Part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, the kingdom of the Zulu, Durban is an Afro-chic city set on the warm shores of the Indian Ocean. It's South Africa's third-largest city and Africa's busiest port. This subtropical climate is a melting pot of cultures, with African, European and Asian influences. You'll find classic Victorian homes, the largest mosque in the southern hemisphere and Vishwaroop, the oldest Hindu temple in South Africa. Known as a party town, Durban also provides exhilarating outdoor adventures. KwaZulu Natal is a world in one province, with some of the best African game reserves, hotel accommodation and pristine beaches to the north, the majestic South African Drakensberg Mountains and the temperate Midlands laying to the west and superb golf courses and estates, fishing spots and miles of subtropical coastline to the south.
Transportation
The new King Shaka Airport in La Mercy, north of Durban, provides national and international air access to the city. A new railway station, Kings Park Rail Station, is adjacent to the Moses Mabhida Stadium, providing easy access to the stadium and fan park, from the main north-south rail corridor.
Within Durban the MYNAH BUS is a frequent and reliable local bus service that ferries passengers between the north and south beaches, the CBD and surrounding suburbs. Visitors are advised to use conventional taxi cabs if they are going to be travelling within the city and its immediate suburbs. For more extensive driving, it's best to rent a car.
Must-have street food
Bunny chow: Durban curry spooned into a hollowed-out half loaf of bread. The quarter ‘bunny' remains the cheapest proper meal in Durban.
Shisa nyama: Zulu for "hot meat", is a staple of local African cuisine. The meat, usually chicken or chops, is cooked on a gas-top stove or a fire.
Pap-en-vleis: Maize porridge, meat and sauce
Koeksisters: Syrup coated twisted doughnuts
Biltong: A kind of cured meat that is extremely popular with the locals
Famous people from Durban
Jacob Zuma, the president of South Africa, was born in Nkandla, a town in KwaZulu-Natal
Lara Logan, CBS news correspondent
Gideon, fashion designer
Kenny Niemach, former football player and now SuperSport TV presenter
Jannie du Plessis, South African rugby player
Dr Albert Luthuli, Nobel Peace Prizewinner and African National Congress's first president
Where to eat
>> Mid-range restaurants
Moyo uShaka, uShaka Pier
The Swahili word for soul, Moyo, located 150 metres into the Indian Ocean, allows you to cast your eye back over Durban and watch as the Sun descend. The sophisticated restaurant hunts every African flavour that has been nurtured under this African sun and provides entertainment with African drums at the Moyo UShaka's beach bar.
www.moyo.co.za
Blue Zoo, Morningside
Nestled among the splendour and serene atmosphere of Mitchell Park in Morningside, the Blue Zoo Garden restaurant is in one of the most picturesque settings in Durban.
Tel: 031 303 3568
Arts Café, Glenwood
This gallery café set in the heart of Glenwood serves light and fresh food, including a nice vegetarian selection, with an airy indoor-outdoor feel. It caters to both adults and children and has a play area for children and a kiddies menu.
www.nsagallery.co.za/artscafe
Bangkok Wok, Morningside
Situated on the trendy Florida Road, Bangkok Wok is truly a gem featuring a warm and trendy decor. Its spring rolls, crispy chicken meals and honey-glazed chicken with noodles are great.
www.bangkokwok.co.za
Delux Burger Bar, Glenwood
Serving designer burgers with interesting toppings such as mango salsa or beetroot and red bean, this Glenwood restaurant is located in an industrial setting and is furnished with nguni skin covered ottomans and equipped with a revamped bar area.
www.deluxburgerbar.com
>> Cheap eats
Britannia Hotel Restaurant, Durban Central
Known for its bunny chows and authentic hot Durban-style curries, Britannia's menu is extensive. It offers mutton, chicken and vegetable bunnies. Also try the peri-peri prawn curry, marinated with herb and garlic butter with special home-made peri-peri chutney.
www.hotelbrits.co.za
Govender's House of Curries, Blue Lagoon, North Beach
This is probably the most famous place in Durban for bunny chows.
