| A combination of year-round sunshine, beautiful sandy | | | | cane country, is the beautiful Oribi Gorge Nature |
| beaches, and never-ending surf has made the | | | | Preserve. Carved into the rock over millions of years |
| southern coast of South Africa a mecca for | | | | by the Umzimkulwana River, the Oribi Gorge presents |
| vacationers from the country's interior, and from | | | | plenty of wonderful photo opportunities. It is 24 |
| Europe and North America. This coastal playground | | | | kilometres (15 miles) long, up to five kilometres (3 miles) |
| stretches for 162 kilometres (100 miles) from Durban to | | | | wide, and is 300 meters (975 feet) deep. There is a |
| the border of the Eastern Cape. More than thirty | | | | scenic, circular drive through the reserve, and three |
| resort towns serve the needs of people who come to | | | | hiking trails. The forest, made up of more than 500 |
| swim, dive, surf, fish, sail, or just lie on the beach. But | | | | different species of trees, is home to samango |
| there is more to the South Coast than sand, water | | | | monkeys, bushbucks, duikers, and leopards. |
| and sunshine. Visitors will also find everything from | | | | Tourist Capital |
| glitzy casinos to pristine nature reserves and bird | | | | The town of Margate is considered the tourist capital |
| sanctuaries. | | | | of the South Coast. It has a small airport that has |
| Hibiscus Coast and the Sardine Run | | | | flights to Johannesburg, and from there has |
| The gorgeous Hibiscus Coast is about 120 kilometres | | | | connections to other parts of South Africa. Margate |
| (75 miles) south of Durban, and extends from | | | | has dozens of hotels overlooking its spectacular |
| Hibberdene in the north to Port Edward in the South. It | | | | beach, and there are plenty of restaurants, pubs, |
| is famous for its beaches and golf courses, but is | | | | shopping facilities, and other services that cater to the |
| especially well known for an annual event the people | | | | tourist crowd. Even though this is a beach-lover's |
| of South Africa call the Sardine Run. Every year | | | | paradise, one of the principal attractions here is fishing. |
| starting in June or July, millions of the little silver fish | | | | Anglers can try their luck from shore, or charter a boat |
| begin their migration from their spawning grounds off | | | | and go out after marlin. |
| the Eastern Cape to the waters of Port Edward. This | | | | Shaka Zulu Named It |
| lasts for several weeks, until the vast shoal of fish | | | | Amanzimtoti is a small resort town 27 kilometres (17 |
| moves farther north. The Sardine Run presents a | | | | miles) south of Durban. The name means, "The water |
| terrific opportunity for bird watchers and people who | | | | is sweet." According to legend, the name was |
| want to see marine life, because the huge | | | | bestowed on this place by the warrior king Shaka Zulu, |
| concentration of small fish attracts predators. Dolphins, | | | | one of the most colourful figures in South Africa's |
| seals, and sharks are among the sea creatures that | | | | history. The great Zulu leader supposedly stopped |
| come for the feast. Thousands of sea birds attack | | | | here on his way home from a campaign, and made |
| from the sky, scooping up all the sardines they can eat. | | | | the remark about the water after taking a drink from a |
| A Gorgeous Gorge | | | | stream. Besides the beach, visitors also come here for |
| Not all of the South Coast's natural beauty is along the | | | | golf and a nearby bird sanctuary. Besides the beach, |
| coast. Twenty-one kilometres (13 miles) inland from | | | | visitors also come here for golf and a nearby bird |
| Port Shepstone, in the heart of South Africa's sugar | | | | sanctuary. |