One of our favorite vacation destinations in Durban and more specifically Umhlanga Rocks. In 2020 and 2021 we had a vacation booked that unfortunately got canceled due to COVID-19 Restrictions on travel, we were so happy to finally make it back here in 2022. Our favorite time of year to visit Durban is in the June/July school holiday, it’s not too hot or rainy like some of the summer months, the weather is just perfect, and the children had plenty of great days on the beach. Our family loves doing things together and here are some of our favorite things to do while in this beautiful part of our country.
The Promenade
If you love to run or walk then the promenade is for you, morning, afternoon, or nighttime, there are always beautiful views and interesting sites. Even on the rare occasion of a gloomy-looking day, you will be treated to a wonderful walk. With a 3km of paved walkway, it is wheelchair and pram friendly. Early morning walks are great for spotting dolphins playing in the ocean. Most days we walked in the evenings and enjoyed the colors of the sky as the sun sets.
If you love to run or walk then the promenade is for you, morning, afternoon, or nighttime, there are always beautiful views and interesting sites. Even on the rare occasion of a gloomy-looking day, you will be treated to a wonderful walk. With a 3km of paved walkway, it is wheelchair and pram friendly. Early morning walks are great for spotting dolphins playing in the ocean. Most days we walked in the evenings and enjoyed the colors of the sky as the sun sets.
Ushaka Marine Word
A firm favorite is always Ushaka Marine World. It is a wonderful outing for young and old. This time of the year we usually only visit Sea World, in summer months we enjoy the waterpark. Although the water park is very popular even in the cooler months. Ushaka Marine world has Africa’s Largest Aquarium. It is set in a shipwreck which makes the whole experience so interesting and fun. The dolphin and seal shows are a must see and if you time it just right you can watch the penguins getting fed too. Unfortunately, none of the 16 restaurants have any celiac-friendly food options and you are not allowed to take your food on the premises, so if you struggle with allergies, go in prepared.
There is plenty more to do in the area of Ushaka and it is worth going back to for another day’s outing. One of these outings we went back for is:
A firm favorite is always Ushaka Marine World. It is a wonderful outing for young and old. This time of the year we usually only visit Sea World, in summer months we enjoy the waterpark. Although the water park is very popular even in the cooler months. Ushaka Marine world has Africa’s Largest Aquarium. It is set in a shipwreck which makes the whole experience so interesting and fun. The dolphin and seal shows are a must see and if you time it just right you can watch the penguins getting fed too. Unfortunately, none of the 16 restaurants have any celiac-friendly food options and you are not allowed to take your food on the premises, so if you struggle with allergies, go in prepared.
There is plenty more to do in the area of Ushaka and it is worth going back to for another day’s outing. One of these outings we went back for is:
Pedal Boat Rides on the Durban Point Waterfront Canals
This year we tried something new, we hired pedal boats to explore the Canals with. If you are semi-fit a half-hour rental is perfectly fine to allow you to go to all the areas you are allowed to. The interesting thing about the canals is that they were specifically built for the aquarium at Ushaka marine world. The canals receive seawater from the aquarium overflow water. There are 35 species of fish in these canals and the canals are only 1.2m deep. There is an enclosure that hosts fish that are waiting to be introduced into the aquarium. While we visited the area there were 2 hammerhead sharks in the enclosure. There was also a family of geese about. If paddle boats aren’t your thing, you can also go for a romantic gondola ride or you can go on the pontoon boat for a guided tour of the canals.
This year we tried something new, we hired pedal boats to explore the Canals with. If you are semi-fit a half-hour rental is perfectly fine to allow you to go to all the areas you are allowed to. The interesting thing about the canals is that they were specifically built for the aquarium at Ushaka marine world. The canals receive seawater from the aquarium overflow water. There are 35 species of fish in these canals and the canals are only 1.2m deep. There is an enclosure that hosts fish that are waiting to be introduced into the aquarium. While we visited the area there were 2 hammerhead sharks in the enclosure. There was also a family of geese about. If paddle boats aren’t your thing, you can also go for a romantic gondola ride or you can go on the pontoon boat for a guided tour of the canals.
Point Walking Tour
This year we went on a guided walking tour done by Durban Walking Tours. They have so many interesting-looking walks, I wish we had time to try them all. When getting information about bookings our host Ruth suggested the Point walking tour for our family. I was a bit concerned that perhaps a historical walking tour will not capture my 10- and 13-year old’s attention and that they might get bored or tired. Our host Ruth was so knowledgeable about the area and she keeps the walking groups small to make them interactive. My children loved every minute of it and did not complain of boredom or that they are tired (which we all know is another word for bored). You need to have some fitness to participate in this as there is one part of the walk that gets quite steep. Ruth had an amazing top secret surprise for us as part of the tour. You have to book it to see what I am talking about. I learned so much about the Point waterfront area and surrounds and exploring that part of the city on foot has made me see it in a new light. Now when I drive through the point waterfront area I have a newfound appreciation for all the buildings and sites. I look forward to our next visit to Durban and booking another walking tour.
This year we went on a guided walking tour done by Durban Walking Tours. They have so many interesting-looking walks, I wish we had time to try them all. When getting information about bookings our host Ruth suggested the Point walking tour for our family. I was a bit concerned that perhaps a historical walking tour will not capture my 10- and 13-year old’s attention and that they might get bored or tired. Our host Ruth was so knowledgeable about the area and she keeps the walking groups small to make them interactive. My children loved every minute of it and did not complain of boredom or that they are tired (which we all know is another word for bored). You need to have some fitness to participate in this as there is one part of the walk that gets quite steep. Ruth had an amazing top secret surprise for us as part of the tour. You have to book it to see what I am talking about. I learned so much about the Point waterfront area and surrounds and exploring that part of the city on foot has made me see it in a new light. Now when I drive through the point waterfront area I have a newfound appreciation for all the buildings and sites. I look forward to our next visit to Durban and booking another walking tour.
Flag Animal Farm Balito
When I asked the children if they were too old to go to Flag animal farm, they told me NEVER! A bit of a drive, but fortunately a scenic drive and well worth it for a lovely day out. Flag animal farm is a farm for rescued animals. They allow you to interact with the animals giving you a real farm experience. They have a daily milking show where children can milk a cow. They also have a wolf information talk. Everywhere we walked on the farm we could interact with animals or the children could sit down and one of the staff will bring a reptile or guinea pig for them to interact with for as long as they liked. There is a restaurant but you can pack a picnic and enjoy a day out on the farm. They constantly educate you on what makes a good pet and what does not, I suppose they have rescued enough unwanted pets to know! You will not spend a day there without meeting the owner whose passion and love for animals will rub off on you. She truly loves all creatures and tries to give them a second chance at life.
When I asked the children if they were too old to go to Flag animal farm, they told me NEVER! A bit of a drive, but fortunately a scenic drive and well worth it for a lovely day out. Flag animal farm is a farm for rescued animals. They allow you to interact with the animals giving you a real farm experience. They have a daily milking show where children can milk a cow. They also have a wolf information talk. Everywhere we walked on the farm we could interact with animals or the children could sit down and one of the staff will bring a reptile or guinea pig for them to interact with for as long as they liked. There is a restaurant but you can pack a picnic and enjoy a day out on the farm. They constantly educate you on what makes a good pet and what does not, I suppose they have rescued enough unwanted pets to know! You will not spend a day there without meeting the owner whose passion and love for animals will rub off on you. She truly loves all creatures and tries to give them a second chance at life.
Educational outings
If you love museums and getting some education while on holiday I highly recommend visiting the Maritime museum as well as the Natural Science museum. Each of these museums can be done in less than 2 hours and is a lot of fun for school-aged children.
The KZN Sharks board is an interactive experience where everyone can learn about sharks. They also have a shark dissection daily around 9 where they dissect whatever got caught up in the shark nets. It is a very educational and interesting experience and my children loved it.
If you love museums and getting some education while on holiday I highly recommend visiting the Maritime museum as well as the Natural Science museum. Each of these museums can be done in less than 2 hours and is a lot of fun for school-aged children.
The KZN Sharks board is an interactive experience where everyone can learn about sharks. They also have a shark dissection daily around 9 where they dissect whatever got caught up in the shark nets. It is a very educational and interesting experience and my children loved it.
Getting close to Nature
The Durban botanic gardens are Durban’s oldest public institution and the oldest botanical garden in South Africa. With its subtropical climate, it is lush and green with so many interesting trees and birds, there are beautiful walkways and lots of geese to feed too. This is the perfect place to find a bench and get lost in a book or go for a quiet contemplating walk. You can also pack a picnic and enjoy the tranquil setting amongst giant trees.
If you love nature and you are looking for something on a smaller scale, Mitchel’s park zoo is also fantastic. It’s a small zoo attached to a gorgeous well-maintained park, perfect for a day’s outing.
The Japanese gardens in Umgeni are also a lovely tranquil place to walk, picnic, or sit and read. We spotted quite a few unique birds in the gardens and some great water birds as well as some terrapins in the river. The unique Japanese features of the garden are also great for photography.
