If you are visiting Durban and on a budget, you should read on. The city offers an array of activities for travellers, from watersport, adventure and nature, that costs under R30. Some experiences are free.
If you are cash strapped or trying to save your money, here are some places worth checking out:
Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve
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Nestled among Umhlanga's string of hotels and holiday homes, Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve is perfect for those who love nature. Try out their many hiking routes or take up the challenge to find the route to Umhlanga beach.
If you are lucky, you may spot the blue duiker, the smallest antelope in South Africa. The reserve is great for bird watching, picnicking, trail running and self-guided walks. If you take a guide, its R30pp and free for those who want to explore on their own. Call 031 561 2271.
Durban Art Gallery
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The Durban Art Gallery is one of the city’s oldest attractions, having opened in the early 1900s.
The artworks support local artists and changes every 6-8 weeks. Be sure to check out the Breaking the Rules exhibit that runs until the end of the year. Entry is free. Located in the Durban City Hall building at Anton Lembede St, Durban Central. Use the entrance opposite the Playhouse. Call 031 311 2264.
Durban National Science Museum
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The Durban Natural Science Museum is known as one of the oldest museums in South Africa. The museum offers realistic dioramas, which depict a collection of small and large mammals and a diverse collection of African birds, including a fossilised egg of an Elephant Bird, the extinct large bird that resembles an ostrich. Be sure to take a look at the life-size Tyrannosaurus Rex model and the 100-year-old near-complete Dodo skeleton.
Entry is free. Located in the Durban City Hall building at Anton Lembede St, Durban Central. Call 031 311 2256.
KwaMuhle Museum in Central Durban
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KwaMuhle Museum in Central Durban, once the headquarters of the City’s infamous Native Administration Department and the centre of Durban’s system of labour control, has been transformed into a world-class museum.
The museum seeks to reflect the Durban’s urban growth and the history of its residents from a range of perspectives. Entry to the museum is free. Hours: Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4 pm or on Saturdays from 8.30am to 12 pm. Located at 130 Bram Fischer Rd, Durban Central. Call 031 311 2237.
Mini Town
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Be a giant as you walk through the buildings of Durban. Mini Town showcases some of Durban's landmarks, including City Hall, the Riverside Mosque, Durban Hindu Temple and hotels, all designed in a 2-metre structure.
The venue is ideal for young families who enjoy architecture. Adults pay R30pp and children pay R20pp. Mini Town is open daily from 9.30am to 4pm. Situated along Durban’s Golden Mile. Call: 031 337 7892.
Whalebone Pier
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The Whalebone Pier or Umhlanga Pier as it is known, was voted the most beautiful pier by CNN in 2014, and it is not hard to see why. If you are visiting Umhlanga, take a stroll on the pier which offers spectacular views of the Indian Ocean.
Located at Lighthouse Beach, Umhlanga.