Durban, South Africa

Hello Everyone!

It's day 84 and we arrived in Durban, South Africa this morning (30 Mar 2026). Durban is a major coastal city in eastern South Africa, located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal along the Indian Ocean. It’s one of Africa’s busiest port cities and is known for its warm subtropical climate, long beaches, and strong cultural diversity, including an especially large population of Indian descent.

We docked at the modern and well-equipped Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal on the city's eastern coast. 

Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal

South Africa Overview

South Africa’s history is a bit of a rollercoaster. It began with early indigenous societies, then Dutch settlers arrived in the 1600s, followed by the British taking control in the 1800s, setting up a colonial system that heavily favored Europeans. Over time, racial segregation hardened into the formal system of apartheid after 1948, enforcing strict separation and inequality between white and nonwhite populations. Resistance grew for decades, most famously led by Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison before becoming the face of a peaceful transition to democracy. When apartheid finally ended in the early 1990s, South Africa held its first multiracial elections in 1994, with Mandela elected president. Today, the country is a vibrant but complex democracy—rich in culture and diversity, but still working through deep economic inequality and the long-lasting effects of its past.

Durban in Particular

I found Durban to be a modern, clean city with well-developed infrastructure. At just around 4 million people, it's the third-largest city in South Africa, behind  Johannesburg (5.6 million) and Cape Town (about 5 million). This view shows a typical street in the central business district. 

Durban's Central Business District

Here's a peek at a portion of the city's skyline from a vista point we visited during our "windshield tour" of the city. It's looking east, toward the Indian Ocean. You can see how built up it is.

Durban Skyline

There's a large, modern football (soccer) stadium here which which hosted the World Cup in 2010. Named the Moses Mabhida Stadium, it was built between 2007 and 2009 specifically for the tournament. It seats about 55,000 today but was expanded to around 62,000–70,000 during the World Cup with temporary seating.

What really sets it apart is a huge, arching steel span—about 345 meters (1,100 feet) long and over 100 meters (330 feet) high—that curves over the stadium. It’s not just structural; it was deliberately designed as a symbol of a once-divided nation coming together, echoing the shape of the South African flag. It has become a landmark for Durban, both architecturally and as a symbol of post-apartheid South Africa trying to present itself on a global stage.

After the tournament, it transitioned into a multi-purpose venue—soccer, rugby, concerts, even some unusual attractions like a cable car ride to the top of the arch and one of the world’s largest stadium swings. 

Moses Mabhida Stadium

Moses Mabhida Stadium

The stadium's namesake, Moses Mabhida, was a South African anti-apartheid activist and political leader, best known for his role in the struggle against white minority rule. Unlike some of the more globally famous figures, he operated mostly behind the scenes, helping coordinate resistance, building international support, and maintaining the political structure of the movement during some of its toughest years. He died in 1986, before apartheid ended, so he never saw the democratic South Africa that leaders like Nelson Mandela would later help establish.

The stadium in Durban was named after him to honor his contribution to the liberation struggle, and there's a statue of him just outside.

Moses Mabhida Statue

There is also a large statue of Nelson Mandela in the courtyard of the stadium. At some 10 meters (33 feet) high, it's quite imposing.

Nelson Mandela Statue

Durban Botanic Gardens

The highlight of our tour through town was an hour-long stop at the Durban Botanic Gardens. Established in 1849, it’s the oldest surviving botanical garden in Africa and actually began as a kind of experimental farm. Scientists back then were trying to figure out which crops (like sugar, tea, and coffee) would thrive in the region.

Over time, it evolved into something much broader. Today it covers about 15 hectares (37 acres) and functions as a mix of public park, conservation center, and living museum of plants from around the world. Because of Durban’s subtropical climate, plants from Asia, South America, and other warm regions do especially well here, so they boast a surprisingly global collection.

What follows is a collection of pictures that I took there. Unfortunately, I'm no botanist, so I don't know the names of any of the flowers that I saw (except maybe for the Bird of Paradise). There were no tags or signs on any of the plants (apart from the trees), so I just had to admire them and enjoy the experience.

Natal Fig Tree

I'll leave you with a bit of humor. As we toured around town today, we stopped at the city hall. This sign was outside, listing all the prohibited items and activities in the area. Might have been easier to itemize what you're allowed do!

Coming Up

Tomorrow we'll be in East London, South Africa. It'll be a short stop and my only excursion will be a tour around the town, similar to what I did in Durban today.

Until Then,
Jim