| Leisure Bay | |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Xhosa |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 5.2% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 60.6% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.6% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | English |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 49.6% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 24.0% |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 11.8% |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 2.7% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Zulu |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 10.8% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 3.8% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 4295 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa KwaZulu-Natal#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -31.0187°N 30.2389°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Ugu |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Ray Nkonyeni |
| Subdivision Name4: | Port Edward |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 30.9% |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 24.18 |
| Population Total: | 4409 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Area Code: | 039 |
Leisure Bay is a small coastal village located on the Lower South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
Leisure Bay is situated between Port Edward and Glenmore Beach and lies approximately 26 km (16 mi) south-west of Port Shepstone and 98 km (61 mi) south-west of Durban.[2] [3]
Leisure Bay is regarded as one of the many extensions of Port Edward including Glenmore Beach, Munster and Palm Beach. The village can also been seen as a collective with the villages of Leisure Crest to the north and Ivy Beach to the south.
The village is a quiet one and remains unspoilt with most of it covered in subtropical vegetation due to the little development occurring in these villages between Port Edward and Margate. It is also popular with artists, and many of them live and work in the area due to the tranquil lifestyle of the village.[4]
As the name implies, Leisure Bay acts very much as a holiday destination or a relaxation escape for tourists.[5]
Leisure Bay has access to three shark-protected beaches Kidds Beach (not to be confused with Kidd's Beach in the Eastern Cape), T.O Beach and Ivy Beach which are patrolled by lifeguards during school holiday periods.[6]
Leisure Bay has no access to public transport and is therefore dependent on private transportation. Leisure Bay can be accessed by turning off the R61 (to Port Edward and Port Shepstone) onto the three access roads into the village namely Fisherman’s Drive (north), Torquay Avenue (central) and Old Main Road (south).
The Leisure Bay Conservancy includes the area from the Boboyi River in the south, the Thongazi River in the north, the Indian Ocean in the east and the R61 in the west and is registered with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Conservation KZN since January 2012. The conservancy was formed to preserve the biodiversity in the natural environment of coastal and riverine forest, coastal bush, grasslands, help control the invasion of alien species, and promote the planting of indigenous vegetation in Leisure Bay. This successively assists in preserving wildlife in the area, including caracal, water mongoose, bushbuck, duiker, leopard and a wide range of bird and insect life.[7]
This is one of 6 conservancies in the Port Edward/Southbroom area including part of a broader green belt that includes the Munster, Trafalgar, Mpenjati, Marina Beach and Umtamvuna conservancies.[8]