Tel: +27 31 700 3128
>> Posh meals out
9th Avenue Bistro, Morningside
Acclaimed chef Carly Gonçalves gives classic cooking an inventive modern twist with a menu that celebrates the fresh and the seasonal at this award-winning minimalist modern bistro. Relish the likes of a spicy Thai prawn cake tossed in sesame ginger and roast jalapeño aioli or a range of seafood that includes the popular Alaskan crab on corn panna cotta. For mains, try a well-judged fillet served on oxtail risotto or the superb crispy duck served with sweet potato and butternut mash and a cinnamon orange demiglaze.
www.9thavenuebistro.co.za
Aubergine and Andreotti's
Dining etiquette is strictly observed at this contemporary restaurant known for the grilled calamari with nahm jim dressing and chef-patron Chris Black's memorable trotters. The risottos are exemplary, as is the duck, which may come with gingered butternut mash with orange sauce and confit zest. The decor plays with neutrals and textures, from wooden floors to white plastic dome lights and booth seating in chocolate velvet.
www.theaubergine.co.za
Stadium
It's named after Moses Mabhida, a people's hero who worked unceasingly to support workers and their rights.
The stadium will host one of the semi-finals.
It was designed as a multipurpose venue and an amphitheatre, complete with a cable car which ascends to a viewing platform at the top of the expansive 350 metre arch, 106 metres above the pitch.
It features a VVIP section ready for a presidential entrance and a lounge for the world's most discerning football fans.
It's built on the site of the former Kings Park Stadium, which hosted the first post-apartheid football match on July 7, 1992, with South Africa beating Cameroon 1-0.
What to see and do
Botanic Gardens
The most renowned garden in the city is the Botanic Garden, a rich 20-hectare botanical and park haven at the foot of the Berea and minutes from the Durban city centre. Regarded by many as some of South Africa's most beautiful city parklands, the gardens provide a year-round display of bold and contrasting colours surrounding the main walk, from the tea garden to the entrance. An extensive collection of exotic birds, tropical fish and small animals and reptiles are housed in a pleasing setting. Spacious lawn areas are ideal for picnics.
The Valley of a Thousand Hills
Located on the western outskirts directly outside Durban, this stretch of rural country is home to many Zulus, who reside next to small towns and the garden suburbs of Durban. The parallel road to the main highway N3 makes a lovely drive with beautiful views over dams and villages.
The Drakensberg Mountains
The Drakensberg mountain range is about a two-hour drive from Durban and goes above 3,500 metres, forming a massive barrier separating Kwa-Zulu Natal from the Kingdom of Lesotho. Mountain lovers are drawn to the place by the mountain walks and well-preserved valleys. The only road access is via Sani Pass, which, at the top, boasts the highest pub in Africa, at 3,000 metres above sea level. If you visit in the winter months of June or July, you may even witness snow — while people still swim in the sea.
Natal Sharks Board, Umhlanga
Witness a live dissection of a dead shark at the Natal Sharks Board, the only institution of its kind in the world committed to keeping the beaches safe, not only for swimmers and surfers but for sharks as well. The board services a 320-kilometre strip of shark nets and newly deployed drumlines along the KwaZulu Natal coastline.
The Indian District, Grey Street
This is also known as the Indian Quarter, which is centred on Grey Street running north from West Street. The Jumah Mosque (corner of Grey and Queen Streets) is reputably the largest in the southern hemisphere. Two markets are of note, the Oriental Bazaar on Albert Street and the Indian Market. This area, on the eastern side of the city, has become home to Zulu herbalists selling "muti". For traditional medicine and rituals, head for Russell Street Extension, where these sellers congregate.
Dolphins and whales
Schools of bottlenose dolphin move up and down the coast all year round and whales can be seen off the coast from July through November — mainly humpback whales and occasionally southern rights. You can view these creatures from high points along the coast or even from the beach, as the dolphins frequently frolic in the waves or just behind backline. A number of dolphin- and whale-watching businesses have sprung up along the coast, offering trips out to sea on small, open dinghies to view these gentle creatures up close. Pleasure cruises are also offered around the harbour and out to sea, with spectacular views of the city and the coastline.
