Hit the beach

Some of South Africas best beaches can be found along the Natal coastline, Umhlanga Rocks, Ballito, Shakas Rock, Shelley Beach (on the North Coast), Uvongo, St. Michaels and Margate (on the South coast) to mention just a few. These beaches offer safe swimming and fantastic surfing possibilities. -   

A game of golf

Royal Durban is a links type golf course and is one of the very few golf courses to be sited in the middle of a horseracing track. The Club was established in 1892 as the Durban Golf Club.

Rickshaw Rides

There are 20 registered rickshaw-pullers in Durban. They are noted for their magnificent head-dresses, resplendent with beads and other decorations.

Dolphin Experience

Come and play with the dolphins by riding a 6-meter rubber duck boat (with safety jackets provided). The boat takes you out into the ocean to play hide and seek with the dolphins.

Lucia Wetlands Park

The beach at Cape Vidal has to be one of the finest in the country, with long stretches of snow-white sand. This is a superb spot for a languid stroll and a dip in the warm Indian Ocean to cool off. Visitors can explore the many rock pools along the beach, and sight humpback whales in October.

Umhlanga Rocks

North of Durban, the beaches of Umhlanga come alive during the South African school holidays, offering a feast of fun for the whole family. There's sea swimming, surfing, boogie boarding, rock pools and warm tidal Pigeon Valley Park Reserve.

Found in Glenwood, this reserve is a natural heritage site which has original coastal climax forest in which many of the forest giants survive. Rare and elusive birds are here including the spotted thrush, narina trogan, green twinspot, and the buffspotted flufftail.

Tel: 031 205 1919.

Silverglen Nature Reserve

At 229 ha, this is the largest single piece of public land comprising coastal grassland and bush clump mosaic that remains in the Durban Municipal area. The internationally recognised Silverglen Medicinal Plant Nursery that is housed here produces approximately 250 species of indigenous medicinal plants that are incorporated into the reserve. The aim is to encourage the propagation of medicinal plants which are threatened by overharvesting. It also has education centres and outreach projects.

Tel: 031 404 5628

Virginia Bush Nature Reserve

One of the best birdwatching sites in Durban, so it is especially popular over weekends. This 38 ha reserve has a little-known lower section of coastal bush, between Kensington Drive and Margaret Maytom Avenue, which recently opened with trails, and is less busy.

Tel: 031 201 1303

Burman Bush Nature Reserve

This reserve has three trails in a small (50 ha) patch of remnant coastal bush that is virtually unchanged since the early settlers arrived in the 1850s. It boasts the largest blue duiker population in Durban's reserves, and has 10 observation points and braai facilities.

Tel: 031 312 4466

Danville Lake Park

The park has a short walk which is nonetheless thoroughly enjoyable taking you to many water-dwelling species of small plants as well as a bird hide where you can sit comfortably while observing the active "pond life".

Durban Botanical Garden

At only 16 ha Durban's botanical garden is one of the smallest in South Africa, but it offers an established collection of indigenous and exotic trees, some dating back to 1849 when the garden was established, as well as a herb garden, an African orchid house, a garden for the blind and a cycad collection. Stay for tea and scones in its tea garden, and on Sundays the lake is a scenic backdrop for live music concerts.

Website: www.durbanbotgardens.org.za
Tel: 031 309 1170
Address: 70 St Thomas Rd, Durban

Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve

The Hluhluwe and Umfolozi reserves were founded in 1895 and are the oldest such sanctuaries in Africa. It was here that the world- acclaimed Operation Rhino was introduced during the 1960s, successfully capturing and relocating white rhino to havens within South Africa and abroad. As a result, this country's white rhino population is now 12 times the 1960 count of 500.

Today a single park, Hluhluwe-Umfolozi is focusing its efforts on saving the endangered black rhino, whose number in Africa has dwindled from 14 000 to a pitiful 2 550 in the past decade. You'll find at least a fifth of the world's black and white rhino population here.

The park is located in central Zululand. From the north, leave the N2 at the Hluhluwe off-ramp. At the stop sign turn right and cross over the freeway. Follow this tar road for about 14 Km to the memorial gate, the northern entrance to the reserve.

Website: www.kznwildlife.com
Email: info@kznwildlife.com
Tel: 033 845 1002

Surfing

KZN has been the birthplace of many a surfing legend and if you'd like to get into Durban's established surfing scene, there are many surf schools scattered along the beachfront for novices - known locally as "shark biscuits".

South Beach and Addington Beach near the harbour entrance are favourites for beginners because the bay is protected by a reef, which makes for smaller waves.
The R1.3-million ASP World Qualifying Series Mr Price Pro - formerly the world-famous Gunston 500 - takes place at New Pier, with surfers flying in from around the globe to participate.

The beaches on the Bluff beaches are worth a visit too, and the tidal pool at Brighton Beach is great for cooling off, and for kids.

Diving

If your hobby is diving, about an hour's drive south of Durban is the town of Scottburgh where launches are made to the Aliwal Shoal, a spectacular reef some 5km off the coast. Jacques-Yves Cousteau rated this as one of the top 10 dive sites in the world.

Dive Nautique
Website: www.divenautique.co.za
Email: info@divenautique.co.za
Tel: 031 561 5178

Dive Chest
Website: www.divechest.com
Tel: 0860 3482 4378.

Durban Undersea Club
Website: www.duc.co.za
Email: duc@mweb.co.za
Tel: 031 368 1199
Address: Vetch's Pier, South Beach

Kosi Bay

On the north coast, near the Mozambique border, is the ecotourism paradise of Kosi Bay, a pristine estuary surrounded by lush marsh forest, mangrove, ferns and orchids. Take a walk between tanning sessions and you could spot a hippo, a crocodile or a loggerhead turtle.

Cape Vidal, Greater St pools. The town of Umhlanga offers all the amenities for those who don't quite want to get away from it all.

South Beach, Durban

South Beach is a multiple Blue Flag winner, a pristine place loved by locals and tourists alike. Part of Durban's world-famous Golden Mile, South Beach is ideal for swimming and surfing, as it is protected from the powerful westerly winds and large waves by the Bluff.

And there's plenty to do besides: along the beachfront hawkers sell Zulu beadwork, baskets, woodwork and handicrafts, and ricksha drivers ply their trade. And at the end of the Golden Mile, spanning over 15 hectares of prime beachfront, lies uShaka Marine World, Africa's biggest marine theme park.

Margate, South Coast

Margate is the fun capital of the KwaZulu-Natal Hibiscus Coast, drawing crowds of mainly young people in the summer holidays. The main beach is KwaZulu-Natal's other regular Blue Flag winner, and the town itself offers restaurants, pubs, village shops and a vibey local art community.

Other secret spots include Mtunzini, Zinkwazi and Blythedale. The south coast beaches aren't quite as isolated, but small towns like St Michaels, Hibberdene and Umkomaas are less inhabited, particularly in the mild winters.