Leisure Bay, South Coast

Leisure Bay, on the lower south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, nestles in amongst Glenmore Beach, Munster, Palm Beach and Trafalgar Beach, one more little seaside village that beckons with unspoilt swimming beaches, gorgeous sub-tropical vegetation, rock and surf fishing, surfing, boogie boarding, sun bathing and snorkelling.

Leisure Bay, with access to Kidds, Glenmore and Peter Pan Beaches, promises the type of beachside holiday we all hanker after. Hours of uninterrupted surf, sunshine, book reading time with only a quick stroll from one's accommodation to the beach, most of which have views of the sea and certainly the sound of the sea to which one can fall asleep at night.

Rock pools, sand dunes covered in indigenous vegetation, fresh fish for supper and little to think about or organise but the easy fall-out-of-bed-breakfast-and-onto-the-beach scenario that Leisure Beach, just 20 minutes away from Shelly Beach, promises.

If the continuous beach life does not grab you, there are numerous other activities for the family, including a clamber over rocks to Glenmore Beach, and the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve - virtually an unknown paradise that is wonderful for hikers and boasts amazing waterfalls and rainforest. Trails include a selection of hikes that range from easy to achieve in an hour to the roughly six-hour Nkonka Trail.

For those not ready for a hike at all, there are also 500 metre walks. The reserve is only for day visits so make sure you see the forested gorge, the clear streams the magnificent views and the sandstone koppies.

If you are in Leisure Bay round the time of the Sardine Run (anywhere between May and August) then this is one of the best places to be. Three kilometres wide and sometimes as long as 15 kilometres, the shoals that pass through these waters are a spectacle to behold.