Durban and the northern coast

Durban is the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal and the main port of South Africa, on the Indian Ocean coast. Unlike Cape Town, the sea here is warm year-round, warmed by the Agulhas Current, and the climate is subtropical—humid in summer and mild in winter. The city’s waterfront, the Golden Mile, has several kilometers of beaches with lifeguards, piers and a promenade used for walking, running and cycling.

The city has one of the largest Indian-origin communities outside India, formed by workers brought in the 19th century for the sugarcane plantations. That’s where Durban curry comes from—spicier—and the bunny chow, a half-loaf filled with curry, created in the city. Alongside Hindu temples and mosques, Zulu culture is present in the language, crafts and music.

North of the center, the coast continues through beach towns connected by the N2 highway: Umhlanga, with its red-and-white lighthouse, the pier shaped like a whale skeleton and the headquarters of the agency that manages shark protection nets; and Ballito further north, with rock pools and family-friendly beaches. King Shaka International Airport sits between them.

This destination brings together 3 cities: Durban, Umhlanga, Ballito.