uMhlanga Lighthouse — Attraction in eThekwini Ward 35

The Umhlanga Lighthouse is a 21-meter-tall concrete tower located on the beachfront in Umhlanga Rocks, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was completed in 1954 and is one of the most iconic landmarks in the area.

The lighthouse was built to replace the Bluff Lighthouse, which was commissioned in 1869 but had to be abandoned due to its rapid deterioration. The Umhlanga Lighthouse stands guard to some of the most treacherous waters of Southern Africa and not only warns ships of the hidden dangers, but the flashing light is also a welcome to the ships sailing into the safety of the Durban harbor.

The lighthouse is fully automated and has never been attended by a lighthouse keeper. The official warden of the lighthouse is the Oyster Box Hotel, which was built in 1869 and was originally the first beach cottage in the area. The lighthouse controls are in the hotel office where staff monitor the controls and report to Transnet's Lighthouse Service.

Here are some interesting facts about the Umhlanga Lighthouse:

*It was built in just four days and 19 hours. *It has a focal plane height of 25 meters above high sea level. *The light has a range of 24 nautical miles. *The fixed red light enables ships waiting to anchor in the outer anchorage to monitor their position. *The lighthouse has never had an official 'keeper'. *The Oyster Box Hotel has been the tower's custodian since it was built. *The construction of the lighthouse cost R23 838.

The Umhlanga Lighthouse is a beloved landmark and a popular tourist destination. It is a reminder of the rich maritime history of the area and a symbol of safety and hope for sailors. Next time you in the vicinity, POP IN FOR A...

Lovely Lighthouse, the biggest attractions there is the hotels on the beach side. They bring in lots of people during the holidays. There is a promenade for you to walk next to the ocean basically a side walk by the beach. The beaches are fairly clean however if you choose to swim in the ocean be careful of the rocks. Choose to swim by the allocated life guards in the area. The long Jetty looks over the ocean, closest to the lighthouse. Perfect for pics and over all view of the ocean and beach. Restaurants along the promenade and places to purchase gifts and small items or big for beach and...

If quiet time spent marvelling at the wonder of nature is what you enjoy, then this spot is a must.

A small area yes, but wondering what stories the lighthouse would tell if it could about it's prime days and what it looks like on the inside with its doors that look like they've been shut for years, will leave your mind entertained for a while.

Wondering how those huge rocks got there and contemplating intrinsic nature of nature when you see the colonies of shells formed on the rocks, and the cute micro lagoons that you could stare at for hours on end makes life...