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Margate Travel Guide: Where to Stay and What to Do

Pace: relaxed Beachy Lively Relaxed Sunny
Ideal trip length
3–7 days
Busiest
Dec-Jan

Updated September 2026

Margate

About Margate

Margate Main Beach anchors Margate, a relaxed beach town built around family seaside days on South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.

Margate Beachfront is the natural area for a stay, with the shore, promenade and town amenities close together.

Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve brings canyon scenery and outdoor adventure nearby, while Pure Venom Reptile Park adds a family-focused stop in Izotsha. The subtropical coast supports swimming, watersports and whale and dolphin watching from Margate Harbour, with braai, bunny chow and biltong rounding out the local food scene.

Where to stay

Hotels in Margate

Book direct on our own Margate hotel pages — no booking fee.

Stay like a local in Margate

Places to stay in Margate

Best for

Ranked by verified guest score, then stars. Based on 209 of 223 hotels with verified data.

Best for families

Family rooms listed · 6 hotels qualify

  1. Ingwe Manor Guesthouse8.9/10 · 219 reviews
  2. Fairway Guest Lodge8.7/10 · 120 reviews · 4-star
  3. Falling Waters Guest House8.4/10 · 220 reviews · 4-star
  4. Margate Hotel7.9/10 · 720 reviews · 3-star
  5. Gracelands Beach Lodge7.9/10 · 76 reviews

Best for drivers

Free parking · 16 hotels qualify

  1. Margate Beach Club8.9/10 · 170 reviews · 3-star
  2. Wailana lodge8.8/10 · 166 reviews · 4-star
  3. Claridges 3028.8/10 · 66 reviews · 4-star
  4. Uvongo Chalet 118.6/10 · 65 reviews · 4-star
  5. Driftsands Sea View Flats8.5/10 · 110 reviews · 4-star

Best for a pool

Swimming pool listed · 17 hotels qualify

  1. First Group Club Hacienda8.5/10 · 125 reviews · 4-star
  2. First Group La Cote D'Azur8.5/10 · 119 reviews
  3. Laguna la Crete 18 74 & 908.4/10 · 131 reviews · 4-star
  4. First Group Margate Sands8.1/10 · 531 reviews · 4-star
  5. First Group Costa Smeralda8.0/10 · 214 reviews · 3-star

Margate at a glance

Check-in / check-out
3:00 PM / 9:00 AM
Free parking
176 of 180 hotels (98%)
Pool
122 of 209 hotels
Climate
Subtropical
Languages
English, Zulu and Afrikaans
Local currency
ZAR (ZAR)
Local time
(GMT+2)
Ideal trip length
3–7 days
Cost level
2 of 5 · our research
Suggested area to stay
Margate Beachfront
Tap water
Generally described as safe to drink
Tipping
10-15% expected for good service.

History, culture and food in Margate

History

95 · Outstanding

Culture

90 · Outstanding

Food

90 · Outstanding

Family 85 · Very good

Our own 0–100 ratings for this one destination. They describe a city; they are not a league table of cities.

Food to try

Braai Bunny Chow Biltong Boerewors

Hotel facts in Margate

Based on 209 of 223 hotels with verified data.

Hotels that listHotelsShare
Free parkingof hotels with verified parking176 of 18098%
Swimming pool122 of 20958%
24-hour front desk4 of 2092%
Facilities for disabled guests3 of 2091%
Family rooms8 of 2094%
Kitchen or kitchenette15 of 2097%
Airport shuttle0 free6 of 2093%

Pools and room sizes by star rating

StarsPoolStandard room
3-star37 of 5824 m²usually 17 m²–37 m² · 3 hotels
4-star62 of 10235 m²usually 28 m²–48 m² · 7 hotels

When to visit Margate

How good each month is here, on this destination's own scale. It compares months within this city, never one city against another.

Best months: April, May, June, July, August and September Busiest: Dec-Jan
  1. Jan
    25

    Often avoided: heavy summer rainfall

  2. Feb
    21

    Often avoided: heavy summer rainfall

  3. Mar
    10

    Often avoided: heavy summer rainfall

  4. Apr
    41

    South Coast Bike Fest (cyclone season (Nov-Apr); impacts uncommon)

  5. May
    44

    South Coast Bike Fest

  6. Jun
    41

    Cooler, dry

  7. Jul
    41

    Cooler, dry

  8. Aug
    41

    Warming, dry

  9. Sep
    41

    Warm, pleasant

  10. Oct
    30

    Warm, increasing rain

  11. Nov
    35

    Cyclone season (Nov-Apr); impacts uncommon

  12. Dec
    38

    Busy and pricier: crowds

Things to do in Margate

7 places worth your time, grouped by when they are at their best.

Best in the morning

3 places

Explore Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve

Oribi Gorge (nearby) 5 hours

Outdoors Good for children

Play a Round at Southbroom Golf Course

Southbroom (nearby) 4 hours

Outdoors

Whale and Dolphin Watching

Margate Harbour 3 hours

Outdoors Good for children

Best in the afternoon

2 places

Visit Pure Venom Reptile Park

Izotsha (nearby) 2 hours

Indoors Good for children

Stroll the Margate Art Museum

Margate Central 1 hour

Indoors Good for children

Best in the evening

1 place

Experience the Wild Coast Sun Casino

Port Edward (nearby) 4 hours

Indoors

Any time of day

1 place

Relax at Margate Main Beach

Margate Beachfront 3 hours

Outdoors Good for children

Before you go to Margate

Our own ratings and notes on eating out, signature experiences, who the city suits and planning ahead.

Eating out

Braai 95 · Outstanding
Bunny Chow 87 · Outstanding
Biltong 78 · Very good
Boerewors 70 · Good

Signature experiences

Relax At Margate Main Beach 95 · Outstanding
Explore Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve 91 · Outstanding
Visit Pure Venom Reptile Park 87 · Outstanding
Play A Round At Southbroom Golf Course 83 · Very good
Whale And Dolphin Watching 78 · Very good
Experience The Wild Coast Sun Casino 74 · Good
Stroll The Margate Art Museum 70 · Good

Who it suits

Families 95 · Outstanding
Couples 87 · Outstanding
Budget 78 · Very good
Adventure 70 · Good

Planning tips

Book accommodation well in advance for peak season (Dec-Jan). 95 · Outstanding
Consider renting a car for exploring the wider South Coast area. 83 · Very good
Be aware of strong currents when swimming in the ocean. 70 · Good

Ratings and recommendations are curated from local travel data.

Near Margate

Straight-line distance from the centre of Margate.

Frequently asked questions about Margate

How many places to stay are there in Margate?

There are 230+ hotels, apartments and other places to stay in Margate. They include 9 hotels and 180+ apartments.

When is the peak season in Margate?

The peak season in Margate is Dec-Jan.

Which area is a good base in Margate?

The travel guide suggests staying in Margate Beachfront when visiting Margate.

How many hotels in Margate have free parking?

176 of the 180 hotels in Margate with verified parking details list free parking (98%). 1 charge for parking.

What is the usual check-in time at hotels in Margate?

3:00 PM at 153 of the 203 hotels with a verified check-in time. The next most common time is 2:00 PM (47 hotels).

What time is check-out at hotels in Margate?

9:00 AM at 139 of 206 hotels with a verified check-out time; 10:00 AM at 58.

How many hotels in Margate have a pool?

122 of 209 hotels with verified data list a swimming pool.