Amanzimtoti is a coastal town on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, about 25 kilometres south of Durban. The name is Zulu, reportedly given by Shaka when he tasted the sweet water of the river here. The area stretches along the Sapphire Coast and encompasses several beach settlements — Umbogintwini, Doonside, Warner Beach, Winkle Spruit, and Illovo Beach among them.
The beaches are the main draw: long stretches of Indian Ocean shore with warm water year-round, good for swimming, surfing, and fishing. The beaches are shark-netted at the main swimming spots. The town is popular with Durban residents for weekend and holiday escapes, and the accommodation and services reflect that domestic tourism base rather than international visitors.
For those based in Durban, Amanzimtoti makes an easy half-day trip if the city's own beaches are crowded.