Manaba Beach is a small coastal town on the South Coast of the

KwaZulu-Natal province KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN) is a Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the government merged the Zulu people, Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu language, Zulu) and ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, located approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the

Margate Margate is a seaside resort, seaside town in the Thanet District of Kent, England. It is located on the north coast of Kent and covers an area of long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay, UK, Palm Bay and W ...

CBD and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) south of

Port Shepstone Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, Margate and is positioned 120&nbs ...

. The name ‘Manaba’ translates to 'ease and relaxation' in the

Zulu language Zulu ( ), or isiZulu as an endonym, is a Southern Bantu languages, Southern Bantu language of the Nguni languages, Nguni branch spoken in, and indigenous to, Southern Africa. Nguni dialects are regional or social varieties of the Nguni language, ...

Geography

Forming part of the adjacent coastal town of

, Manaba Beach is sandwiched between Margate North Beach to the south and

Uvongo Uvongo is a seaside resort town situated along the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast at the mouth of the Vungu River in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Situated 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Margate, Uvongo is the largest upmarket residential area on the ...

to the north. The coastline along Manaba Beach is generally rocky and is therefore not popular amongst tourists who wish to swim or bathe in the ocean.

Economy

Manaba Beach functions as a small economic hub on the South Coast of

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN) is a Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the government merged the Zulu people, Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu language, Zulu) and ...

, with retail stores, hardware stores, and motor repair centres lining Marine Drive. A notable employer in the area is Albany, one of South Africa’s largest bread producers, with a bakery on Marine Drive. Despite its commercial and residential nature, Manaba Beach is also a seaside resort with numerous self-catering holiday flats along the shore.

Beaches

Lucien Beach and Manaba Beach are the two main beaches in the Manaba Beach area, both offering safe swimming and coastal attractions. Lucien Beach, a

Blue Flag beach The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator meets its standards. The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE, which is a Not-for-profit organi ...

, sits at the northern end of Margate Main Beach, while Manaba Beach, further north, is protected by lifeguards and shark nets. Natural rock pools are scattered along the rocky stretch between them, adding to the area’s appeal. With Margate Main Beach just south of Lucien Beach, residents and visitors have easy access to a variety of beachfront options.{{Cite web , last=sc_adm , date=2019-06-27 , title=Lucien Beach KZN South Coast: Blue Flag Beach in South Africa , url=https://www.visitkznsouthcoast.co.za/blue-flag-beaches-lucien-beach/ , access-date=2025-03-24 , website=VISIT KZN SOUTH COAST , language=en-US

Transport

Manaba Beach is bisected by the R620 (Marine Drive) connecting

to the north with

to the south. The area is also reached via Seaslopes Avenue, which provides access to the R61 freeway (to

and Port Edward) and Izotsha Road (to

Gamalakhe Gamalakhe is a township situated about inland on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Geography Gamalakhe is situated north of the Vungu River, approximately 19 km (12 mi) from Port Shepstone and 15 km (9 mi) from ...

and

Ramsgate Ramsgate is a seaside resort, seaside town and civil parish in the district of Thanet District, Thanet in eastern Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2021 it had a population of 42,027. Ramsgate' ...

) to the west.

References

Margate Populated places in KwaZulu-Natal