Vibey cafes and restaurants, a good selection of shops and access to beautiful beaches make Umhlanga Village a favourite for both holidaymakers and permanent residents.
Today, calling this coastal stretch of Umhlanga a ‘village’ is probably more of a historical reference than the little every-body-knows-your-name concept. It also differentiates it from its newer, bigger, bolder “live, work, play” relative up the hill, Umhlanga Ridge.
The village reference is evident in the vibey street-side cafes and bistros, proximity to numerous shops that satisfy every need from a new car to a fresh bagel, and access for you and your dog to the long, lovely boardwalk close to the beach.
Holidaymakers visit Umhlanga in their droves to take advantage of the high-end accommodation available. Umhlanga Village has also long been favoured for its many time-share hotels and units.
“I love the cosmopolitan vibe and that I can walk everywhere,” says Casey Clark from Gauteng, who takes up her Cabana Beach hotel time-share at the Easter and Christmas holidays.
Glam hotels such as the Beverly Hills and The Oyster Box overlook the lighthouse, beach and sea, while little boutique hotels and B&Bs can be found along the coastline. Along with the introduction of developments such as the Pearls of Umhlanga, and recently, Oceans Umhlanga, accommodation, retail and commercial businesses have come to town with multimillion-rand penthouses and international clothing brands.
Rani Pillay, a new resident in a large sectional title complex along Marine Drive, says living in the area is more than she ever dreamed of. “I can hear the sea from my bedroom, and can access the beach from our unit, so I feel as if I’m on a beach holiday most of the time, even though my workplace is in Granada Centre!”
With panoramic sea views from elevated patios, close enough to taste the salty sea spray, access to a variety of restaurants, and the close proximity to important destinations like King Shaka International Airport, life in Umhlanga Village is good.
Umhlanga’s active public private partnership UIP (Urban Improvement Precinct) ensures that the area – one of the province’s top tourism hot spots – is well maintained and policed.
I’ve lived in the Village for over two decades, and even though it’s increasingly the place to live and play, its spatial limitation of sea and freeway means that as much as it climbs the ladder, it can’t grow out of its village status
-Gail Freeman, resident.
Best in food:
- Ile Maurice
- Fish
- Little Havana
- The Oyster Box
- Beverly Hills - The Sugar Club
- Pintzada
- Mo Noodles
- Chefs Table
- Butcher Boys
Things to do:
- Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Trail – Hawaan Forest
- The sea and beach – Granny’s Pool
- The Oyster Box Hotel – Sky Bar for sundowners, the spa and their legendary high tea
- Gateway Theatre of Shopping
- Pearl Walk Mall
- Oceans Mall
Hospitals nearby:
- Netcare uMhlanga Hospital
- Busamed Gateway Private Hospital
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
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