Durban is an urban, tropical jewel located on the Indian Ocean coast of South Africa. This beautiful place is also the third-largest city in the country and is usually referred to as the cooler cousin of Cape Town.
Hotels, bars, beaches, and a number of fun places to visit make Dunbar an amazing place for those looking for a beach vacation. If that is you start researching about getting cheap flights to Durban.
This is also the place with most people of Indian descent outside of India, giving it an Asian feel pretty much everywhere you go.
Things to Do in Durban, South Africa
1. Visit the Phoenix Settlement
This place is located only 25 minutes away from Durban by car and was named a South African Heritage site. This settlement was established in 1904. This is where Gandhi and his family built a house, lived, and ran a newspaper.
Their home was burnt down in 1985 but you can still see an exact reconstruction of the building in the same place where it used to be. Visitors to the house can still see the printing press on which the first Indian newspaper in South Africa was printed. Here you will also find photos of Gandhi in India and in South Africa.
A visit to this settlement is fundamental to understand the local history and culture.
2. Go Surfing at Dairy Beach
As mentioned above, beaches are part of what makes Dunbas such a popular travel destination in South Africa. If you want to just experience a beautiful beach with restaurants all around it you can check out the golden mile.
But those looking for stronger emotions should have over to Dairy Beach. In it you will find massive waves and impressive surfing talent, perfect for learning all about how to surf or to improve your skills. You can also stroll along the promenade and enjoy the many local eateries.
3. Valley of 1,000 Hills
This is a gorgeous stretch of land located between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Aside from the stunning views, the area has a lot to offer for nature and adventure lovers. Your options for entertainment and exploration are almost endless.
Some of those things include hiking trails, areas for camping, canopy tours, archery, train rides, cute rural inns, and even tour to a local brewery. This means that you get to combine all sorts of adventures to create a unique one for you and your family.
4. Battle of Isandlwana
This is a full day, in-depth historical tour with Zulu Safaris that you can’t miss!
During these tours you will visit the site of the famous battle between the British and the Zulus. Your guide will tell you all sorts of facts and information about what happened, why, and what came out of it. This is an experience you will never regret spending time on.
Most tours will also take you to Rorke’s Drift and the museum after you visit the battle site.
5. Learn About the “Durban System” at KwaMuhle Museum
It is housed in the former headquarters of the city’s Native Affairs Department.
The KwaMuhle Museum is a place that you can visit to learn all about what life was like in and around Durban during and leading up to the apartheid era. It is also an amazing place to learn about topics like black migration and other important topics that have transformed the country and the city.
The museum also celebrates the courage of the “ordinary” South Africans who challenged racist policies imposed by the government and ended up wining.
