Durban – There is something for everyone, especially the adults, this holiday season. Durban is filled with lots to do, from playing golf to touring the city known as Africa’s playground.
A round of golf
This summer might be the time for you to try something new like golf. There are more than seven golf courses in and around Durban. With sea views, indigenous forests and even some courses with wild game, golfers will endure many challenges and memorable holes to test their abilities.
You could spend a week or more in Durban and play a different 18-hole course every day – and the 19th holes are also legendary. From Durban Country Club and Mount Edgecombe Country Club to Kloof Country Club, golfers are spoilt for choice.
City Tour (Ricksha Bus)
It might not be as thrilling as the bus tours in Cape Town, but the Ricksha Bus is iconically Durban.
This tour is a great introduction to the city’s history and best attractions. The double-decker bus takes you on a three-hour tour of Durban that includes the beachfront, uShaka Marine World, Emmanuel Cathedral, Victoria Street Market, Burman Bush, Blue Lagoon and other places of interest. Enjoy the ride as the tour guide gives you a glimpse of what this beautiful city has to offer.
Suncoast SunCafé
This is a famous spot for anyone who is fashionable and beautiful to hang out. Situated on the lawn of Suncoast Beach, the Suncafé is the perfect place to relax and have a few drinks with friends after a day of sunbathing. The deck, as it is known by locals, offers a bar, restaurant-style seating and music.
The beachfront
People love Durban for its warm weather and the beach. With the extensive upgrades to the promenade complete, a trip to the beachfront is a must.
With kayaking at uMngeni River and Jet Skiing at Blue Lagoon, clubbing at uShakaMoyo Pier and yachting in the harbour, there is something for everyone.
iSithumba Adventures
iSithumba is an authentic Zulu village in the Valley of 1000 Hills, situated on the banks of the uMngeni River and at the foot of iSithumba Mountain.
A network of hiking and mountain biking trails allows for the exploration of the rivers, forests and hills. Aside from the beautiful nature, the warm hospitality of the villagers will leave you with an unforgettable experience.
Wilson’s Wharf
Wilson’s Wharf, on Durban’s Victoria embankment between the Yacht Mole and the Sugar Terminal, is the city’s trendiest fusion of fun, food, top shows and crafts – all blended with the rustic interface of a boating marina and working slipways.
Durban is the city of fun, and visitors to Wilson’s Wharf can socialise with friends and family, basking in the sunshine during the day or enjoying the cool vibe and taking in the magnificent sight of the city lights reflecting on the harbour waters at night.
The focus is on the great South African outdoors, the marine lifestyle and the preservation of the natural environment.
The wharf is host to a variety of musical and theatrical festivals throughout the year, showcasing international performers and promoting local talent.
Wilson’s Wharf is a “must see” for all who live in or visit the city and offers the ideal destination to take a break, enjoy the buzz and unwind on the deck while watching the ships sail by.
Visit Umhlanga Lighthouse
Visit a lighthouse on the Sugar Coast that once caused an un-nautical stir – draped in a condom!
The landlubber nonsense on Umhlanga’s beach was all for a noble cause and brought a massive HIV-Aids awareness message on World Aids Day. The red and white 21-metre tall lighthouse was draped in fabric to resemble a giant condom and inscribed with the message ‘Know your status’.
So what was the reason behind this controversial transformation? Iain Buchan from the Unlimited Child, an NGO working in the Valley of 1000 Hills, says they wanted to highlight the plight of Aids orphans.
“The feedback I’ve had so far from some of our people here has just been fantastic. We’re getting people sending us SMSes, blogging, just saying it’s incredible, the response and the awareness. And that’s really what putting this condom on the lighthouse has done. It’s kind of shaken people’s awareness to say, ‘ok this is different, and how can we get involved?’.”
Now it’s business as usual for the Umhlanga Lighthouse, beaming out nightly signals visible to vessels as far as 24 nautical miles away. The fixed red light enables ships waiting to anchor in the outer anchorage to monitor their position. You will find this landmark near the end of Lighthouse Road in Umhlanga.