Mtunzini ( Zulu : eMthunzini , from umthunzi meaning "a place in the shade" ) is a small coastal town that is situated almost exactly halfway along KwaZulu-Natal 's coastline in South Africa approximately 140 km north of Durban . In 2011, the town's population was 2,199.
7-534: The Umlalazi Nature Reserve is a coastal reserve situated 1 km (0.62 mi) from Mtunzini on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast. Umlalazi was established as a protected area in 1948 and is 10.28 km (3.97 sq mi) in extent. Home of the palm-nut vulture , which is one of the rarest birds of prey in South Africa . Lagoons can have crocodiles. There are three trails in
14-584: Is a word in the Zulu language meaning place in the shade. After the breakup of the Zulu Kingdom after the Anglo-Zulu War , Sir Garnet Wolseley created 13 'kinglets' - with two strategically located as buffer zones between Port Natal and Zululand . One of these kinglets was John Dunn who used Mtunzini as his capital. In 1948, 9 square kilometres of dune forests, lakes and lagoon at Mtunzini
21-558: The EASSy cable. Mtunzini is a bird watchers paradise and is renowned as one of the few places where one of South Africa's rarest birds of prey, the palm-nut vulture , is found. These birds feed on the fruit of the rafia palm which produces its fruit once every twenty years before dying. Visitors can enjoy a walk through the lush vegetation at the Rafia Palm Monument, which features a raised boardwalk that meanders through to
28-550: The magnificent palms. Mtunzini boasts, among other attractions, pristine beaches, a 9-hole golf course at the Mtunzini Country Club, AA-Event and Guest House, numerous bed-and-breakfast establishments as well as a range of camping, caravanning and other self-contained holiday accommodations. The beach is not protected by shark nets due to Mtunzini's proximity to a shark breeding ground populated by Zambezi sharks as well as many others. This fact notwithstanding,
35-628: The mouth of the Umlalazi River. In 2002, Mtunzini became a landing point for the SAFE state of the art Optical fiber Submarine communications cable , linking Melkbosstrand to the West with Saint Paul ( Réunion ), Baie Jacotet ( Mauritius ), Cochin ( India ) and Penang ( Malaysia ). In 2009, Mtunzini became a landing point for the SEACOM cable, and in 2010 Mtunzini became the landing point for
42-495: The reserve. One of which passes examples of mangrove swamps in South Africa , where several species of mangrove can be found. Another walk leads through the dune forest where bushpig , bushbuck and red, grey and blue duiker may occasionally be seen. The third trail leads through dune forest and mangrove swamp along the edge of the river. Wildflowers and a variety of bird life can be seen. There are also colonies of fiddler crabs and mud-skippers . Mtunzini The name
49-608: Was proclaimed a nature reserve known as the Umlalazi Nature Reserve . This area falls under the protection of the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (previously known as Natal Parks Board). The Umlalazi Lagoon is a popular tourist attraction for watersports enthusiasts and fishermen alike. Recreational and commercial ski-boat fishermen also launch their boats in the lagoon to head for the Indian Ocean via
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