My travelling buddy and I were welcomed to the lovely Vetho House by Thozama and Xolani and when we checked into our luxurious en suite room we were immediately drawn to the balcony with its view right onto the ocean.
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| Vetho House Bedroom View | Vetho House - relaxing on the balcony |
The accommodation at Vetho was stunning - the beds and linens comfortable and cool in white, a flat screen TV with DSTV for after the sun set, en suite double shower, bar fridge, the works. Vetho housed is situated directly across a cul de sac on to the Ballito beach front and is just a 2 minute stroll from the large tidal pool where we enjoyed an early morning dip.
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| Ballito Sunrise (by Jolene Bertoldi. CC licence) | Vetho House breakfast deck |
There are plenty of restaurants and bars to choose from throughout Ballito - we decided just to walk down the road to a seaside tavern which was relaxed and fun, but if you''re looking for a more upmarket place for dinner there''s a restaurant upstairs which we were told serves very good meals.
Although our stay was too short to see much of Ballito, which is growing in size and popularity since the new King Shaka airport was opened a short drive away, we received some great tips of activities in Ballito from our hosts over the delicious breakfast they served us before our departure.
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| Friendly team at Vetho House (Xolani and Thozama centre left and right) |
10 Things to Do In Ballito
1. Get Tanned! Of course this is the first thing that springs to my mind, especially considering the wonderful warm waters along this coastline. This stretch of coastline is known as the Dolphin Coast and it offers magnificent golden beaches and sheltered coves. Some beaches have shark nets and life guards for safe swimming.
2. Get wet! Surfing is the obvious water sport one associates with this part of South Africa, but the excellent waves are good for other action activities too. SugarRush offers surfing and kite boarding opportunities in the Ballito area as well as Scuba Diving. Visit their website http://sugarrush.co.za/. Water Sports and Marine specialises in jetskis and high speed boats Contact: 082 954 5049.
3. Get high! Not talking about Durban Poison here...
- The Ballito Microlight School offers the ultimate high - scenic flights daily along the coastline. Their instructors are highly qualified and experienced. Call: 082 659 5550.
- Sky Adventures offer a list of air borne activities including: Hot air balloon rides; Gyrocopter flights; Helicopter rides; Skydive and tandem skydive jumps and Paragliding. Visit http://www.skyadventures.co.za/
4. Get pampered! Visit one of Ballito''s health and beauty spas for some pampering while on holiday in KZN. Try one of these recommended Durban and Ballito Spas:
- Impilo Beauty Spa at Hotel Izulu in Ballito
- African Skies Spa
- Back 2 Health Spa
- Bella Spa
- Brookdale Day Spa
- Kimaya Spa
5. Get marketing! As in, head to a market... The Litchi Orchard Market offers visitors a delectable array of deli and organic foods to eat there or take away. The focus this market is on food products which are locally and sustainably produced, seasonal and farm-fresh.1st and 3rd Saturday of each month from 08h00 - 13h00. Visit http://www.litchiorchard.co.za/
6. Get Dirty! Paintball and Quad biking are two great ways to have fun while getting as dirty as you can! Contact SugarRush for more: http://sugarrush.co.za/
7. Get Cultured!
- Visit the Sangweni Tourism Centre for handmade local crafts made as part of the Enterprise Ilembe programme which facilitates local economic development. Contact: 032 946 1256.
- Visit King Shaka''s burial site at the King Shaka Visitors Centre, situated in KwaDukuza/ Stanger- King Shaka Street. A 20-minute slide show about the history of King Shaka can be viewed. There is also a small curio shop and an interpretive centre.Contact: 032 552 7210.
8. Get snappy! The Crocodile Creek and Reptile Park, 10 minutes from Ballito, is home to some 9,000 crocodiles, as well as snakes, monkeys, alligators and leguaans. Enjoy a guided ''hands on'' tour with experienced guides of the working farm with the opportunity to touch small crocs and snakes. Call:032 944-3845
9. Get golfing! More great Ballito area golfing opportunities than you can shake a club at... eg:
- Fairmont Zimbali Golf Course
- Simbithi Country Club
- Umhlali Country Club
- Prince''s Grant
10. Get Away! Stay at Vetho House in Ballito for an on-the-beachfront Ballito experience. Contact res@portfoliocollection.com or call our Online Reservation line 021 6894020