Named after the large river that runs north of it, Mtwalume is a small seaside village along the southern coast of KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa. The area is known as the Hibiscus Coast for the striking flowers that penetrate the lush green vegetation along this section of the coastline. The Mtwalume beach is protected by shark nets and the river has a large tranquil lagoon. A small number of reefs lie offshore to scuba dive and Mtwalume has a boat launch for leisure craft.

The Zulu word Mtwalume refers to the trees that grow along the river’s edge.

Mtwalume has a charming atmosphere, a warm climate year round, dazzling beach and small shopping centre for necessary provisions. It’s a place where rest and relaxation is key.

Top 6 reasons to visit Mtwalume

1. The Mtwalume beach is ideal for the family; with an open stretch of sandy beach to suntan, a warm sea to swim in and rock pools for the children to explore.

2. Hire a canoe and travel down the Mtwalume River to spot the many bird species found in the riverine forests or snorkel in the lagoon at the river mouth.

3. Angling is popular in Mtwalume during the shad season, open 9 months of the year. Other sea fish regularly caught and released here are black tail and various shark and ray species.

4. Spend the day at Crocworld Conservation Centre in Scottburgh to see the crocodiles, watch a snake demonstration and amble through the bird aviary. Visitors are allowed to interact with certain reptiles. The centre has an onsite restaurant.

5. Visit the scenic Oribi Gorge nature reserve for a train trip on the Hamba Wehelie Express. The train travels for 8km through the reserve. Note: The train is being upgraded and should be operational in 2016.

6. Golfers have a choice of playing on 4 spectacular 18-hole golf courses nearby; Scottburgh, Selborne, Umdoni and Port Shepstone golf clubs.

Transport

Mtwalume is 120km from Durban’s King Shaka International Airport via a toll road. Margate airport is 50km from Mtwalume for chartered flights. Various car rental agencies are based at King Shaka Airport or just book your vehicle online. A few metered taxi companies operate from Port Shepstone and Scottburgh, however, it’s best to hire a car.

Did you know?

Mtwalume’s most celebrated citizen is Morris Fynn who, during the Apartheid period, took a saw to the segregation signs along the Durban beachfront and publicly carried them away in defiance of the system. He was born in Mtwalume in 1930 and died in 2015. His parents were Henry Fynn, a British medic who befriended the Zulu king Shaka. He married a Zulu princess and was given the title of chief by Shaka.

Zulu and English are the spoken languages in Mtwalume.

In 1868, gold was discovered in the Mtwalume River that caused a rush of diggers to the area – including a group from Australia – however, it appears that nothing resulted from the discovery.