Our Beautiful Green Coast

Caring for Our Coast at Secret Sands

At Secret Sands, caring for our environment is extremely important to us. The ocean, coastal greenery and wildlife around us are part of what makes this place special, and we believe looking after the nature that surrounds us belongs in our everyday way of living.

We harness solar energy through our solar panels, collect rainwater and use borehole water. Recycling forms part of our daily operations, alongside efforts to preserve the natural spaces around us. Beach clean-ups are another way we help care for the coastline we share with our neighbours, visitors and wildlife.

That care continues after sunset. Through the use of our homemade Amber Shades light covers, we aim to reduce harsh artificial light at night and support a gentler approach to lighting our surroundings. Preserving the beauty of our coast includes respecting its natural darkness, too.

We also carry these values into our community events. At our Wellness by the Sea Market, we encourage vendors to follow our “no plastic” rule and choose biodegradable or environmentally friendly packaging. It’s a shared effort to reduce waste while celebrating local crafters and food producers, sustainability and wellbeing. Our Next Wellness by the Sea market will take place on 29 November 2026, be sure not to miss it!

Alongside our Wellness by the Sea Market, we host a monthly Wellness Wednesday Tea & Talk, inviting inspiring speakers to explore topics centred on holistic wellbeing. From “Vitamin N: The Power of Nature on Our Wellbeing” by Dr Adam Stern to “Unpoison Our Food” by Jeanne-Louise Kinsey and “From Garden to Bathroom Shelf: Grow Your Own Beauty Routine” by Nathalie Marran, each talk offers fresh perspectives, practical ideas and a chance to connect with others. Our goal is to bring the community together and raise awareness about healthy and sustainable living.

For us, sustainability means an ongoing commitment to caring for the place we call home, and helping our guests enjoy it thoughtfully. A stay at Secret Sands offers time to appreciate our beautiful Green Coast, with a little more awareness of what it takes to keep it that way.

Our Coastline through the eyes of the Conservancies

There is so much to love about our stretch of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. The beaches, the coastal greenery, the sound of the ocean and the wildlife we share our surroundings with all help make this a special place to live - and to visit.

Look a little closer, and there is even more to appreciate. A rockpool comes alive after sunset. A patch of indigenous plants offers food and shelter. A familiar beach becomes somewhere we feel responsible for looking after.

Behind these experiences are local people who care deeply about this coastline. Through our conservancies, volunteers and community initiatives, that care takes many forms: clearing invasive plants, collecting litter, encouraging recycling and helping others discover the extraordinary nature on our doorstep.

At Secret Sands, we wanted to share some of those voices. We invited contributors from Leisure Bay, Munster and Umtamvuna Marine Conservancies to tell us about the places they love and the work they do. Their contributions below are shared in their own words.

When the Rockpools Come Alive

By Corrie Lotter – Munster Conservancy

There is something quite different about walking onto Munster's rocky shoreline after dark.

The heat of the day has disappeared, a cool sea breeze moves across the rocks, and beyond the beam of your torch the coastline almost vanishes into darkness. Then you look down into a rockpool – and an entirely different world appears.

Our night-time rockpool excursions have become one of the Munster Conservancy's favourite ways of introducing people to the incredible natural diversity along our coastline. At first glance, a pool may seem almost empty. Give your eyes a moment to adjust and suddenly there is movement everywhere.

Small octopus emerge from their hiding places. Crabs scuttle between rocks, shrimps reflect the torchlight and brightly coloured sea slugs, anemones, urchins and other creatures appear in colours that somehow seem far more vivid at night. Every few metres there is something new to discover.

It is a completely different experience from exploring the same rocks during the day.

For us, these excursions are about much more than simply finding interesting creatures. Conservation starts with curiosity. When adults and children are given the opportunity to slow down, look closely and understand just how much life exists within even a single rockpool, that environment suddenly becomes something worth protecting.

That philosophy extends through much of what we do in Munster – from our forests and wetlands to our beaches and rocky shoreline. We explore, photograph, document, learn and share what we find.

Sometimes protecting a place begins simply by helping people see it differently.

And along the Munster coastline, some of its most remarkable secrets only reveal themselves after the sun goes down.

Visit the Munster Conservancy Website

Leisure Bay Conservancy

Written by Linda Lewis

When we moved to Leisure Bay from Johannesburg, we didn’t realize that we were moving into a conservation area. Now, I can’t believe how naïve we were. But at that moment, what prompted us to settle here was a visit to friends.

Long walks on sandy beaches. And abundant birds and wildlife all around. Fast forward six years, I am now involved with a very active Conservancy and live in a community that cares. About the environment, and about each other.

Leisure bay is special. It has immaculate, well-maintained beaches.

A quiet haven for those wishing to enjoy an ecofriendly holiday. Along the southern reaches of KwaZulu-Natal’s coastline, Leisure Bay offers a serene vantage point into one of South Africa’s most ecologically diverse and dramatically sculpted regions.

