Durban

Durban, sometimes called South Africa's Miami, is located on the sub-tropical north-eastern seaboard of South Africa and has long been a popular tourist destination on account of its balmy climate, warm ocean water, and laid back, friendly people.

Durban is a city that pulsates around the nation's busiest port - one of the ten largest in the world – and is a sporting paradise because of its wealth of facilities. Water sports including surfing, body boarding, sailing and scuba are popular, as is the local marina, which is a preferred destination for yachtsmen from around the world.

Moses Mabhida StadiumThe FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup added another fine facility in the form of the Moses Mabhida Stadium that seats seventy thousand in a superbly modern facility adjacent to a sport museum and sporting institute, and is only a stone's throw away from the beach.

Other must see destinations in Durban include:

NATAL SHARKS BOARD

The Natal Sharks Board protects beaches in Durban and beyond from shark attacks. Visitors can wander through a display hall with life-size replicas of sharks, fish and rays, and watch audio-visual presentations of the day-to-day work of the Board and the dissection of a shark.

USHAKA MARINE WORLDUSHAKA MARINE WORLD

uShaka Marine World is a world-class entertainment and tourism destination set in fifteen hectares of prime beachfront. The theme park incorporates sea and fresh water exhibits in the world's fifth largest aquarium, lush vegetation, and even a specially recreated wreck of a 1940's cargo ship.

DURBAN BOTANICAL GARDENS

The Durban Botanical Gardens incorporate a herbarium, an orchid house, a cycad collection, a touch garden, and a charity teahouse. Of special interest is a live specimen of a cycad species that is regarded as the rarest plant in the world. The gardens are a haven of peace and contemplation just a ten minutes drive from the center of the city.

MAHATMA GANDHI PARK

The Mahatma Gandhi Park stands in recognition of the great man who conceived his philosophy of passive resistance in Durban in opposition to the colonial government.  A watercourse flows through this retreat in the midst of a busy suburb past paved walkways, a gazebo for quiet thought, and a tiny amphitheater.

HARI KRISHNA TEMPLE OF UNDERSTANDING

Not far away is the Hari Krishna Temple of Understanding. A popular destination because of its incredibly ornate design, marble times, gold tinted windows, chandeliers and many other ornaments, it is set in lavish gardens and provides fine foods in an excellent vegetarian restaurant.

DURBAN BEACHDURBAN'S BEACHES

Durban's Beaches are its most enduring tourist attractions, and, indeed, usually the reason for a visit in the first place. They are world famous for their soft, golden sand, the palm trees that wave gently in the ocean breeze, and the legendary bronzed lifeguards that constantly patrol the warm waters already protected by shark nets.

GOLDEN MILE

The Golden Mile follows the main beachfront and hosts luxury hotels and apartments, amusement centers, paddling pools, walkways, gardens and fountains. It is also a great place to spot the local talent on a summer day.

Durban is proud of its reputation as a destination city and is constantly working at improving its tourism facilities. Given its climate and friendly people, the question is what more could you desire?