2 Best Hotels in South Coast, Durban and KwaZulu-Natal

The vacation rental properties in this exclusive resort between Ramsgate and Palm Beach offer a great getaway for a group of friends or a family, and golfers are drawn by the on-site championship course. Spacious one- to five-bedroom Tuscan-style villas, many with breathtaking views of the sea or the bird-filled lagoons, are set among gardens and tropical indigenous forest. At night it's lit by hundreds of twinkling lights. Stroll down paved walkways to the private beach, meander through the woods, and spot small antelope and monkeys. If DIY is not your style, opt for the 40-bedroom, four-star San Lameer hotel on-site which also has a spa.

As one of the first cottages built in the area over 100 years ago, this laidback and airy white-washed beach house enjoys a prime position on the quiet coastline, and it's one of the few spots where you can walk straight from your bed onto the sandy shores in under a minute. You can rent out the entire house, which sleeps 12 in four rooms, or check into one of the cute self-catering wooden beach bungalows that share the expansive lawns, which are fringed by jungle-like banana trees and tropical swirling vines. Surf instructors, plus a selection of rental boards, are available for every level of surfer.