– another high-rise hotel , retail , entertainment and residential development . These have set the bar high for development in the region , with the total investment for both said to be in excess of R7 billion . Such is the demand for these mixed-use developments that within a few hours of its coming to market , sales for Oceans Umhlanga reached a whopping R1.55 billion , a new South African record !
So with all this development , one would think that uMhlanga would lose its appeal as a leisure destination . On the contrary , residents , visitors and holiday-makers alike now have a vast smorgasbord of leisure activities to keep them happy .
There ’ s something about a beach , the sand underfoot , the sound of the ocean and the warm subtropical water . And uMhlanga ’ s beaches , with their golden sands , rocky outcrops and iconic lighthouse ( built in 1954 ), are one of the reasons visitors have been flocking here for decades . Add to this the fun summer , Easter , and winter festivals and it ’ s obvious why . For a spot of adventure uMhlanga doesn ’ t disappoint , with helicopter flips , ocean adventures , surfing , whale and dolphin watching and scuba diving . the exit from the N2 freeway in peak traffic , which triggered the construction of the new uMhlanga Interchange Bridge , which in turn triggered construction of the Cornubia Bridge giving access to Cornubia , another all-inclusive urban node of business , retail and leisure , currently under development .
And there ’ s more . The new uMhlanga Arch , which broke ground in October 2017 and is due for completion in early 2020 , will add another mixed-use development including a hotel , upmarket apartments , office space and retail outlets – all with spectacular views , as can be expected from this location .
And there ’ s nothing like green spaces to clear your head , from the landscaped Chris Saunders Park on the Ridge to the uMhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve at the end of Lagoon Drive – you can take a scenic walk along the Ohlanga River Lagoon with its extensive reed beds , after which the town is named ( uMhlanga means ‘ place of reeds ’ in Zulu ). For a different type of green , opt for a round of golf at the Mount Edgecombe Country Club , just a stone ’ s throw away across the new uMhlanga Interchange Bridge .
Get your walking shoes on for a stroll along the three-kilometre paved promenade , or join uMhlanga ’ s five-kilometre parkrun , which starts at the striking ‘ whalebone ’ pier opposite the Beverly Hills Hotel , heads south to the Durban View Park , up to the northernmost point and then back to the pier . Tradition says that the run needs to be followed by a post-run coffee at BTW …
It ’ s not just the sugar-cane fields that are making way for development ; uMhlanga town itself is undergoing a dramatic transformation where low-rise residential and commercial is making way for high-rise glitz . The Pearls of uMhlanga , a multi-use development , has changed the uMhlanga skyline forever with its towering apartments , luxury hotels and boutique shopping mall . And close by is the soon-to-be-completed Oceans Umhlanga
From the Gateway Theatre of Shopping on the Ridge , said to be one of the largest shopping complexes in the southern hemisphere , to the local Umhlanga Centre and sophisticated Pearls Mall , all types of retail therapy are catered for . Those preferring a more informal market experience will enjoy the monthly Umhlanga Night Market at the Wavepark Gateway and Wonder Market at Chris Saunders Park .
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