Happy holidays at a beach hotel in Durban

Of all the coastal locations in South Africa, Durban is one of the most popular because of its warm Indian Ocean currents, sub-tropical weather and affordability. Things cost a lot less there than in the other major cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town for example.

Staying at a beach hotel in Durban is first prize. There’s nothing like falling asleep and waking up to the smell and sound of the sea, accompanied by the piercing calls of the seagulls, to establish that holiday feeling.

There are several long-established beach hotels in Durban, strategically placed along what is known as the Golden Mile. Southern Sun Elangeni and Southern Sun North Beach are closest to Sun coast Casino and Entertainment World in the north, which offers a host of things to do indoors and outdoors. It’s also the location of another beach hotel in Durban, the Sun coast Hotel and Towers. For those who like the idea of being at the beach, without actually getting onto the sand, there’s a grassed sundeck that people love to tan and relax on.

If you head south, past the yacht mole, you’ll find something else that will appeal to these sun worshippers – Wilson’s Wharf. It’s a rustic shopping environment for curios, keepsakes and trinkets alongside a string of restaurants on a boating marina. These eateries are a big plus and do very well, especially in summer. The Catalina Theatre is also established there, and stages a wide variety of shows in an intimate environment.

Wilson’s Wharf is on the way to uShaka Marine World, situated near the Durban harbour. It’s famous for its spectacular aquarium (the largest in the southern hemisphere), dolphin, seal and penguin shows in the Sea World component while the Wet ’n Wild section has fun water rides to entertain the whole family.These venues are beyond South Beach and the other well-established beach hotels in Durban – the Garden Court South Beach and Garden Court Marine Parade.All the beach hotels in Durban are five minutes away from the city centre. On a day when you feel like a break from the beach, go about 15 kilometers inland for a change of scenery and explore the green landscape of the Valley of 1000 Hills. Pubs and tea gardens are dotted along the route, offering restful vistas of the hills surrounding the Umgeni River as it progresses from the Drakensberg Mountains to the Indian Ocean