Things to do near
Yellowwood Park
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Popular Attractions
in
Westcliff (Durban) (5.9 km from Yellowwood Park) Leave your shoes at the door and walk into a colourful Hindu sanctuary. The spacecraft-like exterior belies the opulent interior of marble tiles, gold-tinted windows, crystal chandeliers and lavish decorations. Ceiling frescoes and statuettes pay tribute to the divine couple, Radha and Krishna.
Entrance is free and people of all faiths are welcome to spend time here meditating, praying or just to soak up the contemplative atmosphere while wandering around the lush garden and peaceful environment.
Underneath the temple is a wonderful restaurant run by devotees serving scrumptious vegetarian fare to eat there or take away.
+27 (0) 31 403 3328
Nature Reserves
in
The Bluff (6.7 km from Yellowwood Park) 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.
Shopping Malls
in
Westville (7.4 km from Yellowwood Park) 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.
Golf Courses
in
The Bluff (8.7 km from Yellowwood Park) 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 (8.9 km from Yellowwood Park) 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.
Galleries and Museums
in
Westville (9 km from Yellowwood Park) Named after Jonas Bergtheil, this museum is situated in the leafy suburb of Westville midway between Durban and Pinetown.
Much of the museum is housed in Westville’s oldest building featuring massive stone walls and hand-hewn timber floorboards. The park like surrounds add an atmosphere of tranquility.
Exhibits mostly focus on the first German settlers that Jonas Bergtheil brought to Natal as director of the Natal Cotton Company and their associations with the settlements of Westville, Claremont and New Germany.
Visiting hours are 8:30 – 16:00 Monday to Friday, 8:00 – 12:00 Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Public Holidays. Entrance is free.
Hiking Trail
in
Bulwer (9.4 km from Yellowwood Park) 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 (9.5 km from Yellowwood Park) 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.
Golf Courses
in
Athlone Park (10.3 km from Yellowwood Park) Amanzimtoti Golf Club boasts a magnificent course with the 18th hole right next to the beach. The well-equipped Pro Shop has golf cart, pull cart and golf club hire facilities.
Visitors are welcome every day of the week except Saturday afternoons. Special rates are given on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. A halfway house caters for the hungry and thirsty and is open from 07:00 to 16:00.
All golf bookings are done at the Pro Shop: +27 (0) 31 902 4144.
Galleries and Museums
in
Durban Beachfront (10.5 km from Yellowwood Park) 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!
Beaches
in
The Bluff (10.7 km from Yellowwood Park) 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.
Popular Attractions
in
Musgrave (11 km from Yellowwood Park) 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
Durban (11.4 km from Yellowwood Park) 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.
Shopping Malls
in
Durban Central (11.6 km from Yellowwood Park) 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 (11.7 km from Yellowwood Park) 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.