Durban

Durban meets the swells of the Indian Ocean with a wall of jagged downtown skyscrapers and protruding port jetties; in many ways the perfect visual image of the city’s character as a whole—a place where laid-back surfies mingle with suited businessmen, and earthy, cosmopolitan districts like Durban’s little Indian Quarter, coalesce with chic cocktail bars and worldly fine-dining joints on the very edge of the sea. The city is unarguably all about the beach, with a golden coastline well thronged by the Durbs, top surf on the east coast, and even a surfing museum to boot. Durban also takes pride of some of the best golf courses in the region and the coolest football stadium in the country, not to miss a Marine world with the largest Aquarium in Africa. Then there’s the retail scene, complete with the wild Indian bazaars that cluster around the Victoria Street Market, and gleaming modern malls, at the Pavilion and the colossal Gateway Theatre. Visiting foodies should be sure to ask their local Durban tourist guide about their favourite curry houses and tandoori grills, because they’re said to cook up the best spice dishes in all of South Africa.