Country South Africa District Ugu Established 1908 Area 10.05 km² Local time Tuesday 10:27 AM | Province KwaZulu-Natal Municipality Hibiscus Coast Postal code (street) 4275 Area code 039 | |
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Weather 27°C, Wind NE at 18 km/h, 59% Humidity Points of interest Pumlani Caravan Park, Skyline Nature Reserve, Hlanganani Park | ||
Margate is a seaside resort town on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, about 20 kilometres southwest of Port Shepstone. The river which flows into the sea at Margate is called "Nkhongweni" (place of entreaty) because the original inhabitants were reputed to be so mean that travellers had to beg for hospitality. In 1908, Henry Richardson, an English surveyor laid out the town and named it Margate after another seaside resort on the northern coast of the county of Kent, in the United Kingdom.
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Map of Margate, South Africa
It features Blue Flag Beaches for swimming, snorkelling, and surfing. Many apartment buildings offer accommodation for residents and visitors. It also contains a shopping street and many restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs, Margate is a spot where many South Africans and foreign visitors spend their vacation.
Margate is busiest during school and public holidays when inland residents travel to the coast. Christmas and Easter are especially busy times, with Margate's main street often clogged with heavy traffic during these times.
Margate hit the world headlines in 1922 (although this date is often disputed and stated as 1924) when an enormous, white, furry creature (dubbed "Trunko" due to it having an elephantine trunk) was washed up on the beach. Unfortunately the "Margate monster" was too decomposed to be identified accurately.
Buildings and infrastructure
Margate is served by Margate Airport.