The Zulu word emthunzini means "a place in the shade" but in the history of this beautiful small coastal town it refers specifically to the place under the milkwood trees near the Umlalazi River where the White Zulu chief, John Dunn, would meet with the tribal elders of the area.

Visiting the town today gives exactly that feeling - a place in the shade.
Blessed with a sub-tropical climate (humid summers and mild winters) and a high annual rainfall, Mtunzini - or The Village, as the locals often refer to it - boasts a clean, safe, peaceful and abundant environment with a stunning outlook over the Umlalazi Nature Reserve and the sea.

Mtunzini was declared a Conservancy in 1995 and has also been awarded for its commitment to the preservation of its natural heritage.

A grove of raphia palms beside the railway line is one of the few declared natural monuments in the country and it is the best place to spot the rare Palmnut Vulture which nests near the top of the palm.
The palms were introduced to Mtunzini about 100 years ago from the swamp forests of the Kosi Bay and it's one of only six palm species indigenous to South Africa. The raphia palm can grow to a height of 25m in 25 years and its leaves are amongst the largest in the plant kingdom.
There is a timber boardwalk through the swamp forest, provinding easy access to the heart of the colony of raphia palms where the prime specimens create an awesome cathedral-like effect.

Mtunzini boasts a variety of leisure activities - including a challenging nine-hole 71-par golf course, fishing, waterskiing, tennis, bowls and horse riding - as well as a range of B&Bs, self-catering accommodation establishments and restaurants, making Mtunzini the ideal coastal base for exploring the nearby game reserves and surrounding cultural and historical attractions.