Things to do near
Durban City South
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Nature Reserves
in
The Bluff (4 km from Durban City South) The Bluff Nature Reserve is Durban's oldest nature reserve, comprising a wetland pan, lake and adjacent forest area.
The reserve acts as a bird sanctuary. For birders this can be a delight; there are two bird hides that provide excellent viewing opportunities, as well as a trail that leads around the pan.
Safe parking is provided at the entrance and a nominal fee is charged for entry.
Open times: 7:00 to 17:00.
Golf Courses
in
The Bluff (4.8 km from Durban City South) The Bluff National Park Golf Club is a lovely 18-hole course located within a wetland conservation area south of Durban Central.
This is an Alan Barnard designed championship course. Facilities include a club house bar, banquet area, meeting facilities and halfway house. Golf carts are available for hire as well as caddies at reasonable rates. Non-members are more than welcome.
Beaches
in
Brighton Beach (5.3 km from Durban City South) Cave Rock at Brighton Beach dishes up one of the best surf breaks on the South African coastline.
Surfers from all over the world come to ride the perfect tubular waves when large south swells break across the solid rock reef.
At low tide Cave Rock offers numerous calm rock pools for children to adventure and explore the subtropical marine life.
Beaches
in
The Bluff (5.6 km from Durban City South) Ansteys Beach, unlike other Durban beaches, is very laid back and calm; a favorite among the locals.
The sand is superb and even better is the great surf. On any given day you'll find a healthy amount of surfers, body boarders and kite surfers riding the waves. The water has some shallow spots which are perfect for swimmers. You can bathe in peace knowing this is shark-protected waters and there are life guards on duty. All of this makes Ansteys Beach worth a visit.
Hiking Trail
in
Bulwer (6 km from Durban City South) The Marutswa Forest Project started in 2004 and aims to promote the conservation of Bulwer's unique biodiversity. The indigenous forest is managed by Ezemvelo Wildlife and offers three forest trails all varying in intensity. All the trails start at the visitors centre and end along the same route.
The contour trail is suitable for anyone and is the easiest trail as it is completely flat. Visitors will first pass through the rehabilitation section before entering the forest. The trail is approximately 1275 m with boardwalks and steps along the way. The walk ends on the grasslands with distant views over the rural landscape.
The tanglewood detour is slightly steeper as it branches off the contour path up a slope for about to 10 to 15 m before adjoining with the contour path again.
The terrace traverse is the steepest trail. It rises up through the grasslands before entering the forest at the base of the scree slopes. It then trails along the terrace before sloping down through giant boulders to join the tanglewood detour.
Beaches
in
The Bluff (6.6 km from Durban City South) Garvies Beach is a nice, long stretch of sand in front of a thick residential area within The Bluff, just south of Durban Central.
Garvies is a much admired surfing spot with a strong local support, but due to it's powerful surf, it's best left to the more experienced surfers. When Anstey's Beach is a little too crowded, you can always drive over to Garvies for a more relaxed time in the sun.
Galleries and Museums
in
Durban Beachfront (6.6 km from Durban City South) Built right on Catalina flying boats' Control Tower on Wilson's Wharf, Catalina Theatre's theme and decor reflect the ambience of a creative and dramatic flying machine!
Catalina Theatre is the dream of Durban thespian, director, producer and performing arts personality, Themi Venturas. New productions are staged every two to three weeks and vary from comedy and the classics to drama and rock music.
At Catalina there is a seat in the house to suit every artistic taste and personality. Bar staff are funky, the drinks are cold and the harbour view is breath taking. Say no more!
Shopping Malls
in
Durban (7.5 km from Durban City South) With its incomparable harbour views, Wilson's Wharf is Durban's trendiest fusion of fun food, top shows and crafts, blended with the rustic interface of a boating marina and working slipways.
The waterfront has something for everyone, from a fast-food court to restaurants providing funky food and fine dining, from cuisine from the four corners of the globe to an oyster bar, and from harbour cruise dining to a cosy coffee bar or festive pub atmosphere.
Shops contain a wide range of quality crafts and speciality items for the discerning shopper, while the 165-seat intimate Catalina Theatre brings top shows to Durban's only stage with bay vistas.
The Marina offers deep-sea fishing charters daily, or visitors may take their pick of the catch-of-the-day from a full range of seafood at the wharf-side fresh fish market.
Popular Attractions
in
Musgrave (7.6 km from Durban City South) Situated on the eastern slopes of the Berea ridge, Durban Botanic Gardens is renowned for the rarest original specimen of a plant in the world – a cycad named Encephalartos woodii.
Initially the garden grew experimental tropical crops but today the extensive offerings include the herbarium, orchid house, cycad collection, a garden for the blind and a tea garden.
Along with an extensive collection of South African cycad species, a highlight is the Orchid House, best viewed during spring.
Guided tours are on offer but it’s essential to book well in advance. The charity tea garden is open from 09:30 – 16:15 daily.
