Overview

The scenic coastal town of Durban is nestled in the eastern part of South Africa, the 3rd largest city in the country with Zulu, African, British, and Indian influences. It was host to the 2010 FIFA World Cup at the stunning, massive Moses Mabhida Stadium, the city underwent a makeover for the important games. The city is wrapped around a sheltered bay, boasts a natural harbor, is the busiest port In Africa, and has a popular cruise ship dock. It was named the "Greenest city in the world by Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index due to its many beautiful, scenic, verdant parks. Durban looks out upon the sparkling waters of the Indian Ocean and sits at the mouth of the Umgeni River. 

The South African beach city was founded in 1835 on the site of Port Natal and was named for Sir Benjamin D’Urban who was the governor of Cape Colony. The city has a rich blend of cultures and features colonial architecture blending natural beauty with modern-day resorts and luxury hotels. 

Bustling Durban is the hub of the province’s business and industry and pulses with all the energy of a major port city. Luxury hotels abound on Durban’s beachfront, and this city is often referred to as South Africa’s Miami Beach. The sparkling Golden Mile promenade runs along the beachfront and is filled with outdoor cafes, beachfront restaurants and bars, and seaside shops. It is a popular place for a stroll and where most of the city’s accommodations are located with their idyllic views of the Indian Ocean. Durban is a beach-goer's dream destination and the perfect place for a relaxing beach holiday with balmy year-round weather and many excellent activities.

Things to see and do

Spend the day at uShaka Marine World at the end of the Golden Mile. Thai 40-acre theme park is a great place to spend the day it features 5 main sections to explore; a snorkeling lagoon, an interactive animal show area, a shark cage diving area, a water park with slides, and a reptile exhibit. It is home to the largest aquarium in Africa, the Chimp and Zee rope adventure park, Wet ‘n’ Wild water park, and restaurants. 

Walk along the Golden Mile promenade which is a popular place for locals and tourists, people like to walk, run, skateboard, rollerblade, cycle, and people watch along this popular beachfront stretch. The 4-mile-long promenade stretches from Blue Lagoon South to Addington Beach and Durban Harbor. The Golden Mile is brimming with outdoor cafes, beachfront restaurants, vendors, and shops selling beach attire and souvenirs. 

Jump on a Durban Ricksha Bus for an open-top sightseeing tour of the city. The bus follows a particular route allowing passengers to view everything there is to see and do in the city. It passes by landmarks like Victoria Street Market, Francis Farewell Square, North Beach, the Berea, Florida Road, Mitchell Park, Morningside, the Cube Viewpoint, Wilson’s Wharf, and the city center. The 3-hour tour departs from the North Beach kiosk at 9:00 am or 1:00 pm stopping twice for refreshments. 

Visit one of Durban’s many magnificent museums such as The Phansi Museum found in the historic Roberts House, a 19th-century colonial mansion and the former home of Esther Roberts, a librarian and collector of Africa. The museum is one of the most extensive Southern African art museums in the world and its collection and onsite library are linked to the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The collection includes 19th-century beadwork, pottery, carvings, and textiles, with talks and exhibitions also held at the museum. It was founded by Paul Mikula, who purchased artifacts from traditional craftspeople throughout the country over 30 years ago. 

Soar to new heights! Big Rush Urban Adrenaline is the world’s only stadium swing located at the massive Moses Mabhida Stadium, the host venue of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Big Rush Swing drops thrill seekers from 263 feet above the ground platform on a swing suspended across a 722-foot arc across the stadium. It is the tallest swing in the world, and the views from the platform and swing are spectacular. 

Check out some of the interesting historic landmarks to visit in Durban the City Hall, which was built in 1910 and is a replica of Belfast City Hall. The colonial statues of Francis Farewell Square, the post office built in 1885, the Clock of Vasco da Gama, the Emmanuel Cathedral built in 1904, the Salisbury House built in 1925, and the Dick King Statue. 

Visit Shakaland and PheZulu Safari Park located in the magnificent Valley of a Thousand Hills and take in the experience to learn about the culture of South Africa’s largest ethnic group. Visitors can walk through beehive huts, sip traditional beer, watch tribal dances, and participate in traditional ceremonies. 

Take a trip and follow the Inanda Heritage Route, this historic trail takes visitors to some of Durban’s most important cultural sites such as Mahatma Gandhi’s house. Begin at the Inanda Township at the Ohlange Institute to see where Nelson Mandela first voted in South Africa in the 1994 democratic elections. Then on to Mahatma Gandhi’s Phoenix Settlement, where the International Printing Press and Museum is now housed. 

Spend the afternoon at The Durban Botanical Gardens, the oldest surviving botanical garden in the country, established in 1849. The gardens occupy 37 acres of land dedicated to the celebration and study of Durban’s native ecosystem and flora. Famous for its “living fossils” of pre-dinosaur era cycads that have existed for over 250 million years. Visitors can view the lush, verdant foliage, small ponds, and canopied jacaranda trees throughout the gardens, wander around the spring-fed lake, and visit the orchid house. 

Spend a Day at the Mitchell Park Zoo in the city and see cotton-top tamarins, meerkats, Aldabra giant tortoises, majestic grey-crowned cranes, and more. The zoo boasts 200 species of fragrant roses, a Blue Zoo tea garden, a kid's playground, and a walk-through aviary.

Shopping

Shoppers will find different shopping locations throughout the city such as local shops, shopping centers, shopping malls, and busy markets. Gateway Theatre of Shopping is said to be the largest mall in the southern hemisphere boasting a wide range of retailers and dining options. There is also plenty of entertainment for the kids with a skateboard park and an artificial wave at the Wavehouse. Essenwood Craft Market is the place to find Zulu art and soapstone figurines. The I Heart Market is overflowing with arts, crafts, and food stalls found at Moses Mabhida on the first Saturday of every month.

There are bustling markets found all along the beaches in Durban selling some unique authentic items perfect for souvenirs to take home. Victoria Street Market is the oldest market in the city offering an Afro-Indian blend of over 200 vibrant stalls that sell traditional African artwork, Indian spices, bags, traditional clothing, and even fresh seafood. The market also sells some delicious snacks and operates from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm during weekdays, and slightly shorter hours on the weekends.

Some traditional items to look for when shopping in Durban include tribal masks, spices, jewelry, hand-woven baskets, Zulu beadwork, wickerwork, wirework, tam-tams, and traditional medicines.

Beaches

The beaches in Durban are one of the main attractions drawing sunseekers and holiday-goers to the city’s Golden Mile that stretches for 4 miles along the city’s oceanfront. Visitors can find some of the best swimming and surfing beaches in the country. Durban sits along a natural bay with many piers and protective shark nets making it one of the safest stretches of coastline in South Africa.

South Beach is a small beach near uShaka Marine World, a great family beach and also good for beginner surfers. There is a nice restaurant and bar on the pier for snacks and refreshments. North Beach is the most popular beach in Durban, great for sunbathing, swimming, body boarding, and paddle boarding with some nice waves. New Pier/Dairy Beach is another favorite, especially among surfers. The Bay of Plenty is a popular sunbathing spot, and for its pier where fishing is the main attraction. It is a great place to watch the local fishermen in action. There are six piers between Blue Lagoon and the Moyo Pier, it is possible to hire a bicycle and ride between the laid-back outdoor coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants. It is also a great place to enjoy watching the lively beachfront activities like Durban’s famous sand sculptures.

Beachgoers can even head a little further south to discover more tourist-friendly beaches like Margate, and Ramsgate both about an hour away from the city. Umhlanga Rocks is one of the most popular hangouts in Durban and offers an upmarket beach vibe just 20 minutes away.

Durban is home to many world-renowned surfing champions. The city is also home to a large successful surfboard manufacturer. Just a block away from the beachfront is where many surfboard shapers can be found, and many welcome visitors to watch surfboards being made.

Dining

Durban is home to the largest concentration of Indians outside of India and sometimes resembles a mini Mumbai with its many spice merchants, Indian restaurants, and sari shops. The Indian Quarter is decorated with mosques, Art Decor architecture, and delicious Indian food. Try an Indian curry, found in many different locations like Victoria Market and restaurants such as Vintage Restaurant in the city. Try a curry buffet with a broad range of authentic Indian dishes, spiced sauces, and sides to try. There are plenty of other options when it comes to dining in the city including South African cuisine, Italian, Portuguese, Asian, and everything in between. And there are many different restaurants to try these cuisines including local authentic restaurants, award-winning dining establishments, sushi joints, Italian restaurants, roadside stalls, and hole-in-the-wall eateries.

Some famous dishes to try in Durban are bunny chow, a hollowed-out loaf of white bread stuffed with curry stew. There are some great restaurants at the Workshop shopping center serving up some of the best bunny chow in the city. Biltong is South African-style jerky available in a wide range of flavors and textures. Braai is a name for local barbecue serving some of the best, grilled meat on the planet. Sosatie are skewers marinated in a curry sauce. Bobtie is Malaysian curry. Waterblommetjie Bredie is a mutton stew served with water hyacinth flowers. Samosas are served with minced onion, chili, lamb, fish, potatoes, or vegetables. Mogodu is a dish of tripe with pap a type of corn porridge. Bombay Crush is a milkshake-type drink made with rose syrup, milk, tukmaria (basil) seeds, and vanilla ice cream. Milk pie is a tart made with concentrated milk, vanilla essence, cornflour, and cinnamon. Malva pudding is made with apricot jam, vanilla, corn syrup, and brown sugar. Koeksister is a braided doughnut dipped in cane syrup.

Durban’s Florida Road is a dining hub in the city and a top spot for nightlife. Visitors can stroll along the popular street and find many different eateries to choose from, many stay open late in the evening. Durban is also home to some excellent seafood restaurants being on the oceanfront, there are some great waterfront restaurants with fantastic views. Walk along the busy Esplanade at night and find several enticing restaurants serving up everything from pizza, to sushi. Wilson’s Wharf is a long pier brimming with a host of international restaurants with views of the busy harbor.

Nightlife

Durban is a beachside holiday town and the fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. The nightlife in the city offers a relaxed laid-back atmosphere focusing on fun rather than glamour. The beaches Golden Mile is a great place to begin your evening with many great restaurants, and beach bars to choose from. Sit down and enjoy a sundowner while watching a spectacular sunset, then enjoy a tasty dinner. There are certain streets and neighborhoods where restaurants, bars, pubs, and clubs are found clustered around so there are many alternatives in Durban. One of the most popular districts is the famed Florida Road in Morningside, which is busy most nights of the week.

There are plenty of places to choose from on this bustling road including dining and entertainment. The Davenport District of Glenwood is another great selection of independent restaurants and fun bars. Chartwell Drive in Umhlanga Rocks boasts a pedestrian-friendly strip of restaurants, pubs, and bars that line this popular neighborhood street. The city of Durban has many live music venues boasting some great local bands in every genre, there are some amazing nightclubs especially in Stamfordhill for Hard Rock listeners, as well as those that seek soothing jazz, some hip hop, and live poetry. There are concerts held at the City Hall by the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra every Thursday night during the season, as well as some larger concerts at the International Convention Centre. There are many themed nights at different venues around the city with 80s nights, live DJs, packed parties every Friday and Saturday night, gay nightclubs, reggae and rasta nights, drum circles, and pool hall competitions.