Durban, South Africa

Tweet

Durban, South Africa
Author: PhilippN (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

Durban is the third biggest city in South Africa. Located in the eThekwini metropolitan municipality, it is the largest city in the KwaZulu-Natal province and the busiest seaport of South Africa. Durban covers 2,292 sq km (885 sq mi) and has a population of 3.5 million people.

Guide to Durban Hotels

Here's a list of hotels in Durban that you can book online, with full description, star rating, address, location map, evaluation, and prices as offered by different booking sites. This helps you to make your room booking with the site that offers the best price.

Downtown Durban
Author: Henry Trotter (public domain)

More on Durban

According to archaeological excavations, the area around Durban has been inhabited by hunter-gatherer communities as far as as 100,000 BC. Nothing much is known about the area until the arrival of the Portuguese under Vasco da Gama, who sailed along the coast during Christmastide and decided to name it Natal, meaning Christmas in Portuguese.

The city of Durban was founded when the British arrival on the northern shore of the Bay of Natal. They were headed by Lieutenant F.G. Farewell. Joining them was adventurer Henry Francis Fynn, who helped the Zulu King Shaka recover from a stab wound. In gratitude, King Shaka gave the land to the British. The settlement was then name Durban, after governor of the Cape Colony, Sir Benjamin d'Urban.

The new Moses Mabhida Stadium, built for the FIFA 2010 World Cup
Author: Simisa (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

Durban experiences a mild subtropical climate. The summers here are warm and wet while the winters moderately dry and cool. Warmest months are January to March, when the average high temperature reaches 28°C (82°F). Coldest months are July and August, when the average low temperature drops to 3°C (37°F). January receives the most rain, at 134 mm (5.28 in).

Visiting Durban

The new King Shaka International Airport is the gateway to Durban. It is located 40 km to the north of downtown. Arriving visitors can take the taxi to the city center. Fare is estimated around R400. Alternative to taxis are the airport shuttle buses, which cost only R80.

Anstey Beach, Durban
Author: PhilippN (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

Places of Interest in Durban

BAT Centre
The art-and-music facility of the Bartel Arts Trust located on the Durban Waterfront.
Durban City Hall
Modelled after the city hall of Belfast, Durban's City Hall was completed in 1910.
Fitz-Simons Snake Park
Center housing a large collection of local snakes and other reptiles. It is the biggest producer of snake-bite serum in South Africa.
Golden Mile
Beachfront entertainment precinct of Durban with a promenade lined with hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions.
Local History Museum
Museum occupying the former court house. It provides a glimpse into the early colonial life in the Natal region.
Natal Maritime Museum
Museum with collection of Durban's seafaring memorabilia. Also on display are some boats including the minesweeper SAS Durban.
Natural Science Museum
Museum occupying the ground floor of the Durban City Hall. It displays a wide collection ranging from wildlife to geology, dinosaurs and even an Egyptian mummy.
North Beach
A popular surfing beach in Durban.
Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World
Casino complex at Golden Mile.
The Playhouse
An outstanding entertainment complex and performing-arts venue.
The Wheel
Shopping mall with a gigantic ferris wheel.
uShaka Marine World
Aquarium with the largest shark tank in the world.

Return to Discover South Africa

Get my latest updates on Google+

Tips to become a smart traveler: Useful tips to remember, to get the best out of your travels.

Preparing for a Trip: Systematic approach to help you prepare for your trip.

How to plan your travel itinerary: Step-by-step build to creating the itinerary for your trip.

How to compare hotel room rates: Learn to use a booking search engine to compare rates across all major booking sites.

How to pack your luggage: Useful steps to take when packing your luggage.

Packing List (PDF): Print out this free packing list to make sure you don't forget anything for your trip.

Voltage, Frequency, Plugs & Sockets of the World: Learn about the mains electricity supply in the world.

Travelers' List of Plugs and Sockets (PDF): Easy-to-use list of electricity and plugs for all countries.

Making International Direct Dail Calls: Learn to make IDD calls from anywhere in the world.

IDD Call Prefixes & Country Codes (PDF): Listing of Call Prefixes and Country Codes on one page for you to bring on your trip.

Safety Tips When Traveling Alone: Useful advice for when you travel on your own.

Guide to Health Matters related to Travel: Comprehensive coverage of different issues related to your health when traveling.

Getting Travel Insurance for your trip: Benefits of travel insurance, and advise on when you should signing up for one.

Improve your travel photography: Tips to improve your photography skills, especially when traveling.

Guide to Traveling Around the World: Useful tips for encircling the globe.

Find a hotel

Guests:

Rooms:

Point - Click - Discover!

Thanks for visiting this webpage. To continue exploring, choose another destination!

My World Travel Guides - celebrating a beautiful world beautifully.

Earning a living as a Happy Jobless Guy

I am a Happy Jobless Guy! I am one of the few people who is fortunate enough to earn an income from my websites that I don't to go out to work. My sites get thousands of visitors every day. It has been a long process, but it is something everybody can achieve, and that means YOU. The following are some articles which you might want to read if you want to do what I do: