Your first day in Umdloti

From the airport

King Shaka International Airport is 12.5 km away, about 14 minutes by road. UberX is quoted at around R114 to R148, with a pickup wait of about five minutes at the terminal. Check the live fare in the app.

Every way in, including the drive from Gauteng

Groceries on foot

White Sands Shopping Centre is in the village, where Jabu Ngcobo Drive meets North Beach Road. It has KWIKSPAR Umdloti for groceries, a TOPS bottle store, White Sands surf shop and Mozambik. KWIKSPAR is open 07:00 to 20:00 every day, and to 19:00 on public holidays.

For the big shop, Marine Walk is up Jabu Ngcobo Drive. SUPERSPAR Salta is the main supermarket there, with Woolworths and Dis-Chem in the same centre. The map below shows which places are open right now, and the mall guide lists what is at each centre.

Your first swim

Start at the tidal pool, a natural rock pool at the south end of the main beach with its own lifeguard tower. At low tide the rocks are worth exploring. Umdloti Beach runs north from there to the river mouth, and it is shark netted.

Swim where lifeguards are on duty and between their flags, as the NSRI advises. The bar at the top of this page has the sea as it is right now.

For a morning walk, follow the beach north from the South Beach Road beachfront, past the tidal pool and the main beach, to the river mouth: about 3 km each way, drawn on the map below.

Feeling fit? The beach runs about 7 km south, past Sibaya, to the Umhlanga Rocks lighthouse. Cross the Umhlanga River mouth only when it is not flowing hard, and take an Uber back.

Tide times for the rock pools are on the tidal pool page.

Things to book: kite lessons, fishing, a whale trip and more

Dinner tonight

On the beachfront

Bel Punto, Bush Tavern, Salt & Citrus, SandBar, Tasca Pizza

In the village

Mozambik

At Marine Walk

La Casa Nostra, Owner's Office, The Room, Tightline, Tyler's, Waxy O'Connors

New at Reefside

Nando's, Ocean Basket, Shoots and Leaves Reefside

Staying in? What delivers to Umdloti

Every place to eat, with hours and what is confirmed

Raining? The rainy-day plan

If something goes wrong

• Emergency from a cellphone 112
• Police 10111
• Sea rescue (NSRI) 087 094 9774
• Dis-Chem pharmacy, Marine Walk 031 108 0350

The nearest hospital is Netcare uMhlanga Hospital, with a 24-hour emergency unit, about 15 to 20 minutes away across from Gateway. Dis-Chem at Marine Walk is open 08:30 to 18:00 on weekdays, 08:00 to 17:00 on Saturday and 09:00 to 16:00 on Sunday. Power, water and road notices are on the status page.