Far from being merely a quiet seaside village, Leisure Bay is nestled at a biogeographical crossroads where coastal dune forests give way to ancient sandstone cliffs, deep river gorges, and the sprawling wilderness of the Eastern Cape’s Pondoland region.

Flanking Leisure Bay to the north and south are two distinctly vibrant nature reserves that together safeguard the region’s rich biodiversity. To the north lies the Mpenjati Nature Reserve, a sanctuary wrapped around the tranquil waters of the Mpenjati River estuary.

To the south, the landscape shifts dramatically as it meets the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve. Characterized by imposing sandstone cliffs that rise sharply from the valley floor, Umtamvuna is a paradise for botanists and hikers alike. Protecting high levels of endemic plant life within the Pondoland Center of Plant Endemism, this reserve shelters ancient evergreen forests, rare orchids, and breeding colonies of Cape Vultures that roost along its sheer cliff faces.

Serving as the natural, geographical, and cultural boundary between KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape is the Mtamvuna River and its magnificent gorge. Here lies the gateway to the Eastern Cape. Untamed beauty and dramatic hiking experiences.

Ultimately, Leisure Bay is far more than a scenic coastal destination; it serves as an anchor between sanctuaries. Whether observing delicate fireflies in local greenbelts, trekking through the cool canyon air of the Mtamvuna River Gorge, or gazing south toward the wild horizon of the Eastern Cape, the surrounding landscape invites continuous exploration and a profound connection to the natural world.

Visit the Leisure Bay Conservancy Facebook page

Umtamvuna Marine Conservancy

Renee Alcock

Chair: Umtamvuna Marine Conservancy

The Umtamvuna Marine Conservancy is based in Port Edward, the last KZN coastal town before the iconic CH Mitchell steel arch bridge crossing the Mtamvuna River (Umtamvuna River).

Founded in 1988 by a group of conservation aware locals as Seaview Conservancy, it is alleged to be the oldest marine conservancy in South Africa.

KZN Conservancies Association now has several local conservancies represented in the UGU region, providing valuable cooperative support and guidance.

Today, the emphasis falls on preservation and protection of the valuable natural biodiversity.

Custodianship of mainly the strip of approximately 45-60 m wide along the inland side of the high-water mark government reserve, historically known as Admiralty reserve. Which provides an environmental buffer from extreme weather and storm surges, managed by the integrated coastal management act .

Education and information sharing are integral to our mission. Fun “walk and talks”, informal Social Media platforms and formal presentations are used to spread the conservation message.

Gradual rewilding of a small area has included AIP removal preventing mowing and planting of appropriate indigenous vegetation

Several small indigenous garden greening projects have been undertaken in the area, some more successful than others. An attractive flower box outside the Help Foundation continues to flourish, adding splashes of colour, attracting butterflies and pollinators. The most recent indigenous planting outside the P.E Library Hall, generously sponsored by Landosol Nursery has added to this valuable facility, birds were seen to enjoy the recycled birdbath..

The monthly Recycling initiative drop-off has been embraced by the residents, Banners Rest Village has an enthusiastic core group of contributors.

The weekly Hands on Tuesday project, in which volunteers assist with mainly Alien Invasive Plant control in a small area of the Admiralty is coordinated by the UMC committee. A single upskilled labourer employed by PEBRRA (ratepayers) works quietly attempting AIP control and maintenance of planted trees.

Holiday Highlight 16 December 2026 9am the well known Debbie King will share a holiday message, “Beach combing Gifts from the sea”. Visitors are welcome to bring any puzzling finds to Umtamvuna Marine Conservancy.

Contact the Umtamvuna Marine Conservancy for more information.

Visit the Umtamvuna Marine Conservancy Website

A Coast Worth Caring For

What connects these stories is a sense of care for the places we call home. It lives in the volunteers who return each week, the neighbours who bring their recycling, and the people who help someone discover the wonder of a rockpool for the first time.

Whether you live here or are visiting for a few days, there are simple ways to be part of that effort. Take your litter home, choose packaging thoughtfully, give wildlife space and join a local clean-up or conservancy activity when the opportunity arises.

We hope your next visit to our beautiful Green Coast leaves you with more than lovely photographs. Take time to look closely, explore thoughtfully and get to know the people caring for it. There is so much here worth discovering… and looking after.

Join Us for An Amber Evening

Our care for the coast continues after the sun goes down. Join Munster Conservancy at Secret Sands on Saturday, 5 December 2026, for An Amber Evening - an opportunity to learn more about why dark skies matter and how the lights we use at night affect nature, our health and security.

The evening starts at 18:30 and costs R250 per person, including dinner, a glass of amber wine and the talks. Booking is essential: WhatsApp 063 060 4805, call 039 319 2312 or email adventure@secretsands.co.za