Durban

The bunny chow at the Britannia Hotel on Grey Street cost R75 and arrived in a quarter loaf of white bread hollowed out and filled to the brim with lamb curry. I ate it standing on the pavement the way everyone does — no utensils, scooping the curry with pieces of the bread lid, working down through the loaf until the curry meets the bottom. It was the best thing I ate in Durban and one of the better things I ate in South Africa, which is a genuinely competitive category. The bunny chow originated in Durban’s Indian community in the 1940s as a portable take-away container for curry, and it has never been improved upon.

Durban is South Africa’s third-largest city and its least visited by international tourists, which is both understandable and a mistake. Understandable because Cape Town and Kruger make an overwhelming case for their own priority; a mistake because Durban has things those cities don’t — the Indian Ocean is warm enough to swim in year-round, the Indian food culture is unlike anywhere else in Africa, and the combination of Golden Mile beach, the World Cup stadium, and Umhlanga Rocks creates a coastal experience with a completely different character from Cape Town’s colder Atlantic seaboard.

The Golden Mile is Durban’s seafront — six kilometers of beach backed by a promenade, hotels, and the buildings of the beachfront, the Indian Ocean in front warm (22-28°C) and swimmable for most of the year. Moses Mabhida Stadium, built for the 2010 World Cup, stands behind the beach with its distinctive arch — the SkyCar cable car runs to the arch summit for views over the whole city and coast. uShaka Marine World at the southern end of the Golden Mile is one of the better marine theme parks in Africa, with shark tank dives, dolphin shows, and a water park.

Why Durban belongs on your itinerary

Durban is the best argument for extending a South Africa trip beyond the standard Cape Town-Kruger circuit. The city adds a completely different cultural register — the influence of the Indian community (180 years of history here, originally indentured labour on the sugar cane plantations) has created a food culture, a street life, and a commercial energy that is unlike anything in Cape Town or Johannesburg. The Victoria Street Market, the Juma Masjid mosque (the largest mosque in the southern hemisphere), and the streets around Grey Street create an India-in-Africa experience that is genuinely fascinating.

The climate makes it work as a base. Durban’s subtropical weather means the beach is swimmable when Cape Town’s Atlantic is too cold (which is most of the year), and the outdoor life — promenade walking, beach cricket, outdoor markets — that fills the city at weekends demonstrates a relaxed coastal ease that the Winelands formality and the casino intensity of the Johannesburg northern suburbs don’t offer.

The gateway value is significant: Durban is three to four hours by road from the Royal Natal section of the Drakensberg and from Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve — the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa and one of the best places on the continent to see both black and white rhino.

What should you do in Durban?

Golden Mile Beach — The six-kilometer beachfront from North Beach to uShaka Marine World is warm, swimmable, and free. The Indian Ocean water is 22-28°C year-round. The promenade has surf schools, skateparks, beach volleyball, and a consistent social scene of local Durbanites enjoying their coast. Umhlanga Rocks, 15km north, is the smarter beach suburb with better restaurants.

uShaka Marine World — The marine theme park at the south end of the Golden Mile has a shark tank with eight species (including tiger and bull sharks), a dolphin show, seal exhibits, and the Wet ‘n Wild water park. R199/adult for the sea world; R189 for the water park. A solid four-hour experience for families and anyone interested in Indian Ocean marine life.

Moses Mabhida Stadium — The 2010 World Cup stadium is now a sports and entertainment venue. The SkyCar cable car runs to the 106m arch summit for panoramic views over the city and Indian Ocean. R95/person for the SkyCar. The Big Swing (bungee from the arch) is R495. The stadium also has a MyCiTi bike track and adventure park around its perimeter.

Victoria Street Market and Grey Street — The covered market sells Indian spices, fabrics, leather goods, and street food in a dense, atmospheric environment. The bunny chow from Britannia Hotel on Grey Street is mandatory. The Juma Masjid (Grey Street Mosque) is one of the most beautiful mosques in southern Africa and welcomes respectful non-Muslim visitors. The fabric shops along Grey Street sell Zulu beadwork alongside Indian textiles.

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Day Trip (2.5 hrs north) — The oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa has the continent’s most successful rhino conservation programme — both black and white rhino in significant numbers, plus elephant, buffalo, lion, and exceptional birdlife. A day trip from Durban (early start, return by evening) gives a full morning and afternoon game drive. Alternatively, stay overnight in the rest camps.

Where should you eat in Durban?

• Britannia Hotel, Grey Street — The definitive bunny chow. Quarter loaf R75-80. Cash only, stand outside, eat immediately. The lamb curry is the classic order. One of the most purely South African food experiences available anywhere.

• New Mahala, Florida Road — The Florida Road branch of one of Durban’s best Indian restaurants. Mutton biryani, samoosas, roti with curry — R150-250 per main. The biryani is made with proper DM rice and the lamb falls correctly.

• 9th Avenue Bistro, Morningside — The most accomplished modern restaurant on Florida Road — creative South African and Mediterranean cooking with a strong wine list. R250-400 per main. Worth the price for a departure from curry.

• Roma Revolving Restaurant, top of John Ross House — Durban’s rotating panoramic restaurant at 32 floors up. Better for the Indian Ocean view than the food (standard steakhouse fare at R200-350). The sunset from up here over the golden mile is excellent.

• uShaka Village Walk — The waterfront area adjacent to the marine park has a strip of casual restaurants serving fish and chips, sushi, and burgers with Indian Ocean views. MOP 100-200 per head. Convenient before or after uShaka.

Where should you stay in Durban?

Golden Mile Hotels (R800-2,000/night): The Holiday Inn Durban and the Protea Hotel by Marriott on the beachfront are the most reliable mid-range options. Both have pools, sea views from upper floors, and direct beach access.

Umhlanga Rocks (R1,500-5,000/night): The Oyster Box Hotel is Durban’s most iconic hotel — a colonial-era property on the rocks above the Indian Ocean with impeccable service and one of South Africa’s best afternoon teas. The Beverly Hills is the landmark beachfront luxury hotel in Umhlanga.

When is the best time to visit Durban?

April through September is the optimal window — lower humidity, comfortable temperatures (20-26°C), and uncrowded beaches. July-August is the coldest (18-23°C, perfectly comfortable) and the driest, with the clearest Indian Ocean water. December-February is summer — hot, humid, and packed with domestic South African holidaymakers on the Golden Mile. Durban never gets cold enough to stop the beach from working; even the coldest July day is beach-walk weather.

Pair with the Drakensberg for the complete KwaZulu-Natal experience, or browse all South Africa destinations.