This is why Durban should be on your next bucket list

Ever since visa restrictions were lifted for Kenyans looking to explore South Africa, I’ve been seeing people all over my social media feed thronging to Cape Town. Understandably so—I love that city and the Western Cape so much that I would move there if I could. South Africa has so much to offer though, and I find Durban to be quite the underrated destination and certainly worth the stop. Not only is it the getaway to KwaZulu-Natal and Drakensberg regions, but a worthwhile destination in itself. You will mostly find Zulus here, as well as the biggest population of Indian descendants outside of India, which shows in the cuisine and culture.

The main draw to this city is the beach, particularly the Golden Mile, a long stretch of golden beachfront starting from uShaka Beach up to Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World. It is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and entertainment centres. Here, you can take a stroll, watch surfers navigating the waves, photograph the art deco buildings, stop to watch street performers, buy traditional Zulu curios, and more. My trip was a series of frolicking on the beach, dancing the evenings away, tucking into bunny chow, shopping at Getaway mall (the largest mall in the city), more dancing and meeting lots of people.

I visited Durban for Africa’s Travel Indaba, where Phindile Makwakwa, the Chief Operating Officer at Tourism KwaZulu-Natal revealed Durban’s exciting plans, including establishing an international film city, a new shopping centre (West Town), mixed-use development, cruise tourism, and the revival of the Waterfront Point development. 

Here, then, are some things I did in the city, to help you plan your own trip. 

Eat and Drink your way down Florida Road

Anyone who lives in or has been to Durban will hype the 2km tree-lined Florida as a must-visit. It has a range of colonial Victorian and Edwardian buildings that have been restored, with some now acting as business establishments, so you can take a stroll here even just for the architecture. The main draw, though, is over 30 Indian stylish restaurants and bars, grab-and-go sandwich spots, Italian wood-fired pizzas, African chicken shops, Thai noodle bars, sushi spots. If you’re craving it, it’s likely being served here. You must try a Durban staple dish known as bunny chow, whereby a quarter or half (depending on your appetite) loaf of bread is hollowed out and then filled with a lamb, chicken or beef curry. It tastes so good, and since you can eat the container, it’s the ultimate takeaway. Florida Road really comes alive in the nighttime, particularly towards the end of the week. 

Groove and Braai at Max’s Lifestyle Village

I wanted to experience a South African groove so I could embarrass myself on the dance floor with sub-par renditions of all the Amapiano dances I see on social media. I was told that Max’s Lifestyle Village is the place to be. It’s located in Umlazi, which is a township in Durban. It’s remarkable that this big popular establishment owned by South African Max Mqadi started out as a butchery and shisa nyama (aka nyama choma) place. We were ushered upstairs where we got a table with comfortable white leather sofas. Drinks were promptly brought to the table in an ice bucket, and plates were filled with delicious grilled sausages, beef, chicken and kachumbari. There was a DJ and some live performances, and when the DJ started playing the song Bheba Bheba by ShaunMusiQ and Ftears, I hit the dancefloor with enthusiasm…never mind that I don’t know what the song actually means. 

Drive to Umhlanga Rocks

Drive some 20 minutes north of Durban to the seaside town of Umhlanga to check out the beach and watersports, architecture and dining scene. We drove there at night - which seems to be the theme of my entire trip- and went to the busy Chartwell Drive above which hangs holiday lights spelling out ‘Umhlanga Rocks’. Variety is the name of the game here, and you will find an array of restaurants and bars offering global cuisine. The Oyster Box (built in 1947 and therefore has that old-world charm) in the town also came highly recommended. The Ocean Terrace restaurant there provides seafood and stunning sea views.

Concert at Giba Gorge MTB Park

A short drive from Durban, this park has about 45km of trails that can be used for mountain biking, hiking or trail running. We however visited on 13th May for the first edition of the BeYou Experience, a free event organised by locals, where nature meets live music and food. It drew a lot of residents from the surrounding community.

In a group of roughly 200 people, both kids and adults, we kicked off with a short hike through beautiful greenery, to a secret location where Dj Music Man had set up his turntable. He played a couple of tunes while people danced, mingled and relaxed after the hike. He had a colourful Xhosa blanket draped on his shoulders, and I liked it so much that I found one later. We then walked back to the main stage area where for the rest of the day, musicians such as Tim Lewis and Joss Austin kept us entertained. There were various food and drink vendors, and I got a shawarma and discovered a love for Brutal Fruit, a type of sweet spritzer that cider lovers will enjoy.

South Africans know how to have fun, so if that’s on your agenda, look up any concerts or festivals that coincide with your visit. 

Where to Stay: Southern Sun Elangeni Hotel

I really enjoyed my stay at Southern Sun Elangeni, where I had a standard room for four nights. Its location was convenient for most places I needed to go to, which means the Uber charges were fair. The views didn’t hurt either, and I deliberately left my curtains open so I could wake up every morning with the sunrise streaming in through the big windows. I was incredibly happier than I ever was starting my mornings in Nairobi. Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani are co-joined in two towers and collectively offer 734 rooms with three outdoor pools, and thankfully the weather was lovely enough for afternoon dips. 

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