Fun ways to spend 48 Hours in Durban

One of the best ways to see as much of South Africa as possible is to do as much as you can on the weekends. You will be surprised how much you can fit into a weekend without having to take leave. If you are looking for fun things to do in Durban, keep reading.

In this blog post I have written about a weekend trip I took to Curiocity Africa hostel in Durban, South Africa with Winnie (@Justrioba) who is a travel blogger from Kenya. The plan was to have fun doing as many activities that we could fit into 48 hours.

Read on to find out what we did, where we stayed and how the weekend went.

When to visit Durban

Durban is known for having great, warm weather all year round so visit any time of year. This is one of the best things about Durban.

How to get to Durban

You can fly to Durban’s international airport – King Shaka International Airport. Alternatively, drive yourself to Durban and plan a fun road trip. Consider catching the bus – checkout Travelstart buses to find the best bus ticket prices..

Where to stay in Durban

Hostels are a great accommodation option for an immersive experience in a new location. Curiocity Africa is an award winning hostel in Rivertown Triangle in Durban. Curiocity Africa is not just a place to lay your head to rest. It’s an experience.

As I walked in, I immediately picked up on the cool vibe in the space. It’s beautifully decorated with fresh, green plants.

Curiocity is conveniently located a walking/cycling distance away from South Coast Beach.

I stayed in the private room which has it’s own living area and it’s own bathroom which has a large shower.The space is decorated with modern, African artworks and stylish furniture.It was more than I had expected from a hostel. The room was spacious, comfortable and hip. I was so pleased to have white bedding and a thick mattress.

The shared spaces include the bar, kitchen, laundry room and courtyard. These shared spaces are a great place to socialize with other travelers from around the world. We befriended a solo traveler from Reunion Island who joined us for some of the weekend activities.Breakfast is served each morning in the chill lounge/bar area and consists of cereals, bread, pancakes, fresh fruit, tea, coffee and juice.

What to do at Curiosity  Curiocity has activities on offer every day. Experience Durban night life on a Friday night pub crawl. Tour the city on a bicycle. We tried out morning yoga and went surfing. More on that later in this post.

Contact Curiocity Africa:

For booking details and to learn more about Curiocity Africa and their other hostel locations:

Website: https://curiocity.africa/#

Instagram: @curiocity.africa

Twitter: @curiocityafrica

Facebook: Curiocity Hostels

5 fun things to do in Durban in 48 hours

1. Yoga on the beach

We were up by 04:30 AM to get ready for a morning of yoga. I had never done a yoga class before but was assured that the class would be suitable for beginners.

Using bicycles from the hostel, we cycled to South Coast Beach and onto a rooftop where our class would be taking place. We were facing the ocean and watching the sunrise. I can’t imagine a more serene way of starting the day.

Our Yoga instructor, Damien, gave clear instructions and helped us get each pose right. Some of the poses were tricky and had me. To close off we laid on our backs with our eyes closed, listening to the sounds around us and simply being in a state of relaxation. That was my favourite part.

Note: Yoga on the beach cost R50 per person for one hour.

2. Cycle the golden mile

The Golden Mile is a stretch of beach from Shaka Marine World to Moses Mabhida Stadium. It is lined with palm trees, restaurants and good vibes. The ocean is on one side with restaurants and tall buildings on the other.

I couldn’t believe how many people were up walking, cycling and running at 6am. On second thought, it made sense to be up and active before the sun is at its full, fiery force. I saw family’s, couples, groups, dogs, skateboards, bicycles, roller skates etc. It’s a space for everyone.

3. Go surfing

Our weekend in Durban was turning into a weekend of firsts. Yoga and now surfing. The staff at Curiocity made quick arrangements for our surf lesson before we could change our minds. Thank you Curiocity! Next thing we knew, we had wetsuits on, surfboards in hand and were walking onto the beach.

Our surf instructor, Sheldon, was super cool and fun. He has a passion for it and made surfing sound so doable from our quick tutorial on the sand. I remember thinking, “That’s it? He expects me to know how to surf already?”

We nervously entered the ocean, lied on our surfboards and paddled. One of the lines Sheldon repeated that I will never forget is, “We’re surfers we paddle!” To my surprise, I was able to stand up and ride the wave from my second attempt onwards. Nothing compares to that feeling!

I spent a lot of my childhood living in Durban and so visits to the beach form part of my best memories. I had always admired the surfers but had never dared to even imagine trying to surf.

My mindset has completely changed now. Durban beach is a surfers paradise – you have to try it! Surfing is definitely one of the most fun things to do in Durban

Note: A one hour surfing lesson costs R300 per person.

4. Try bunny chow

When in Durban, eat bunny chow. It is an original South African Indian dish. In case you don’t already know, bunny chow is half a loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with a meaty curry. California Dreaming is a restaurant along the Golden Mile. They have two bunny chow filling options: mutton or chicken.

Mutton bunny chow from California Dreaming Restaurant

I don’t know why it took me this long to try bunny chow. We continued with the theme of the weekend – a weekend of firsts and ordered one bunny chow to share. It was huge and so good and filled both of us up. Winnie said it was the best meal she had had in South Africa!

5. Segway tour at Moses Mabhida Stadium

Moses Mabhida stadium was built when South Africa hosted the 2010 Soccer World Cup. It is architecturally impressive and stunning. There are a number of activities you can take on at the stadium such as the big rush (jump from the top of the stadium), a sky car to the top and cycling tours.

We opted for a Segway tour because as with yoga, surfing and bunny chow, this would be a first! A Segway has two wheels and is ridden standing upright. You use your body to direct it forwards and backwards and you use the handle to steer it left and right.

Unlike cycling, it requires little effort and you move at up to 18km/h. So you’re able to cover a large distance within the 45min tour time. With a guide leading the way, we toured Durban’s golden mile. The highlights were riding down one of the piers and past Sunken Garden.

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