Durban City Guide - overview

Delightful Durban is the largest city of the vast and varied KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. A coastal port with a more than equable sub-tropical climate and wide golden beaches washed by the warm Indian Ocean, Durban is a holidaymaker's paradise and gateway to the dozens of seaside resort towns of the coast to the south and north of the city. The 'Golden Mile' central beach area, flanked by numerous high-rise hotels, stretches for four miles (6km) and is fronted by promenades and entertainment facilities such as a skatepark, flea markets and colourful traditionally clad Zulu rickshaw pullers. A fleet of 'tuk-tuk' type three-wheelers has augmented public transport in the city.

Although much of Durban is characterised by British colonial architecture, the city is actually an exciting mix of cultures. There is a large Indian community, descendants of indentured labourers who came to work on the Natal sugar estates in the 1850s and who provide the city with an intoxicating oriental flavour enhanced by their shrines, bazaars and tantalising curry restaurants. There are also the Zulu people, whose proud warrior ancestors inhabited the province before the coming of the European colonial powers. The heritage of the amaZulu is very evident in the region north of the Tugela River, known as Zululand, where legendary King Shaka once ruled supreme and today is where most of KwaZulu-Natal's game parks are to be found.

Durban is the gateway not only to the coastal beach resorts of the province, but also to the rolling hills and plains of the Natal Midlands and their backdrop, the majestic, jagged peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains, which border the province in the west.

Getting around: As in most South African cities, Durban has a limited public transport system. Buses operate in the city centre and the suburbs, though schedules are erratic. Metered taxis are available, although most common is the minibus taxi. These are less expensive but tend to be more dangerous as drivers rarely pay attention to road rules. Minibus taxis should only be caught on regular routes at busy hours and passengers should not enter an empty minibus. Colourful hand drawn rickshaws are a common sight on the Durban beachfront and are more for tourists than for getting around. They are well worth the experience, however. There a number of car rental agencies available and the city is relatively easy to negotiate, though can be very congested during morning and evening rush hour.