Things to see in Durban

Established in 1849, the gardens feature a variety of plants but the main collections are cycads, orchids, bromeliads and palms, plus 80 heritage trees, some of which are more than 100 years old. Highlights include an orchid house, a herb garden, a sunken garden and the garden for the blind. The Kwazulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra performs at a lake on selected Sundays throughout the year.

Once a Court House and now a museum, this is the oldest public building in Durban which survived both the South African Wars and the Bhambatha Uprising. In the 21st century, it was a canteen and recruitment centre during the two World Wars. The building was often visited by MK Gandhi as a young Durban lawyer, who went on to challenge life under colonial rule. Now, the largest history museum in the city, it features the “Durban Room”, an early pharmacy and a haberdashery store.

The KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board is responsible for ensuring beach protection, but its headquarters are open to visitors, who can view displays about sharks and rays, an audiovisual presentation, and then watch a dead shark being opened up in a dissection demonstration and discussion that can be viewed from a curved, tiered seating arena. You'll need a strong stomach for a visit here. There are also photographs, shark replicas, reconstructed skeletons, sharks’ teeth and mounts of different species. For those looking for souvenirs of their visit, the Fathoms curio shop sells branded clothing and shark-themed mementoes.