Durban Holidays, South Africa

Introduction

South Africa's KwaZulu province is as vast as it is varied. Durban is the largest city of the region, a coastal port with a temperate, sub-tropical climate. Durban is a delightful city and has many large, golden beaches which are gently lapped by the balmy Indian Ocean. A paradise for holidays, gate way not only to stunning sandy beaches, but also to incredible culture and the dozens of seaside towns full of hotels, restaurants and colonial architecture.

Durban 2012 – Holiday

Both to the south and the north of Durban are smaller resort towns which sit alongside the 'Golden Mile' beach area. Many high-rise hotels leave visitors spoilt for choice in accommodation, most of the hotels are next to the four mile stretch of beach where the occasional promenade can be found. Aside from being a gateway to wonderful beaches and fantastic little hotel towns, Durban offers visitors the chance to explore the rolling hills and plains of the Natal Midlands. This area has the delightful backdrop of the Dreakensberg Mountains which border the western province.

Durban 2012 – Flights

The South African and British national airlines have regular flights from most Major UK airports capable of sending planes to Johannesburg. Durban is accessible through domestic flights so to get there from the UK involves two legs. The first is usually to Johannesburg which takes around eleven to twelve hours. The second leg from Johannesburg to Durban rarely takes more than an hour and a half. Frequent flights and major airlines make travel to Durban very easy, even though it is a rather remote location.

Durban 2012 – History & Culture

Though most of the colonial architecture of Durban stems from Britain, the city is a really intriguing blend of cultures. A large Indian population derived from the descendants of immigrant workers who went to the region to work on the sugar estates in the 1850s. This Indian culture adds a major oriental flavour to Durban and has enhanced the city with shrines, bazaars and many traditional Indian restaurants. The Zulu people are also numerous and their proud warrior ancestry has been in the region since long before any European powers. North of the Tugela River is an area known as Zululand which is an excellent place to see the Zulu traditions and culture.