Inanda Heritage Trail, Umhlanga
The Inanda Heritage Trail allows a visit to some of Durban's most important historical sites, places where South Africa's future changed for the better because of the bravery of a few individuals. The Phoenix Settlement is where Mahatma Gandhi developed his philosophy of passive resistance. His home has been turned into a monument dedicated to peace and justice. At Inanda Township, one can visit the Ohlange Institute, founded by the first president of the African National Congress, Rev John Dube. This is also the site where Nelson Mandela cast his historic vote in South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994.
Durban Natural Science Museum, Durban Central
This museum is the most utilised natural-science museum in the country. Located in the Durban City Hall, it attracts almost 300,000 visitors annually. Visit the boma storytelling area, see a life-size reconstruction of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, various diorama exhibitions and plasma screens showing natural-history scenery. The Museum Research Centre also offers the public access to the third-largest collection of birds in Africa.
Scuba Diving Wonderland
Aliwal Shoal is Durbaa's prime diving destination and attracts divers from around the world. Dive boats launch from the Mkomazi River, south of Amanzimtoti, to get to the reef, which is about four kilometres long and lies some five kilometres offshore, with depths ranging from 5 to 35 metres. The reef runs almost parallel to the shoreline and its many gullies, overhangs, caves and shelves are home to a vast array of marine life. Two wrecks lying near the shoal — the Produce and Nebo — provide divers with alternative underwater experiences. Local dive operators will provide equipment and accredited training and will introduce you to the wonders that lie beneath the waves.
The Battlefields, KwaZulu Natal
The Battlefield sites, historic towns and national monuments are testimony to the critical, blood-soaked conflicts, which are the legacy of this place. Shaka, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi and General Louis Botha were all famous military strategists who walked through this place many years ago. Lone forts and small graveyards on these undulating landscapes with rocky outcrops make visible the secrets and sorrows of historical battles that took place over numerous years and shaped the history of both South African and British history. There are many ways to see the battlefields, from tours to self-drive excursions, with accommodation ranging from luxury to camping. The choice is yours.
Township Tours
Townships offer visitors a glimpse of another side of Durban. Originally established by the apartheid government to house black people working in the city, townships have become sprawling and vibrant neighbourhoods in the post-apartheid era, where an exciting new urban African culture is being born. No visit to Durban is complete without visiting one of these townships. Tours guided by knowledgeable locals will provide the visitor with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich community life townships enjoy, experience the pulse of life and learn about the social history.
>>Durban beach menu
Golden Mile:
A popular stretch of beachfront running roughly from South Beach (where the uShaka Marine World is located) to the newly constructed Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World in the north. The promenade displays traditional market vendors and other hawkers with a selection of Zulu art and crafts. North Beach, Dairy Beach, the Bay of Plenty and Snake Park beaches are popular surfing beaches separated by the piers.
Margate Beach:
A long stretch of beach on the Durban South Coast ideal for swimming, body-boarding and surfing.
Ramsgate Beach:
Situated along a quaint village known as Ramsgate just south of Margate, this quiet beach has nice picnic facilities.
Marina Beach
This is a long pristine beach and tidal pool between Southbroom and San Lameer. It is also rather close to the Mpenjati river mouth and lagoon.
Willard Beach
This is the main swimming beach in Ballito, "Pearl" of the Durban North Coast, where you can enjoy a scenic walk on the boardwalk and spectacular views of the bays and coves.
South Beach
This is part of Durban's famous "Golden Mile" and is ideal for swimming, especially for children, as it is protected from the powerful westerly winds and large waves.
