uShaka Marine World
On the southern end of Durban’s Golden Mile is uShaka Marine World a "must do" for any tourist to this KwaZulu-Natal city.
There are 5 different zones - dining, entertainment, shops, the Wet ‘n Wild section with water slides and pools and Sea World.
Snorkel with only a glass window between you and the raggies or swim with dolphins. Scuba divers can also go diving in the aquarium. Or you can simply enjoy the various tanks of the main aquarium housed inside a huge recreation of a 1920 shipwreck.
Umgeni River Bird Park
Started in 1984 in an old, water-filled quarry in Durban North by local bird lover Dr Alan Abrey, this riverside park soon became one of Durban's best loved nature attractions. Following Abrey's death, and after suffering severe flood damage, the park was acquired by the city council to secure its future.
Apart from its overall attractions, it is the daily bird shows that really stun visitors, where birds from all over the world are trained to interact with their human handlers to entertain and amaze the audience. Among the stars of the show are owls, cranes, hornbills, macaws, kookaburras, toucans, vultures and many other species, which perform in the unrestricted free-flight arena.
Mini Durban
The darnedest thing about Mini Town, a faithful 1:24 replica of many of Durban's major landmarks, is that developers keep on messing things up. Take the airport for instance: they've moved the entire thing from south of The Bluff to La Lucia. At least the harbour is still where it was when the first model of miniature Durban was erected at its beachfront location on Snell Parade, in 1963.
There are planes and ships that move around, and you cannot but be impressed by the dedication to fine detail that has gone into making each replica model. But the most impressive thing is the extensive rail system, with trains continually on the go.
Giba Gorge: Off-road Biking
Not really in Durban, but located at the Stockville quarry near the Marianhill toll plaza, Giba Gorge gives Durban bikers, who have been squeezed into smaller and smaller patches of sugarcane, a chance to hone their technical skills. There are about 20 km of varied cross-country routes as well as a 1.2 km downhill course.
Signage alerts riders to easy, intermediate, advanced and expert-only sections, so you can challenge yourself or choose the chicken-run option. It's a real family affair, with camping facilities, picnic area, BMX track and a skills park - there are even showers and a cycle shop. © David Bristow
The Golden Mile
The mile long stretch of beachfront in Durban is called The Golden Mile, packed with hotels, pubs and bars. At the northern end of the Golden Mile is the popular Suncoast Casino and Entertainment complex right on the beach. Visitors to this city in KwaZulu-Natal will find a variety of eateries, bars and much more. Another cool thing to do from here is hire a Retro Bike.
These superb rides are sure to get you noticed and provide a great way to cycle the Durban promenade. At the opposite end of the Golden Mile is uShaka Marine World, a multifaceted complex to suit every kind of traveller with direct access to the beach.
Green Spaces
Next to the uMngeni River Estuary is the ‘Green Hub', an environmentally friendly building and centre of Durban’s Green Corridor initiative, where you can get connected with nature. This innovative environmentally sustainable building at Blue Lagoon Park, offers nature-based tourist activities and sustainable living information and has a good coffee shop.
Durban Green Corridor operates Durban day trips such as hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, bird watching and cultural tours all around the city and nearby areas. The 10km circular Fish Eagle trail starts from here. It is an extension of the 4km Riverside Trail, leading runners further upstream to revel in the reed beds, coastal forest and the last of the remaining coastal grasslands. Durban has many reserves, developed parks with a multitude of different walks available throughout the city and surrounding areas.
The city also have many specialised gardens, the most renowned being the Durban Botanical Gardens, established in 1849. The garden covers 14.5 ha of landscaped gardens and include collections of indigenous and exotic cycads, palms, orchids and exotic bromeliads.