Umhlanga Main Beach
Umhlanga Main Beach
4.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Umhlanga Main Beach and nearby attractions
The area
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
269 within 5 kms
Attractions
27 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
953 reviews
Excellent
523
Very good
333
Average
72
Poor
13
Terrible
12
Zora Khan
Queensburgh, South Africa118 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
I stayed at the breakers resort and had a chance to walk the promenade up to and around the lighthouse area.
The main beach was closed at times due to staff shortages. The beach is kept clean at all times. I did notice cleaners working without gloves and picking up dirt from bins with their bare hands.
There has to be some kind of arrangement for the small width of the promenade. Runners are flooding the promenade and really making it a run track. Lots of seniors and families on holidays with children have to be so careful not to fall or bump into people. Its far to busy for serious runners to keep running in big batches. They should do some recording of numbers of runners, walkers, dog walkers seniors etc to make some decisions.
The beach is generally rough for little kids with rougue waves just coming in at any time. When tide comes in people must be careful especially families with toddlers.
I feel walking and talking in this pristine views should be on top of the list
The main beach was closed at times due to staff shortages. The beach is kept clean at all times. I did notice cleaners working without gloves and picking up dirt from bins with their bare hands.
There has to be some kind of arrangement for the small width of the promenade. Runners are flooding the promenade and really making it a run track. Lots of seniors and families on holidays with children have to be so careful not to fall or bump into people. Its far to busy for serious runners to keep running in big batches. They should do some recording of numbers of runners, walkers, dog walkers seniors etc to make some decisions.
The beach is generally rough for little kids with rougue waves just coming in at any time. When tide comes in people must be careful especially families with toddlers.
I feel walking and talking in this pristine views should be on top of the list
Written 24 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dream47384464377
1 contribution
Apr 2024 • Friends
The ocean is brown 100 meters from the shore out. E. coli and bacteri levels are poor to critical. Plastic and refuge rolls up over the ll beaches. No one seems to mind that all the development and infrastructure is polluting the main reason people want to be here. It is a shame really. It ruins an otherwise beautiful place. Everyone is complicit, if you have profited, make money here then band together, light a fire, and fix this!!!
Written 17 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Henda D
Mbombela, South Africa8 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
Umhlanga used to be our holiday destination for 35 years but slowly but surely it is deteriorating. It is not up to the standard that Umhlanga was holding.The main problem is a terrible sewerage smell at the beautiful promenade beach walk. At one of the big stormwater pipes in front of our apartment raw sewerage was flowing on the beach and into the sea. It took 3 days before the pump was replaced.
Close to the beautiful Oyster Box hotel there was a drainy smell as well.
We had a tummy bug and two of our friends in one of the popular timeshare hotels also had a stomach condition.
There was no way that we would swim in the sea or even walk on the beach after seeing this sewerage leaks.
Unfortunately we would not go to Umhlanga in the near future
Close to the beautiful Oyster Box hotel there was a drainy smell as well.
We had a tummy bug and two of our friends in one of the popular timeshare hotels also had a stomach condition.
There was no way that we would swim in the sea or even walk on the beach after seeing this sewerage leaks.
Unfortunately we would not go to Umhlanga in the near future
Written 2 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vernon V
Alberton, South Africa245 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Two of the cleanest beaches in Durban. Life Savers on duty. Chairs and umbrellas for hire. Restuarants just off beach for meals. Long walks on beach and prommenade a treat. Dogs aloud on northern parts of beach.
Written 9 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liesel R
Kempton Park, South Africa142 contributions
Dec 2020 • Couples
From the lighthouse moving south what a tragedy litter and plastic , so disgusting , The small bathing area is kept clean but that is it. How embarrassing that a top beach has been left to this. Heart breaking and unnecessary as if you can clean one piece why not the rest , a real eye sore. You did not want to walk along the beach itself
Written 6 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FlipMather
Durban North, South Africa6 contributions
Jan 2022
Who HASN'T been to Umhlanga main beach? One of the local's favorites. It can get quite busy during peak season/times because of this. But it's a nice spacious, flattish beach to do your beach things. Just watch out for the rocks next to the swimming area, if you get cut, don't blame anyone, the place IS called Umhlanga ROCKS
Written 10 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gabriella Rosen
Johannesburg, South Africa23 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
It is a great beach ⛱️ 😎. Happy there is life guards to watch in case and you get to see dolphins swim in the sea from your hotel room. The view is beautiful especially at night. Water was good and overall
Written 2 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wendy H
2 contributions
Sept 2020 • Family
Lovely soft beach sand and pretty beach. Not so easy to swim and the beach dips just after the wave line. Clean bathrooms and showers. Place to hire umbrellas and chairs at reasonable prices. Restaurants right on the beachfront and good coffee shops. We even saw whales in September!
Written 1 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Levy Lekganyane
Edenvale, South Africa60 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
The beach is very clean with amazing views of the surrounding, including apartments, restaurants and the lighthouse. Also has an area with a designated guard for patrons convenience when swimming. Definitely one to visit when you are in the umhlanga area.
Written 17 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nish2013
Durban, South Africa26 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
Enjoyed a lovely walk on the promenade with our family dog Max. Very clean pathways with ample space for walkers and runners. As you walk you can enjoy the amazing view of the ocean and spectacular beach. Life savers are around and excellent sign posts for different enmities available. Coffee shop on the way for a quick cuppa. Other eating houses as well overlooking the beach. Beautiful hotels line up the path as you walk. Always an enjoyable experience.
Written 21 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is it safe to swim in umhlanga Beach although you are not allowed to go towards the river mouth
Written 9 April 2023
Yes you definitely can, however, make sure you clean up before you leave.
Written 24 July 2022
I am originally from Cape Town..left in 98 for the UK and am travelling in Feb after 20 years abroad... how safe is this area as not been in SA for so long...feeling apprehensive as to the general safety. Looking for recommendations on a quiet beach in the Durban area as gate feeling like a squashed sardine.
Written 10 June 2019
Umhlanga is managed under a UIP essentially means it has its own private security. I live across the road from the beach.. I can leave my stuff on the beach for hours while I surf. Very safe and also quiet. Endless foot patrols and golf carts are visible!
Written 11 June 2019
Are there lockers availiable for hire by the beach? Any idea about costs?
Written 31 July 2017
Did not notice any! BUT go to restaurant/coffee shop surely they will assist you!
Written 11 June 2019
Is this a nude beach? We will be in SA driving the garden route from PE through to Cape Town. We are looking for nude beaches and nudist hotels. Any suggestions ?
Written 4 April 2016
Although it is not officially a nude beach, if you ask at the hotel the local people will be able t guide you to a secluded beach nearby where nudity acceptable. A bit of a walk though but a lovely quiet beach.
Written 18 May 2016
Showing results 1-8 of 8
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing