Durban
Powered by
Durban has the pulse, the look, and the complex face of Africa. It may have something to do with the summer heat, a clinging sauna that soaks you with sweat in minutes. If you wander into the Indian District or drive through the Warwick Triangle—an area away from the sea around Julius Nyerere (Warwick) Avenue—the pulsating city rises up to meet you. Traditional healers tout animal organs, vegetable and spice vendors crowd the sidewalks, and minibus taxis hoot incessantly as they trawl for business. It is by turns colorful, stimulating, and hypnotic.
It's also a place steeped in history and culture. Gandhi lived and practiced law here, and Winston Churchill visited as a young man. It's home to the largest number of Indians outside India; the massive Indian townships of Phoenix and Chatsworth stand as testimony to the harsh treatment Indians received during apartheid, though now thousands of Indians are professionals and businesspeople in Durban.
Street names have all been updated, but the old ones remain in brackets, as some maps and locals still refer to streets by the old names.
Things to Do
Other
The Stables Lifestyle Market
Activities
Dolphin-watching and Diving
Fishing
Golf
Helicopter Tours
Surfing
Top Destinations
Beachfront
Of any place in Durban, the Beachfront most defines the city. Either you'll hate it for its commercial glitz, or love it for its endless activity. It extends for about 7 km (4½ miles) from uShaka Marine World, at the base of Durban Point, all the way past North Beach and the Suncoast Casino to Blue Lagoon, on the southern bank of the Umgeni River. The area received a R500 million upgrade that included creating a 65-foot-wide uninterrupted promenade and an additional pedestrian walkway linking the Beachfront to the Kings Park Sports Precinct and the Moses Mabhida Stadium. There are refreshment stands and places to relax every 980 feet. The section of Beachfront between South Beach and the Suncoast Casino is particularly safe, as police patrol often, though don't walk there late at night. It's lovely to take a stroll along here early or late in the day when it's less busy. Walk out onto one of the many piers and watch surfers tackling Durban's famous waves.
Depending on the weather, parts of the Beachfront can be quite busy, especially on weekends. There's always something to see, even in the early mornings, when people come to surf or jog before going to work.
Berea
Durban’s colonial past is very much evident in this suburb overlooking the city. Built on a ridge above the sea, it’s characterized by old homes with wraparound balconies, boutique hotels, and strips of fashionable restaurants. Durban formed the coastal hub of the British Colony of Natal, declared in 1843 after the annexation of the former Boer Republic of Natalia. In 1910 Natal combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa. One of the most sought-after addresses in the upscale Berea suburb is Musgrave Road. Tree-lined avenues feature luxury homes and apartment blocks interspersed with parks, schools and sports clubs. The Musgrave Centre shopping hub is a major drawing card.
Cato Manor
This neighborhood came about when black South Africans settled in the area during the 1920s, renting land from Indian landlords. The area saw race riots in the 1950s and 1960s when squatters and police clashed, but since the 1980s new infrastructure and urban development has created a more formal, working-class suburb with schools, a market, and a community center.
Chatsworth
The predominantly Indian inner-city suburb of Chatsworth is a vibrant, cosmopolitan mix of old and new architecture complemented by myriad home-based businesses and a couple of large shopping malls. It comprises seven residential wards along the Higginson Highway, bounded to the north by the Umhlatuzana River and to the south by the Umlaas River. It’s home to one of South Africa's most spectacular Hare Krishna temples.
City Center
The center of the city is indicative of South Africa's third-world status and first-world leanings. Large office buildings dominate streets filled with African taxis and buses, but every so often you'll stumble across a building that speaks of an imperial past. It can get horribly humid from December through February, so if you visit then, avoid walking too much during the midday heat. Browse the air-conditioned museums when it's hot, and save walking outside for later in the afternoon, making sure you get to the museums and galleries before they close, around 4:30.
Durban North and Glenashley
Along the eastern coastline north of the Umgeni River, you’ll find the well-established middle- to upper-income suburb of Durban North, the highlight of which is the superb Umgeni River Bird Park. One of the city’s older suburbs, Glenashley sits between Durban North and La Lucia. Palatial properties line its beachfront, whereas more modest yet upscale homes fill the inland area. The Ruth First Highway (M4) connects these suburbs southward to the city and northward to the more upscale Umhlanga Rocks region.
Glenwood
Dotted with parks, schools, churches and sports clubs, Glenwood is a quiet family suburb. Helen Joseph Road is the social hub, where restaurants, bistros, pubs, and clubs attract hordes of partygoers on weekends.
Greyville
Between the foot of the Berea ridge and the beachfront, this suburb of older homes and apartment blocks is dominated by the legendary Greyville Racecourse, where Durban’s social highlight, the Durban July horse race, takes place. Greyville is bounded in the south by the Botanical Gardens and in the north by Morningside.
Indian District
The biggest Indian population outside of India resides in Durban, and the influence on the city is much in evidence, from the architecture to the cuisine. Under apartheid's Group Areas Act that designated where various race groups could live and own businesses, Indian traders set up shop on Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street (Grey Street). Here you can eat vegetarian curry, bargain for goods, buy fabrics, or just browse shops whose ownership spans generations, and soak up the Eastern vibe. Watch your belongings closely. In addition, this part of town can be quite grubby, and in the midday summer heat it can get unpleasantly humid.
Maydon Wharf
Maydon Wharf is an extensive cargo handling section of Durban’s harbor, sandwiched between the suburb of Congella and the ocean. Its northern section features the Wilson’s Wharf entertainment node, with a number of restaurants and the Catalina Theatre.
Morningside
Dating back to Durban’s colonial past, Morningside is an upscale suburb featuring prestigious residential properties such as the Dr John L Dube House, where the state president resides when in Durban. Below Jameson Park and Mitchell Park a slew of fashionable restaurants, boutique hotels, pubs, and clubs welcome patrons to trendy Florida Road.
Umhlanga
Umhlanga's village charm and lovely beaches have entrenched it as one of the most sought-after vacation destinations for locals and foreigners, and it has many of Durban's top hotels. Also known as Umhlanga Rocks (meaning "Place of the Reeds"), this area used to be a small vacation village, but Durban's northward sprawl has incorporated it into a popular and upscale residential and business suburb, much like Sandton is to downtown Johannesburg. To the north are the nicest sea views; to the south is Umhlanga's lighthouse.
