| Palm Beach | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa KwaZulu-Natal#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -30.988°N 30.272°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 Type4: | Main Place |
| Subdivision Name4: | Port Edward |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 3.87 |
| Population Total: | 529 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 11.5% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 6.4% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 4.2% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 77.7% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.2% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | English |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 64.1% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 26.6% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Zulu |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 6.3% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Xhosa |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 2.5% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 0.6% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 4275 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
Palm Beach is a seaside town in Ugu District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.
Palm Beach is named after the Ilala Palm (hyphaene critina), a species indigenous to sub-tropical Southern Africa and used by rural communities for centuries. The trees' leaves are used for woven rooftops, baskets and mats and the sap is used for liquor.[2]
Palm Beach is located on the southern bank of the Mpenjati River which enters the Indian Ocean at the Mpenjati Nature Reserve. The nature reserve itself surrounds the Mpenjati River lagoon and extends some 500 metres out to sea in order to protect the unique fossil found in the area.
The village boasts a beach with its own natural tidal pool and nearby estuary.[3]
Palm Beach has been and continues to be rated as one of the best wind sport wave riding venues in the world although it is not exploited much by kitesurfers.
Palm Beach is a microcosm on its own. It is in fact the combination of an outer reef, a rocky outcrop in the form of a point and a river system that feeds sand into the equation that makes this place unique. The outer reef transforms the ocean swells into sought after waves while at the same time disarming the waves' explosive energy.[4]