Situated along the Sapphire Coast, the town is well known for its warm climate and numerous beaches, and is a popular tourist destination, particularly with surfers.

According to local legend,[3] when the Zulu king Shaka led his army down the south coast on a raid against the Pondos in 1828, he rested on the banks of a river.

[7] Dick King passed through the Amanzimtoti area on his way to Grahamstown in 1842 in order to request help for the besieged British garrison at Port Natal (now the Old Fort, Durban).

[2] The "first house" in Amanzimtoti, known as Klein Frystaat ("Little Free State"), was owned by Howard Wright and was situated "on the north side of the back of the old Anglican Church" on Adams Road.

[7] However a later traveler in 1911 claims to have been the first person to take a camera up the river, but also describes "reed-covered isles" and "overhanging trees", and his photographs show Phoenix reclinata growing on the banks.

[9] The railway line from Durban to Isipingo was extended to Park Rynie from 1896 onwards, and the first train passed through Amanzimtoti in 1897.

[7] The huts were made of wood and iron or motor-car packing cases and served as holiday bungalows, and two of the houses had been built by the Department of Native Affairs for resident officers.

The 5th house in Amanzimtoti was built on the corner of Adams Road and Ross Street in 1908 by the Reinbach family, who came from Cape Town.

[10] Mr Arthur Chaimberlain of Kynochs visited South Africa in 1907 to find a place to start another factory.

Paul Henwood May moved to Amanzimtoti in 1922, and built several colonial-style homes (made from wood, with an iron roof and a front verandah).

Running water was introduced in 1949 by Olaf Bjorseth, the first mayor of Amanzimtoti; prior to this, residents used to collect rainwater from the roofs of their houses.

[2] Amanzimtoti offered refuge to many Middle Eastern and British evacuees during the Second World War, many of whom lived in holiday cottages and in private homees.

When a school was started at Toti Town Hall, Dr Frickle paid for two teachers' salaries out of money he made at his clinic selling "No 9s" (red pills "from the army"), which he purportedly prescribed "for everything".

Regarded as the "gateway" to the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, Amanzimtoti has a long-standing reputation and history as a popular tourist destination, owing to its attractive setting on this part of the coastline.

Today it is described as a bedroom community, one which is primarily residential in character, with many of its residents commuting to Durban daily.

The Amanzimtoti Railway Station is situated on the South Coast Line, which is the main Metrorail commuter route between Durban in the north-east (via Umbogintwini) and Kelso in the south-west (via Kingsburgh).

Amanzimtoti is mainly reached via the N2, a major freeway running between Durban in the north and Port Shepstone in the south.

Furthermore, it can also be reached from Kingsburgh and Athlone Park via the R102 (Kingsway; renamed to Andrew Zondo Road) which is the old coastal main route between Durban and Port Shepstone and via the M37 (Moss Kolnik Drive) from KwaMakhutha in the west.

Amanzimtoti functions as a service-orientated town being a hub for shopping and other services for surrounding communities south of Durban.

[20][21] Amanzimtoti is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including Cape clawless otters, blue duiker and spotted ground-thrush.

The Amanzimtoti Country Club is an 18-hole golf course situated on the mouth of the uMbokodweni River in Athlone Park, north of eManzimtoti.