Shopping Malls
in
Westville (7.7 km from Durban City South) Just a five-minute drive from Durban on the N3, The Pavilion Shopping Centre provides a premier shopping and entertainment experience. Something of a Durban fashionista hot spot, the mall merges fun, food and fashion under one roof and there’s plenty to keep you busy.Offering over 230 shops and more than 40 restaurants, the centre has one of the widest choices in KwaZulu-Natal. With 14 jewellery outlets, it’s the perfect place to pick out gifts and curios for loved ones.And there’s no end of entertainment to keep kids amused at the Amusement Area, skate park and 12 cinemas. Over 6 000 covered and open parking bays have direct access to the centre and are protected by state of the art security.So whether you're looking for a cool place to escape Durban’s hot summer or you have to watch the latest movie after a good Indian or Italian dinner, the Pavilion is an obvious choice in the greater Durban area.
Shopping Malls
in
Durban Central (7.8 km from Durban City South) Ever dreamt of sashaying in a sari, getting tattooed with henna or tucking into an ‘atomic bomb’ curry? Satisfy your yearning for burning and a lot more at Durban’s oldest market.
Venture down to the Victoria Street Market on the corner of Queen and Victoria Streets in Durban Central and step into a sensory Afro-Indian world. Here the smell of incense and spices pervades the atmosphere where over 180 traders sell their produce. You will find all manner of delightful food and spices including a fish market.
Durban’s Indian community is the largest outside of India and has influenced the character of the city immensely. Operating since 1870, Victoria Street Market still offers a dizzying whirl of colour, aromas, vibrant fabrics and the cheerful noise of bartering. Shoppers can purchase silk saris, scarves, jewellery, woven baskets, beaded and carved curios, Asian ceramics and even cheap Chinese products.
Further down is the clothing mecca of Grey Street (Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street), where you will find typical Indian architecture, narrow lanes, colonnades over pavements and an array of fabric shops.
Open Monday to Saturday 08:00 – 18:00; Sunday and public holidays 10:00 – 16:00.
+27 (0) 31 306 4021.
Racecourses
in
Greyville (8.2 km from Durban City South) She's pear-shaped but a winner! The Greyville Racecourse surrounds the Royal Durban Golf Club's Championship course, which provides a picture of green grass and foliage throughout the year framed in the background by the many hotels of Durban's Golden Mile. This right-handed track has a circumference of 2 800 metres, and a run-in of 500 metres and no straight for sprints.
Unusual features are the golf course in the centre of the track, the Drill Hall which obscures the 1600 metre start and two subways. The construction of these subways resulted in the course having an uphill section from the 2 400 metre post up to the 1 800 metre position, thereafter a gentle downward slope for about 800 metres, followed by an uphill section from the 1000 metre mark into the straight. In 1996, history was made when it became the first track in the country to successfully install floodlights, enabling the course to accommodate night racing at all its midweek meetings.
Galleries and Museums
in
Durban (8.2 km from Durban City South) The BAT Centre is Durban's vibrant multi-purpose arts centre merging visual and performing arts under one roof. The bright mosaic and mural-covered building has undergone a complete transformation from its former navy hang-out days. Here you will find galleries, artists-in-residence, plus performances of folk music, poetry and spoken-word. The auditorium is the site of the main events held at the BAT Centre. It can hold up to 750 people or 500 people
seated and has dressings rooms and ablution facilities.
Why BAT? Acronym for 'The Bartel Arts Trust' this centre is also an urban-based community art centre that is a venue and facility for skills training, promotion and exposure of disadvantaged and emergent artists. The focus of the centre is local arts, culture, crafts and entertainment that reflects the Zulu, Indian and Western heritage of KwaZulu-Natal. The difference at BAT is the grassroots, the experimental, the cross-arts trends and the innovation that is promoted at the centre.
Big Event Venues
in
Durban Central (8.3 km from Durban City South) Where Africa and the world meet. The International Convention Centre Durban (DICC) is one of the most advanced conference facilities in the world. Key factors in the design of this
state-of-the-art technology driven centre are flexibility and versatility.
The DICC is a purpose-built, fully air-conditioned centre with three convention hallsthat are interlinked but separate. Moveable walls allow for numberous different venue configurations. Alternatively the halls can be opened up to form one large venue with seating for 5000 delegates or 7000m squared of column free floor space.
Together with its sister venue, the Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC), the ICC can double its capacity to accommodate 10 000 conference delegates. The centres can function independently or as two halves of one whole. This is achieved by closing Walnut Road, a brick-paved concourse between the two centres, to provide easy access for delegates.
Big Event Venues
in
Durban Central (8.5 km from Durban City South) Situated opposite the International Convention Centre Durban, the Durban
Exhibition Centre is a multi-purpose
exhibition, function and conference centre.
Two large halls offer a
combined space of 9600m2 while several smaller halls, luxury suites and catering facilities are also
available. The DEC also features 20 000m2 of plazas
and gardens which are suitable for outdoor events
and conference parking.