The Durban botanic gardens are Durban’s oldest public institution and the oldest botanical garden in South Africa. With its subtropical climate, it is lush and green with so many interesting trees and birds, there are beautiful walkways and lots of geese to feed too. This is the perfect place to find a bench and get lost in a book or go for a quiet contemplating walk. You can also pack a picnic and enjoy the tranquil setting amongst giant trees.
If you love nature and you are looking for something on a smaller scale, Mitchel’s park zoo is also fantastic. It’s a small zoo attached to a gorgeous well-maintained park, perfect for a day’s outing.
The Japanese gardens in Umgeni are also a lovely tranquil place to walk, picnic, or sit and read. We spotted quite a few unique birds in the gardens and some great water birds as well as some terrapins in the river. The unique Japanese features of the garden are also great for photography.
Umgeni River Bird Park
This is also a feature that has to happen every year, we all love visiting the bird park. There are so many unique species of birds and the bird show is usually the highlight, not only do we learn about birds, we get to interact with them and see them up close. It’s a must-see!
This is also a feature that has to happen every year, we all love visiting the bird park. There are so many unique species of birds and the bird show is usually the highlight, not only do we learn about birds, we get to interact with them and see them up close. It’s a must-see!
The Mangroves
This is something that we have wanted to do every year, but this was the first year we actually managed to be in Durban on a Saturday that they are open. The mangroves are only open to the public one Saturday of the month. Here you can go on a tour of the mangroves, seeing many bird species and most interestingly the crabs. The mangroves are such an interesting ecosystem and I will highly recommend the guided tour by one of their amazing volunteers, it was so educational and interesting. We even fed the crabs!
This is something that we have wanted to do every year, but this was the first year we actually managed to be in Durban on a Saturday that they are open. The mangroves are only open to the public one Saturday of the month. Here you can go on a tour of the mangroves, seeing many bird species and most interestingly the crabs. The mangroves are such an interesting ecosystem and I will highly recommend the guided tour by one of their amazing volunteers, it was so educational and interesting. We even fed the crabs!
Shopping up a storm
Gateway Theater of Shopping
On rainy days or days that are too sunny, the mall is always the perfect place to go, they have movies, bowling, a game arcade, an ice rink, and so many restaurants and shops. Of course, we ended up spending most of our time at the mall in the Lego store because we just love Lego way too much, and then we had to find space in our suitcases to get it all home.
There are plenty of malls in Durban, we also loved visiting the Pavilion, as well as Cornubia Mall they all have something unique on offer.
The Shongweni Farmers and Craft Market
If you are a foodie and you love all things artisan and handmade then the Shongweni market is for you. Situated in the valley of a thousand hills, it is set in a beautiful spot. There are plenty of food stalls that cater to allergies so we could get something for everyone to enjoy. There is an array of fresh produce to buy so, make sure you stock up there before you visit the supermarket. There are so many unique arts and crafts it is the perfect place to shop for souvenirs and gifts. This is usually our every Saturday in Durban outing as it is just such an amazing place to be, there is live music and lots of friendly stall holders that will tell you their stories about what they make and why they do it. If you’ve been to Durban and not been to Shongweni you are missing out!
Gateway Theater of Shopping
On rainy days or days that are too sunny, the mall is always the perfect place to go, they have movies, bowling, a game arcade, an ice rink, and so many restaurants and shops. Of course, we ended up spending most of our time at the mall in the Lego store because we just love Lego way too much, and then we had to find space in our suitcases to get it all home.
There are plenty of malls in Durban, we also loved visiting the Pavilion, as well as Cornubia Mall they all have something unique on offer.
The Shongweni Farmers and Craft Market
If you are a foodie and you love all things artisan and handmade then the Shongweni market is for you. Situated in the valley of a thousand hills, it is set in a beautiful spot. There are plenty of food stalls that cater to allergies so we could get something for everyone to enjoy. There is an array of fresh produce to buy so, make sure you stock up there before you visit the supermarket. There are so many unique arts and crafts it is the perfect place to shop for souvenirs and gifts. This is usually our every Saturday in Durban outing as it is just such an amazing place to be, there is live music and lots of friendly stall holders that will tell you their stories about what they make and why they do it. If you’ve been to Durban and not been to Shongweni you are missing out!
As you can see our family just loves being in Durban! There are so many more amazing things to do in this great city that I have not mentioned here. For more information please visit: https://visitdurban.travel/ or https://umhlangarockstourism.co.za/ for more information