Rail bridge on the way to Clansthal. At the southern tip of Clansthal beach is the Green Point lighthouse, a National Monument, also the spot for experienced surfers, where the waves peel off in unison for hundreds of metres. | 
Umkomaas' heavily wooded and bunkered 5479m, 18 hole Golf Course. |
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The mighty uMkomasi River |
Umkomaas is also known for its beautiful sunrise. A village that has not changed much in 50 yrs. World famous Aliwal Shoal Reef. Watersports includes: Swimming, surfing, jet skiing, kite surfing, scuba diving. Fishing: Ideal fishing from the pier and rocks, also deep sea trips. Bowling Green. Crocworld Nature Reserve. |  |
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Umkomaas, a small coastal town on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, was formed when a harbour was built in 1861 (to export sugar), on the mouth of the navigable Mkhomazi River. With the successful dredging of Durban harbour's sandbar and the arrival of the railway, the town suffered and like Port Shepstone the harbour fell into disuse. A large number of whales once used the estuary as a nursery, giving birth in the shallows. The Zulus named the river after this spectacle (uMkhomazi means the place of cow whales). This river is a dominant feature of the local landscape being the largest river on the South Coast. Occasionally, raft races, canoeing, and other sporting events are held on the river.
Humpback whales are seen in the vicinity of Aliwal Shoal between June and October, whilst Ragged-Tooth and Zambezi sharks have been sighted at the river mouth. Other wildlife seen in the area include a multitude of snakes, virtually all of them harmless. Monkeys here are less common than in Scottburgh (9 km away).
Additional tourist attractions include the Umkomaas golf course, home of Tim Clark and universally regarded as being one of the best courses in KwaZulu-Natal, a beautiful bowling green, also the beautiful Empisini nature reserve, a forested area that features a delightful waterfall and a number of bush walks, where small wildcats like the genet, civet and duiker can be seen, with bushbuck also in the vicinity.
Close by is the settlement of Clansthal. This was the home of conservationist Tony Pooley during the 1980s and 1990s. Also in the 1950s an Italian consortium developed Saiccor and a substantial number of Italian immigrants, mostly from the vicinity of Udine followed suit, today Umkomaas has a large Italian community.
Just North of Umkomaas are the beautiful beaches of Amanzimtoti, Doonside, Warner Beach, and Illovo and to the South is Clansthal, and Scottburgh Beach, these all being blue flag beaches and very popular holiday resort areas. Amanzimtoti,also boasts one of the largest shopping centre's in the Southern hemisphere, Galleria with 11 movie houses.
Of course, Umkomaas being the place in the middle where one can have that real quiet holiday with your feet up and enjoy the South Coast atmosphere, without the hustle and bustle of the surrounding popular resorts, unless you go for a short drive (because you want to) as all this is in a 20 km radius.
ITS SO MUCH BETTER IN THE VILLAGE.
 Bowling Club |
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