uShaka Marine World
Durban's big beachfront marine park pairs a shipwreck-themed aquarium and dolphin, seal and penguin shows with the Wet n Wild water park, a free village walk of shops and restaurants and a zip line.
KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa)
Durban
Durban is South Africa's warm-water city on the Indian Ocean, a place of long beachfront promenades, a harbour, a big Indian-influenced food and market culture and a Zulu heartland that runs inland into green hills and wildlife reserves.
This guide covers the essentials plainly: uShaka Marine World and the Golden Mile, Victoria Street Market, the Botanic Gardens and the Art Gallery in City Hall, plus three single-product day trips for safari at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, the Valley of a Thousand Hills and the Drakensberg mountains. Hotels cover the beachfront, the leafy Musgrave area, Florida Road, Durban North and Umhlanga.
Don't miss
uShaka Marine World
Durban's big beachfront marine park pairs a shipwreck-themed aquarium and dolphin, seal and penguin shows with the Wet n Wild water park, a free village walk of shops and restaurants and a zip line.
Durban Cultural Walking Tour with Lunch
A small-group guided half day that spends about three hours at Victoria Street Market, an hour on the beachfront and ends with lunch at North Beach, with hotel pickup included.
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Big 5 Day Trip
A long day trip from Durban to one of South Africa's oldest game reserves for a guided drive in search of the Big Five, including rhinos, with pickup arranged from the city.
The Golden Mile Beachfront
Durban's beachfront promenade runs for kilometres past piers, paddling pools, surf beaches and cafes, with Mini Town, rickshaws and the uShaka complex along the way. It is free and the best way to feel the city.
Things to do in Durban
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
FreeThe Golden Mile Beachfront
Durban's beachfront promenade runs for kilometres past piers, paddling pools, surf beaches and cafes, with Mini Town, rickshaws and the uShaka complex along the way. It is free and the best way to feel the city.
1 to 4 hoursDetails →
FreeVictoria Street Market
Known as the Vic, this covered market on the corner of Queen and Victoria Streets has more than 170 stalls of spices, saris, baskets, beadwork and crafts, and sits at the edge of Durban's historic Indian quarter.
1 to 3 hoursDetails →
FreeDurban Botanic Gardens
Durban's oldest public institution, founded in 1849, is a free, shady garden in the Musgrave area with a lake, a coffee shop and golf cart tours, open every day of the year.
1 to 2 hoursDetails →
FreeDurban Art Gallery and City Hall
The free Durban Art Gallery sits on the second floor of the Edwardian City Hall, with South African art, craft and historic photographs, next to a free Natural Science Museum in the same building.
1 to 2 hoursDetails →
Durban Point Waterfront Canal Cruise
A short, inexpensive boat ride through the canals of the Point Waterfront, with a skipper who shares the area's history, leaving from a shop inside the uShaka complex.
Durban Cultural Walking Tour with Lunch
A small-group guided half day that spends about three hours at Victoria Street Market, an hour on the beachfront and ends with lunch at North Beach, with hotel pickup included.
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Big 5 Day Trip
A long day trip from Durban to one of South Africa's oldest game reserves for a guided drive in search of the Big Five, including rhinos, with pickup arranged from the city.
Valley of a Thousand Hills and Phezulu
A half-day trip from Durban into the rolling hills inland, visiting Phezulu Safari Park with its Zulu cultural village and reptile park.
Drakensberg and Nelson Mandela Capture Site Day Trip
A full-day trip from Durban to the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park for mountain scenery and hiking, with stops at Howick Falls and the Nelson Mandela Capture Site on the way.
Shark Cage Diving on Aliwal Shoal
A roughly three-hour boat trip from the south coast to Aliwal Shoal for a shark cage dive, with wetsuit, snorkelling gear, a guide and hot showers included, about forty minutes south of central Durban.
Sani Pass and Lesotho 4x4 Day Trip
A full-day 4x4 excursion from Durban up the steep Sani Pass in the Drakensberg and across the border into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, one of the most dramatic road journeys in southern Africa.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Suncoast Hotel & Towers
Battery Beach Road, Durban Beachfront
A beachfront hotel with a free full breakfast, an outdoor pool, a spa and an Indian restaurant, a minute's walk from the Suncoast casino and entertainment complex and two minutes from the Golden Mile.