The Elephant coast boasts pristine beautiful beaches, namely Black Rock, just South of Kosi Bay, Cape Vidal (a noted fishing venue), First Rocks, Hulley Point, Jesser Point, Kosi Bay Estuary, Leven Point, Liefeldt's Rock, Mission Rocks, Rocktail Bay, Sodwana Bay, St Lucia and St Lucia Estuary. St Lucia Wetlands Park is a World Heritage Site and boasts long stretches of white beaches. Visitors can explore the many rock pools along the beach and watch for humpback whales in October.
Zululand has many gorgeous beaches perfect for all water sports, namely Alkantrand, Durnford Point, Five Mile Beach, Mbonambi Beach, Mtunzini Beach, Newark and Two Mile Beach.
Durban's north coast shoreline is an attractive combination of golden beaches and rock pools perfect for swimming, surfing, scuba diving, rock and skiboat fishing, or just relaxing on the beach. There are numerous beaches, namely Ballito Beach, Zinkwazi Beach, Umhlali Beach, Tinley Manor Beach, Thompson's Bay Beach, Sheffield Beach, Shaka's Rock Beach, Salt Rock, Blythedale Beach and Clark Bay.
The south coast has an abundance of magnificent beaches, namely Southport (Anerley), Banana Beach, Bazley Beach, Beach Terminus, Big Tree Beach, Clansthal, Glenmore Beach, Green Point, Margate Beach and Marina Beach.
Where to stay
>> Mid-range hotels
Garden Court Marine Parade, Golden Mile
The modern, Art Deco style hotel is located on Durban's Golden Mile, between the North and South beaches, providing easy access to the beachfront and the city's business hub and tourist attractions, including the Sun Coast Casino and uShaka Marine World. One of the more popular amenities of this hotel is that it has a great pool deck on the 30th floor and rooms that are larger than most on the Golden Mile.
www.southernsun.com
Tropicana Hotel, Golden Mile
Overlooking the Indian Ocean, Tropicana Hotel Durban, located on the Golden Mile and a short walk from the beaches, is close to the uShaka Marine World and the International Convention Centre.
http://www.hotelscombined.com/Hotel/Tropicana_Hotel_Durban.htm
Albany Hotel, Durban Central
The hotel is newly renovated and three blocks from Durban's International Convention Centre and Exhibition site. It's opposite the City Hall, adjacent to the Natal Playhouse Theatre and a five-minute drive to Moses Mabhida Stadium, the uShaka Marine World and the Golden Mile.
www.albanyhotel.co.za
Budget stay
Gibela Backpackers Lodge, Morningside
This is located in a safe residential area within walking distance from the centre of Durban's entertainment life, Florida Road, where there are restaurants, bars, clubs and coffee shops galore. Guests can walk to the Botanical Gardens, Golden Mile beaches, currency exchange and surf-gear factory shops. The lodge is on inner-city transport networks, which link guests to the museums, cinemas, Indian Market and Juma Mosque in less than ten minutes.
www.gibelabackpackers.co.za
City Lodge Durban, corner Brickhill and Old Fort Road
This friendly value-for-money lodge is set in landscaped surroundings and conveniently close to the Durban beachfront and the CBD and offers comfortable and clean accommodation.
www.city-lodge.com/rl3.htm
>> Luxury hotels
Beverly Hills Hotel, Umhlanga Rocks (five-star)
The hotel's restaurant Sugar Cube is a member of the Chaines des Rotisseurs and the Moët & Chandon restaurant circle guide. If that's not decadent enough, have your private butler serve you in your beachfront suite with dramatic views of the Indian Ocean.
www.sandtonsun.com
Oyster Box Hotel, Umhlanga (five-star)
This sumptuous hotel was a passion project as two sons pay homage to their parents' budding romance, which was started on site years ago. It combines colonial charm, impeccable service, lush tropical gardens and breathtaking seaside setting. Be sure to visit the classic Oyster Bar with ocean views and a lighthouse.
www.oysterboxhotel.com
Hilton Durban, Durban Central (five-star)
This business hotel is located next to the International Convention Centre and is walking distance from Durban's renowned beaches. All guest rooms enjoy breathtaking views of the South African coastline and the Durban city skyline. www.hilton.com/Durban
