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Set within the serene confines of a coastal forest reserve on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, Zimbali Coastal Resort is billed as one of the country’s most exclusive hideaways and has something for every member of the family.
The initial vision was to create a quality-of-life development that allowed residents to live in harmony with nature. The first set of prime beachfront sites went on the market in 1996 and, since then, the estate has enjoyed rapid successes in property sales.
Today, the estate boasts 1 164 residential opportunities of which approximately 420 homes are owned by families that live permanently on the estate, the balance either being leased or enjoyed by their owners for holidays.
Since Zimbali’s inception, the demographic ratio of people purchasing property as an investment versus purchasing as a permanent home has changed. This is largely attributed to the exceptional growth and development of the surrounding area.
The estate is located just five minutes away from the bustling holiday town of Ballito, while uMhlanga and Durban are no further than a 20- to 30-minute drive. Convenience and comfort are key here, and easy access to amenities such as quality schools and nearby shopping centres, like the Ballito Junction and Gateway Theatre of Shopping in uMhlanga, have been some of the biggest drawcards.
Those who call Zimbali home can enjoy a unique, tranquil and high-quality living environment that preserves and enhances the existing natural ecosystem of the estate. For naturalists, this 456-hectare estate seamlessly integrates a relaxed ambience of outdoor living in the natural forest with all the modern conveniences expected of a world-class, family-orientated estate. The surrounding scenery is lavish, with indigenous forests, natural springs, a small lake and an abundance of fauna and flora, including bushbuck, duiker, vervet monkeys, many colourful bird species, and much more.
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The estate prides itself on taking its lead from nature’s example, and fitting into the environment rather than having the environment fit into it. As a result, there is a stringent architectural policy to ensure that all homes blend in with their surroundings.
The very popular HOA-run members’ facility, Valley of the Pools, was constructed to provide members with an opportunity to experience the beach from the safety of the estate. Virtually on the beach but within the perimeter fence-line, it encompasses a restaurant, sea-facing sundecks and two rim-flow pools. The other members’ venue is the Bushbuck Club, which is geared towards sports and kiddies’ activities, with its caféstyle restaurant, gym, squash and tennis courts, a soccer field, cricket practice nets and two more swimming pools with shallows and water slides for the youngsters, surrounded by grassy spaces ideal for family picnicking.
“We have to keep up with and grow with the times,” says Zimbali Estate Management Association (ZEMA) General Manager, Zimbali Coastal Resort / Residential Sarika Somai-Sewpersad. “It’s imperative that my team strives to continue reinventing, innovating and doing whatever it takes to ensure that we manage, improve, upgrade and advance our processes and systems all the time. We need to stay ahead of the game, especially in South Africa’s competitive gated-living property market.”
Boasting spectacular sea views, Zimbali’s 18-hole golf course features a mix of open links-like holes on the front nine and tree-lined holes with tranquil water features and beautiful wetland areas on the back nine. Ideal for all levels of golfers, it offers a variety of tees to choose from. The Zimbali Country Club, a popular place for golfers to enjoy a delicious meal and refreshing drink after a day of golf, adds to the experience. If golf isn’t your thing, an array of nature trails, bird-watching, and mountain-biking routes await avid adventurers.
Then there’s the Fairmont Zimbali Hotel and Lodge, both located within the estate, which offer guests and Zimbali residents a choice of nine unique eateries, a luxury spa, swimming pools, a gym, conference and wedding facilities and an overall memorable getaway experience.
Zimbali Coastal Resort leaves visitors and residents spoilt for choice. Either way, it is an experience that will exceed your expectations.
