Travel in Durban
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Informations on Durban: history, politics, economy, culture, Did you mean: Durban
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Durban is a city of about 3 million on South Africa's east coast in KwaZulu-Natal. It is primarily a holiday/resort city but also boasts South Africa's busiest container port.
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Understand
Get in
By plane
Durban International Airport (formerly Louis Botha Airport) is the main airport serving the city of Durban and is 15km south of the city center. It serves mostly domestic destinations and the only international flights are to/from Mauritius (Air Mauritius) and Swaziland (Swazi Express Airways (http://www.swaziexpress.com) and South African Express)
See also Discount airlines in Africa.
By bus
All national carriers (e.g. Intercape, Greyhound) and the Baz Bus offer regular services to Durban. The city is also the gateway to Kwazulu-Natal province.
By train
Spoornet offers a regular train service to Johannesburg ( Although it is advised not to use the train service for your travel! )
By boat
Get around
There is a public bus system but as in any large city use common sense. Bus schedules are rarely followed, so allow extra travel time if taking the bus.
Registered taxis are common, generally safe and relatively inexpensive. There are also unlicensed taxis, referred to as "combi taxis", that are impossible to miss as they're brightly decorated and always have music pumping. They are mostly small vans and there is always someone hanging out of a window making the hand gestures that indicate whether there are seats available and where the combi is going. Combi taxis are very common and less expensive than registered taxis, but opinions differ as to their safety. There are many published reports of accidents involving combis, and you'll see that the drivers rarely have safety in mind. Strictly speaking, they are minibuses that take people to and from work, they stick to set routes and they are not suitable for tourists. Rather hire a car.
Rickshaw rides are offered to tourists along the beach front, for amusement rather than getting around.
See
- City Hall. Built in 1910. It is pretty much an exact copy of the city hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
- Berea. This is a long ridge overlooking the harbour, city centre and beaches. Once covered with coastal forest, it is now completely built up.
- Umhlanga Rocks. A holiday resort that's now also home to many businesses that have relocated from Durban's central business district. Home to the Sharks Board (http://www.shark.co.za/), which is well worth a visit.
- Victoria Street Market. Mostly oriental souvenirs. Haggle hard, beware of pickpockets.
- Essenwood Craft Market
Do
On the beach strip you can
- Swim, surf or canoe year round
- Take helicopter rides
- Gamble at the casino
- Visit the snake park
- Visit the uShaka (http://www.ushakamarineworld.co.za/) aquarium
- Take 8 different rides at the uShaka (http://www.ushakamarineworld.co.za/) waterworld
- Do bungee jumping or some other extreme sport
Activities elsewhere in the city include
- Horse racing at the Greyville Race Course
- Surfing artificial waves at the Gateway shopping center.
Stay
As one of the largest cities in South Africa, and a major tourist destination, Durban offers a broad range of accommodation. There are many budget guest houses, an abundance of mid-range hotels and several luxury hotels. For those who want to stay longer it is also possible to rent a fully furnished flat. You might also want to consider staying in one of the suburbs along the beach, where there are many good B&Bs such as Dolphin Sands B&B (http://www.dolphinsands.co.za/)
Stay safe
Durban is trying its best to shake its reputation for crime. The beach strip is frequently patrolled by policemen, there are CCTV cameras and there's ample lighting at night.
It is a still a good idea to stick to the main streets and not go out at night unless very familiar with a particular area. Above all, use common sense, especially at night.
Get out
- Go to the Drakensberg Mountains
- Go south along the Sunshine and Wild Coast through Margate and to East London, Port Elizabeth and the Garden Route
- Go up the North Coast, visit the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park and the Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park or drive further on to Swaziland.
External links
eThekwini Online - the official site of Durban (http://www.durban.gov.za/eThekwini/)
uShaka Marine World (http://www.ushakamarineworld.co.za/)