Check rates →Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani
Snell Parade, Durban Beachfront
A big beachfront hotel of 734 rooms on Snell Parade with three outdoor pools, a children's pool, a spa, four restaurants and sea-view rooms, about five minutes from the Golden Mile.
Check rates →The Edward Hotel
O.R. Tambo Parade, Durban Beachfront
A four-class, 131-room hotel on O.R. Tambo Parade with a pool, a spa, a brasserie and a terrace, two minutes from the Golden Mile and a short drive from uShaka.
Check rates →Garden Court South Beach
Marine Parade, South Beach, Durban
A three-class hotel at 73 Marine Parade with an outdoor pool, a gym and a restaurant, two minutes from the Golden Mile and within a short walk of uShaka Marine World.
Check rates →Musgrave Avenue Guest Lodge
Musgrave Avenue, Berea and Musgrave
A guesthouse with garden rooms, a self-catering loft and a six-sleeper villa on Musgrave Avenue, three minutes from the Musgrave Centre and ten minutes on foot from the Botanic Gardens.
Check rates →Beverly Hills Umhlanga
Lighthouse Road, Umhlanga
A luxury Umhlanga hotel with 88 rooms, a free full breakfast, an outdoor pool, a full-service spa and two restaurants, two minutes on foot from the lighthouse and eight from the main beach.
Check rates →City Lodge Hotel Umhlanga Ridge
Umhlanga Ridge, Umhlanga
A 168-room four-class hotel at Umhlanga Ridge with an outdoor pool, a gym and free parking, two minutes on foot from Gateway Theatre of Shopping and five from the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board.
Check rates →
$$The Riverside Hotel Durban North
Kenneth Kaunda Drive, Durban North
A 169-room four-class riverside hotel in Durban North with an outdoor pool, a gym, two bars and free parking, beside the Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve and two minutes by car from the beach.
Check rates →Quarters Hotel Florida Road Durban
Florida Road, Morningside
A four-class boutique hotel on Florida Road in Morningside, one minute from the restaurant strip and three by car from the Botanic Gardens, with a restaurant, a terrace, a garden and free parking.
Check rates →Garden Court Marine Parade Durban
Marine Parade, Durban Beachfront
A three-class beachfront hotel at 167 Marine Parade with indoor and outdoor pools, a gym, a sauna and a restaurant, two minutes on foot from the Golden Mile and four by car from uShaka Marine World.
Check rates →Durban guides
First-Timer's Guide to Durban: What to Book, How to Get Around and Where the Sights Fit
A practical first-timer guide to Durban: how many days, what to book ahead, how to get around, and how uShaka, the Golden Mile, Victoria Street Market and three day trips fit together.
Where to Stay in Durban: The Beachfront, the Golden Mile and Musgrave
Where to stay in Durban: the beachfront for the sea and uShaka, or the quieter Musgrave and Berea area near the Botanic Gardens, matched to hotels from budget to splurge.
Durban in Three Days: A Practical Itinerary for the Beach, the Markets and the Hills
A three-day Durban itinerary: the Golden Mile and uShaka on day one, the markets, mosque and gardens on day two, and a safari or mountain day trip on day three.
Eating and Drinking in Durban: Curry, Bunny Chow, Market Snacks and Sea-View Meals
A guide to eating in Durban: the city's Indian-influenced cooking, bunny chow, market spices, vegetarian temple meals, beachfront dining and where each fits into a day.
Best Time to Visit Durban: Seasons, Beach Weather, Whales and Safari Conditions
When to visit Durban: hot humid summers for the beach, mild dry winters for safaris and walking, whale season from May to November, and how school holidays change the city.
Day Trips from Durban: Safari, Mountains, Battlefields and the Valley of a Thousand Hills
Choosing a day trip from Durban: Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and Tala for safari, St Lucia for hippos, the Drakensberg and Sani Pass for mountains, battlefields for history and Aliwal Shoal for sharks.
