of all the togetherness with family and friends; the laughter, the fun, sharing our innermost thoughts and time to catch up on what's been happening in all our own little worlds!
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