The original plan was to take another road trip to Durban with the same gang from this trip. But a crowd of eight turned into six, then four, then three and finally two. The costs of the trip went up but myself and a friend needed the break away from normal life so we were set on going no matter what.
The 14th of February finally came and I don’t think I can ever get used to the fine greenery right after Heidelberg. Everything changes; the air, the atmosphere, the trees and the sky is clearer. Even more interesting was the conversation and catch up between two friends and arguing over who has the freshest playlist.
Six and a half hours later, we finally got to KwaZulu Natal. It got even calmer and more serine when we got out of town. My friend insisted on driving the whole way and to our surprise, Umhlanga was a good 40 – 45 minutes out of town. When we finally got there, we drove past one of the most beautiful apartments I’ve ever seen; I remember those apartments because everything about them was perfect. The positioning, the lights, the ocean view from the gate and the mountains on the other side. I remember telling my friend we were coming back, just to stay there. To our surprise, that’s where we were staying for our vacae (the name was hidden and the GPS couldn’t pick up the location because it’s a new development).
FYI; AirBnB has fast become one of my favourite hosting apps because of the constant communication with super hosts. Debbie (the host) kept in contact from the moment we left until we got lost and found. The host’s dad welcomed us with gifts and smiles. The photos on AirBnB where nothing compared to what we saw. Here are the highlights of the trip:
Night Life
The night we got there, we had no choice but to get straight into the nightlife. It was during load shedding times and we were forced to go out to grab a bite instead of ordering in. Umhlanga Rocks and Umhlanga Centre was 5 minutes away and you could feel the buzz long before you got there. It was Valentine’s Day so most restaurants were dimmed and filled with couples staring each other in the eyes, wearing red and white. We opted for a less romantic scenery that catered for my vegetarian needs. The Italian restaurant we chose had a beautiful view of the city lights and the stars. All the drama to get there was worth it.
Netflix
Can we agree to cancel hosts who don’t offer Netflix, unless of course the aim is to completely zone out. My friend, more than me, enjoyed catching up on movies and series. The aim of this holiday was to be as lazy as possible and Netflix helped us to achieve that. We watched three seasons of a series called Queen South.
Amenities
The rooftop was a popular hangout places for most people. I spent some time up there reading a book, meditating and doing yoga. We also enjoyed a few meals and had a picnic there. The sound of the water and birds had a calming effect. After the yoga session, the lazy seats and pool offered amazing views.
The Ocean
The name of the place is the Ocean Dune for a reason; the ocean views from the lounge and the bedroom, the rooftop, the pool areas were breathtakingly beautiful. The amenities were also positioned in a way that you had 180 views of the ocean. There was a private entrance to the ocean for some beachy and tan time. And if the beach was too far, there were three pools with a view of the ocean. I don’t think I’ve ever see pools that were so blue.
Touristy Stuff
To know me is to know that I love radio with all of my being. So I treated myself to seeing the radio stations that side and showed up at East Coast Radio and Gagasi FM unannounced. Just to get the feel of their studios and the people who worked there. The security guards, as they should, interrogated me before I made into the studios. I managed to get into the Gagasi FM studios because they saw the GP on the car number plate. Gagasi had just moved into their new studios and they took care of the basics first. The end product will look amazing if the plan is anything to go by.
I watched The East Coast Radio studio from the outside *sigh. The studios were way beyond what I expected, the structure of the studios and the technologies blew me away.
We were close to three beaches and opted to go to Pearl Beach to celebrate my friend’s birthday after a young cake and champopo surprise I managed to execute. The short stay there was refreshing considering the all-day Netflix and yoga sessions we had the previous day. We had initially planned to go to Eyadini for the day but the birthday person is always right on their day, lol.
We had a lazy holiday but here are a few other things to do by the Ocean Dune:
Eyadini Lounge
If you’re wondering what the hype is all about, Eyadini is apparently worth the 30 minute drive (away from Umhlanga). The famous Ekasi Shisanyama is located in Umlazi Township. Well known for it’s “Eyadini walk” and star starred line up; it caters for trendy, meat and music lovers. Saturdays and Sundays are for explosive vibes known as #ekasisaturdayexperience or #ekasisundayexperience and usually grant free access unless there is an event. The average price for entrance is R50 – R350 depending on the event. We were advised to go on Monday for Therapy Monday for a smaller crowd and lounge music.
Sibaya Casino & Entertainment Kingdom
The casino is conveniently situated between Umdloti and Umhlanga. It lazily barks in the green hills and has 360 degrees ocean and hinterland views. The USP is also the traditional Zulu architecture, with state of the art technology. Besides having 1 001 slots and 37 tables available for gamers, the casino also hosts beautiful places to dine out from the Aqua, a specialty for seafood and Sondela Tavern for the African fusion menu. The well-known 592 thatched iZulu Theatre also has internationally acclaimed plays on rotation.
Wave Park Gateway
There are plenty of beaches in Umhlanga; including Umhlanga Beach, Whalebone Pier and Pearl Beach. If water adventure parks are your thing, consider Wave Park. It’s a child friendly facility with Durban’s largest, coolest waterslides and water thrills. Other activities available include Sand Art, Bungee Trampoline and the Skate Park. There are no braai facilities and outside food is not permitted, food and drink are sold on the premises. The average price for tickets is R20 – R170.
So there it is.
We stayed there are five days and spent less that R 4000 p/person for everything. Again I say, AirBnB is a new favourite. And we also learned, if you’re driving to Durban (or anywhere for that matter), hiring a car is more cost effective. I’m heading to KZN again soon, any places I should consider?
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