Durban

No long just a holiday/resort city, Durban is Africa’s busiest container port. Extremely popular among Africans, Durban has started to become quite popular among international travelers as well. Swim, surf, dive, snorkel in the Indian Ocean. And don’t forget to try the Indian food.

Location

Durban is located on South Africa’s east coast in KwaZulu-Natal province.

How to get to Durban

Durban International Airport is the city’s most important airport. It serves mostly domestic destinations and links Durban only to two international destinations: Mauritius and Swaziland. If you come from other country, you need to first fly to Cape Town or Johannesburg and then take a domestic flight to Durban. For the 2010 FIFA World Cup, another airport is under construction, at 40 km / 25 miles from the city center.

By bus, Durban is linked to all the important South African cities.

By train, the city is linked daily to Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg and weekly to Cape Town, Kimberly and Bloemfontein.

Weather

Durban is blessed with a mild sub-tropical climate. The winters are dry and the summers are warm wet. Frost never occurs in the city. During summer, from January to March, the average temperature is 28C / 82F, while during winter, from June to August, the average temperature is 23C /73F.

>>more information on South Africa weather

What to Do

The Golden Mile, also known as “The Mile” is the name given to Durban’s beachfront. The wide stretch of sand is very popular among holidaymakers who want to enjoy the tropical sun and take a dip in the Indian Ocean. The area is highly popular among surfers as well.

During the high seasons (June-July and December-January) the Africans flock to enjoy some of the many attractions: Blue Lagoon, Mini Town – a miniature replica of Durban- , the Snake Park, the casino complex, the marine world –water park, aquarium, dolphinarium-, the numerous beaches, the skate part and the Surfing Museum.

Visiting Golden Mile around Christmas ensures crowded beaches but come during the off season and you will get to swim, surf, snorkel, dive, canoe in relative solitude.

You can also go shopping at the Mall or in one of the city’s markets. If you look for crafts, head to Victoria Street Market, where you’ll find a lot of oriental souvenirs.

Since Durban has the largest Indian population outside India, no wonder here you can enjoy some really authentic Indian cuisine. If you are on a hurry, try Bunny Chow, a unique Durban dish, which is actually a loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with a curry of your choice.

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