Durban Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
About Durban
Durban has a large bay that was protected from the seas by a land spit now known as The Point. This bay formed anatural harbour. Durban was originally called Port Natal by the Portuguese mariner Vasco da Gama who sighted the bay on Christmas Day, 1497. The city was founded as Port Natal by British settlers in the 1820's and became part of the British Empire in 1842. It was renamed Durban in honour of Sir Benjamin D'Urban, Governor of the Cape Colony. In the years immediately preceding the European settlement of the area, Shaka, king of a small African clan known as the Zulu, built up his strength, making the Zulu people the dominant African tribe in the area. The hot and humid climate was ideal for growing sugar and after the first railway was built in 1860, sugar became the principal expo
Top Attractions in Durban
Explore the best things to see and do in Durban:
- ★Berea
- ★Calypso Dive & Adventure Center
- ★City Hall
- ★Crocodile Creek
- ★Durban Botanical Gardens
- ★Durban Cultural and Document Centre
- ★Durban Fashion Fair
- ★Durban International Film Festival
Where to Eat in Durban
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴California Dreaming
- 🍴Circus Circus Beach Cafe
Where to Stay in Durban
- 🏨African Sunrise Backpackers & Lodge
- 🏨Ammazulu African Palace
- 🏨Ansteys Beach Backpackers International
- 🏨Crooked Tree Cottage
- 🏨Dolphin Sands B&B
- 🏨Durban Backpackers - On the Beach
Durban Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 13 sections including: