A day in Ballito virtually guarantees sightings of playful bottle-nose dolphins cavorting along the coastline, so it comes as no surprise that the region is fondly known as the ‘Dolphin Coast’. The larger humpback dolphins are also found here but rarely seen. The seaside town is wedged between verdant sugar cane fields and some of KwaZulu-Natal's most glorious beaches, with the warm waters of the Indian Ocean abutting what used to be a rather sleepy holiday town.
These days, Ballito is often referred to by its many fans as the ‘Pearl of the Dolphin Coast’, with year-round fun in the sun for both locals and holiday makers. The town traces its history back to 1953 when a group of entrepreneurs developed a settlement near Compensation Beach on a sugar cane farm owned by Basil Townsend. Ballito means ‘little ball’ in Italian and was borrowed from a glossy advert by Ballito Hosiery Ltd. of St. Albans, England.
Ballito stretches from the Umdloti River to the Tugela. Many of the first Indian immigrants settled here and the markets, mosques and temples bring an authentic Eastern flavour to the region. Tongaat is situated in an area where sugar was first planted in 1854. The town's Indian ambience is accentuated by two prominent Hindu temples - the Juggernath Puri Temple and the Vishwaroop Temple.
Other coastal towns on the 'Dolphin Coast' include Shaka's Rock, Salt Rock and Umdloti.
Activities in Ballito range from indoor leisure to fun outdoor experiences. The Sugar Rush Park is a great experience for kids, which will e...