To highlight the fantastic beaches we have here in Durban! Keep the construction and changes in the Beachfront development thread

Central Durban beaches

uShaka Beach

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/DSC03911.jpg

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Views of the coastline from Country Club beach - right next to Moses Mabhida stadium

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View to the main Durban beachfront hub

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/DSC03955.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/DSC03956.jpg

View to Umhlanga

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/DSC03957.jpg

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how cold is the water in June/July ? Are all the beaches free to enter ?
btw, great pics.

how cold is the water in June/July ? Are all the beaches free to enter ?
btw, great pics.

all beaches are free. water will be about 20C

do you know if the beach right across the Happy Hippo Backpackers near uShaka is a good/clean beach for tourists to chill out ? And how do ya reckon I get to MM stadium from this location ?
thanks

the pictures above are of ushaka beach if u read the posts...yes its very popular and safe. the whole beachfront is... there are two ways to get to the stadium...walk along the new promenade thru the fan fest on north beach to the stadium. its 5km but enjoyable. check out the beachfront upgrade thread in the Dbn forum. or take the people mover.

thanks dysan. didnt see the post (now i did!), was more interested in the pics. but hey, that looks great. 5KM walk.. hmm.. have to decide on what other fans will be doing on match day from my backpackers.

Only Suncoast Beach you have to pay to enter it only charge R5( nice beach with deckchair, grass and sand) but i dont know how much they charge in world cup.

The charge at Suncoast is not to enter the beach, but to use the grassed deck area, which is managed by Suncoast. You can access the beach free by walking around the grass deck from the area in front of Pirates Lifesaver's Club.

Umhlanga's beaches

Uploaded on February 15, 2010
by mdeschod @flickr.com

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4360186660_ce665dbd3c_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2789/4359446517_d54b02f579_b.jpg

Uploaded on January 23, 2010
by djk_travels @flickr.com

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4299581488_54397e5d56_o.jpg

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http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/umhlbeach.jpg

umhlungas beaches are a lot smaller than I remeber them to be

They shrank alot after the massive waves a few years and have been growing steadily since. they are double the size at low tide

Yea after the huge storm waves that came a few years ago Umhlanga was devastated. But the beaches are slowly getting bigger and back to themselves :D

The glow of the Durban beachfront

http://travelinsider.qantas.com.au/images/gallery/golden-mile-waterfront_durban_0410_crsean-laurenz_large.jpg

Why Durban is always cloudy?

^^ Sub-tropical climate, warm ocean etc..

Winter should bring more clear skies though

^^ Sub-tropical climate, warm ocean etc..

Does that means less people on the beach? Those clouds means that rain a lot?

Nope...

If its not raining there are people on the beach even if its cloudy...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1343/4730357065_a4f790cfd0_b.jpg

by daniel loumeau @flickr.com

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/5033557755_f049494bff_z.jpg

Great angle for the 2nd pic! Looks as if Durban is about to be hit by a mega-tsunami. :omg::runaway:

That 2nd pic is epic...

Love it.

awesome pic i came across
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5064/5678531971_0676ff8859.jpg

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Thanks for sharing those fantastic photos.

lovely...thanks guys...

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wow, I need to hit durban beachfront asap. Looks too good..

Looking good! Stoked to see the changes from last October when I visit early in the new year.

awesome

Lydon should come say hi to us :)

beautiful. the beachfront is very clean.

I just keep thinking this would BLOW international visitors away - I mean, I know for a fact that most poms, ozzies, Germans and Americans have NO clue that South Africa has not one, but TWO world class beach cities.

Also, if you have time, try and post in the photo gallery section of the African forum - there is a thread there for Durbs -

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1452295&page=3

Great pics..1

Finally had time to upload some pics. Durban is undoubtedly Africa's definitive beach city.

These pics highlight Durban's biggest asset: its unrivalled diversity. No other city in South Africa, let alone the rest of Africa, even comes close. In fact, few cities globally can compete with Durban's astounding diversity. Black, White, Coloured, South Asian, East Asian, Middle Eastern. Traditional African, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Bhuddists. Durban has it all.

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Oh, we also have the hottest people too. Tee hee.

