Durban

The beach is why most people come. Durban's central shore, the Golden Mile, runs for several kilometres of sand from uShaka in the south to the north beaches, with piers, lifeguards and shark nets along the swimming areas. The Indian Ocean here is warm by South African standards, around 24°C to 26°C in summer and rarely below 20°C in winter, so swimming is possible in every month.

North of the city, Umhlanga has a cleaner, quieter beach below its lighthouse, and Ballito and the south coast beaches lie within an hour. Surf is part of the character: rip currents are strong, so swim between the flags. After heavy summer rain the water near river mouths can be closed for quality, and the beaches then empty quickly.

Durban has the strongest food identity of any South African city outside the wine country, thanks to the largest Indian community in Africa. The local curry is fiery and red, and the bunny chow, a hollowed quarter loaf filled with mutton, chicken or bean curry, is the dish everyone should try at least once, ideally from an unassuming takeaway counter in the city centre or the Indian-run neighbourhoods. The spice stalls of the Victoria Street Market sell masalas with names like 'mother-in-law exterminator'.

Beyond that, the range narrows. There is good seafood and prawns from Mozambique, braai culture, and a cluster of comfortable restaurants on Florida Road and in Umhlanga, but little fine dining or street-food depth beyond curry.

Durban is a city to understand rather than to tour. The Edwardian City Hall, modelled on Belfast's, holds the Durban Art Gallery and the natural science museum, and the Juma Masjid on Grey Street is one of the largest mosques in the southern hemisphere. The KwaMuhle Museum tells the story of the apartheid-era pass laws, and Gandhi's Phoenix Settlement on the city's edge marks where he first developed his ideas of passive resistance.

Hindu temples, including the striking Temple of Understanding in Chatsworth, add to the city's layered character, and the arch of Moses Mabhida Stadium is the modern landmark. None of this is of international rank, and the old centre is gritty, so most visitors see it in a day or on a guided walk.

Going out in Durban means a few concentrated strips rather than a city that comes alive at night. Florida Road in Morningside is the main bar street, with terraces that fill at weekends; Umhlanga has polished lounges and hotel bars aimed at visitors and the well-off. Township taverns and shisanyama spots, where meat is grilled and music plays loud on Sunday afternoons, are the most local experience, best visited with someone who knows them.

Visitors move between venues by car or ride-hailing rather than on foot, and the old beachfront and city centre are best avoided late. It suits a relaxed evening out more than a night of clubbing.

The best outdoors around Durban is in and on the water. Surfing is year-round, and Aliwal Shoal, about an hour south, is a world-class dive site for ragged-tooth sharks, turtles and rays; in winter the sardine run brings dolphins, gannets and whales along the coast. Inland, the Valley of a Thousand Hills folds away in green ridges within an hour, and Krantzkloof's gorge and waterfalls offer hiking on the city's edge.

Small reserves such as Tala give a gentle game drive close by, but the Drakensberg, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and iSimangaliso Wetland Park are around three hours away, better as overnight stays. Summers are hot and humid with afternoon storms; winter is dry and mild, the better time for hiking.

Day trips from Durban are pleasant rather than compelling. Pietermaritzburg, the provincial capital about an hour inland, has red-brick Victorian buildings and the station where Gandhi was thrown off a train. Beyond it, the Midlands Meander strings together craft studios, cheese makers and country inns in rolling farmland, and the Nelson Mandela Capture Site near Howick has a memorable steel sculpture.

Zulu cultural villages lie to the north, and the coastal towns of Ballito and Salt Rock make an easy outing. The Anglo-Zulu and Boer War battlefields, the region's most significant heritage, are three hours or more away and need an overnight stay. A car is essential for all of it.

Durban has long been South Africa's family beach city. uShaka Marine World combines a large aquarium, built into a mock shipwreck, with a water park and dolphin shows, right on the beach. The lifeguarded beaches and tidal pools of the Golden Mile, the beachfront promenade for bikes and scooters, and the cable car over Moses Mabhida Stadium fill further days, and the Sharks Board in Umhlanga runs shark dissections that older children remember.

The Umgeni River Bird Park and the warm water most of the year help too. The drawbacks are practical: families need a car, and parents should keep to busy, well-known areas. Many choose Umhlanga as a calmer, more manageable base.

Durban is a car city. The beachfront promenade is a pleasant, long walk or cycle, but beyond it distances are large, the old centre is not comfortable to explore alone on foot, and the minibus taxis that most residents use are hard for visitors to navigate. A small beachfront bus helps along the shore.

Most visitors rely on ride-hailing, which is easy and widely used, or hire a car, which is necessary for any day trip. The airport is around 30km north, closer to Umhlanga than to the city centre.

Shopping in Durban is dominated by huge malls, above all the vast complex at Umhlanga Ridge, which is where locals go for brands. More distinctive are the Victoria Street Market, with its spices and Indian goods, and Zulu crafts: beadwork, woven baskets and telephone-wire bowls sold along the beachfront and at craft markets.

Florida Road and Musgrave have a few independent shops and galleries, but there is no real boutique district or luxury street. It works well for crafts and spices to take home, less so as a reason to visit.

Durban is a city where a visitor's money goes a long way. Beachfront hotels and guesthouses along the Golden Mile are moderately priced for a seaside city, a takeaway curry or a bunny chow is one of the cheapest good meals anywhere on the coast, and South African wine and local beer cost little in bars and restaurants. Sit-down dinners of seafood or grills are reasonable too, and the main sights cost little or nothing to see.

The extra spending is on getting around. Most visitors take ride-hailing cars every day or hire a car, and both add up over a stay. Umhlanga is the expensive end of the area, with resort hotels and restaurants that cost noticeably more than the city itself.

Durban has a modest but real stage life. The Playhouse in the city centre hosts theatre, dance and musicals, and the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra performs seasons of classical concerts in the City Hall. The university's theatre presents drama, and the long-running Jomba contemporary dance festival and Durban International Film Festival give the calendar its high points.

The city's most distinctive sound is its own: gqom, the hard electronic music born in Durban's townships, and maskandi, Zulu guitar music. Hearing either live usually means a local event rather than a fixed venue, so it takes some planning or a local guide.

Durban has no bathing tradition of its own, and wellness means resort and hotel spas, which are concentrated in Umhlanga and up the coast towards Ballito. Their treatments are good value, and the warm climate and slow coastal mornings make for an easy pace.

The city itself is busy and noisy rather than restorative. Visitors looking to properly slow down tend to head to the Midlands, where country spa hotels sit among hills and farmland.