Durban has a great ability to make a person happy by doing the simplest things, whether it’s looking at the ocean, going out to eat or trying something out of your comfort zone. 

Here’s a list of things we did while we were in Durban: 

Boat cruise

For R100 per person, we went on a boat cruise from the Durban Harbour for an hour. We had the entire boat to ourselves and despite the water being a bit choppy, we had a really good time. 

The Magic Company 

As kids, we would spend all our time at the Magic Company in Umhlanga Sands and it made me really sad when they removed it. We found a Magic Company at Ocean’s Mall and we had a blast – we also won a few teddies in the process. 

Segway Tour

We on a Segway tour from Moses Mabhida Stadium to Blue Lagoon for R300 per person. We had loads of fun.

Ushaka Marine World 

I love aquariums so Ushaka is a must visit for me. It’s well kept and really pretty. The dolphins are gorgeous in the Dolphin show and the penguins despite smelling funny are quite cute. Tickets are R227 per adult and R183 per child for the Sea World. 

Thompson’s Bay Beach 

Thompson’s Bay Beach is a beautiful beach in Ballito. It has a tidal pool and the insta-famous “Hole in a wall”. There was also a parking area with car guards where we parked and then we went down the stairs to get to the beach. Please keep in mind that there is quite a few stairs to go down to the beach and it is quite steep to get up as well. 

Blue Lagoon 

From the time we were kids, my mom loved going to Blue Lagoon on the weekend at night. And now, I absolutely love going on the weekend at night. It has a great buzz, it makes you appreciate the little things in life and love watching the locals fishing (do not stand on the rocks where the fisherman are fishing though because your shoes will get an “interesting” smell –  as confirmed by my sibling). 

McLaren Circus 

We went to the circus which is R150 per person specifically on a Thursday night. It was really entertaining and we all enjoyed it. 

Umhlanga Promenade 

For me, the absolute best thing to do on this holiday was to walk on the promenade. The best time is after Fajr so you catch the sunrise and it’s relatively quiet. When walking, people stop to talk to you and it’s actually great to get those few minutes of human interaction outside of your circle of people. One uncle told me his whole life story and another aunty asked my name because she used to see me all the time. Durban/Umhlanga people, count your blessings twice because you have the best place to get in your steps.