Scottburgh

Scottburgh is a small seaside town on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, set just south of the mouth of the Mpambanyoni River. It is a classic family beach town: grassy terraces running down to the sand, a tidal pool, warm water and an easy drive from Durban. Surfers and divers come too, for the winter waves along this stretch and for Aliwal Shoal, one of the country’s best-known dive sites, just offshore.

Getting there

Scottburgh is a little under 60 km southwest of Durban, and Durban’s international airport is the one to fly into. The N2 freeway bypasses the town, with an interchange at Dududu Road (exit 110), and the older R102 links it with the neighbouring coastal villages. You will need a car to get around.

When to go

The climate is subtropical and the sea is warm all year, so there is no bad month for a beach day. Winter is the season for surfers, when the better waves arrive, and in most winters the sardine run can be seen from the shore here. For divers, the ragged-tooth sharks gather on Aliwal Shoal from July to November.

What to do

Scott Bay is the main swimming beach and it is set up for families, with grass terraces above the sand, a tidal pool, a paddling pool for small children, a supertube and a little train. Scottburgh Main Beach, along with Pennington and Park Rynie nearby, has held Blue Flag status. Surfers rate Rocky Bay, Kelso, Pennington and Green Point as well as the break in town.

Aliwal Shoal lies about 5 km off the coast in a marine protected area. The Crown, the main ridge, averages about 12.5 m deep and comes up to about 6 m at its shallowest. The section called the Ridge is deeper, closer to 20 m. Besides the ragged-tooth sharks there are hard and soft corals and two wrecks, the bulk carrier Produce (sunk 1974) and the SS Nebo (sunk 1884). The Green Point Lighthouse, put up in 1905, warns shipping off the shoal.

Back on land, Crocworld keeps thousands of crocodiles, along with snakes and birds of prey. Its history has a twist: crocodiles living in the Mpambanyoni River north of town are said to come from young crocodiles that escaped from Crocworld during a cyclone in 1987. Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve is a convenient nature outing from the coast, and Scottburgh Golf Club has an 18-hole course with sea views.

Good to know

The town was founded in 1860 as Devonport and renamed after John Scott, governor of the Natal Colony. It is the seat of the uMdoni municipality. Vervet monkeys live around town, so keep food out of reach.

Last updated 6 October 2026. Sources: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage, Wikipedia (Aliwal Shoal), SA-Venues (Scottburgh).