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^^ Deeyam!! WTF! Talk about a kaleidoscope, my brain in fried from all those colours that represent the rainbow nation. Just check the numbers, I love the fact that people are out in their numbers enjoying the new beachfront.

Fark it, there simply is no country better in the world. I don't even think Madiba himself envisaged us making it this far. Damn I love SA :banana:

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/268261_10150711154190294_898665293_19842428_2992852_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/263451_10150711154090294_898665293_19842427_1119529_n.jpg

That's South Africa for you...

nice to see Durban comes alive...on this forum at least :lol:

Check this out! Priceless. Good ol Greenpeace and Durban's Kumi Naidoo made it happen for #COP17

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFaCDrPbHUE

:banana:

man such diversity

nice to see Durban comes alive...on this forum at least :lol:

meaning?

^^ Don't worry, its some backhanded compliment, CPT-style...

Durban braces for beachfront influx

By Canaan Mdletshe

December 16 may be the best day in the year to start the festive season with fun and sun at one of Durban's beaches.

But for lifeguards and the Durban Metro Police, it is the busiest day on the holiday calendar.

Police officers on beach patrol are bracing themselves for thousands of holiday-makers who will flock to the beach on Friday.

Metro police spokesman Superintendent Eugene Msomi said many roads leading to the beachfront would be open only to permit holders.

"We want to encourage members of the public who would want to have access to the beachfront in cars to apply for permits because without a permit, we would not allow any vehicle to go through," he said, adding that the permits are free of charge.

"We will be deploying about 550 officers on busy days. We will also be conducting several roadblocks. We warn drunk drivers that we will have no mercy on them," he said

Lifeguard Sandile Shange said lifeguards were ready for any situation.

"More lifeguards and pool guards will be deployed at beaches that have attracted huge crowds in the past," he said.

"We have also made specific parking spaces for buses and taxis to offload and pick up beachgoers."

I still need to post pics from my October Durban holiday. Loved it, and I’m willing to concede that Durban is a better beach city than Cape Town! (A genuine compliment from a super-proud Capetonian)

^^Oh oh, somebody is asking to get his Rep. of Cape town passport revoked...

Durban braces for beachfront influx

By Canaan Mdletshe

December 16 may be the best day in the year to start the festive season with fun and sun at one of Durban's beaches.

But for lifeguards and the Durban Metro Police, it is the busiest day on the holiday calendar.

Police officers on beach patrol are bracing themselves for thousands of holiday-makers who will flock to the beach on Friday.

Metro police spokesman Superintendent Eugene Msomi said many roads leading to the beachfront would be open only to permit holders.

"We want to encourage members of the public who would want to have access to the beachfront in cars to apply for permits because without a permit, we would not allow any vehicle to go through," he said, adding that the permits are free of charge.

"We will be deploying about 550 officers on busy days. We will also be conducting several roadblocks. We warn drunk drivers that we will have no mercy on them," he said

Lifeguard Sandile Shange said lifeguards were ready for any situation.

"More lifeguards and pool guards will be deployed at beaches that have attracted huge crowds in the past," he said.

"We have also made specific parking spaces for buses and taxis to offload and pick up beachgoers."

this is a process that happens every year. the areas are only fully closed on high visitor days. then park at the likes of suncoast or two roads back or mm stadium and walk get on the peoplemover

For me Durban is a more 'immediate' beach city than Cape Town - as in, there is one beach that stretches all along the city frontline, it is really close to the city. They have done a great job of integrating the fun/bar/restaurant aspect with the surf sand ocean vive.
Ushaka and the bar on the pier, Suncoast casino and all the other little spots are very much part of the beach - it really feels like a summer party.

Cape Town is quite different. There are hundreds of beaches of all types and water temperatures, its more a collection of seaside suburbs and beach towns, hidden in the twisting and crennelated mountain landscape.
There is somewhat more adventure involved, and some of the most stunning photo-op beaches anywhere.

I love them both - I find Durbs more accessable and relaxing, somehow easier for a surf and a drink - maybe its the warmer water!
But I dont think of 'Cape Town' in terms of one beach, I think Llundudno and Dunes and Seaforth and Kalk Bay. And the variety and achingly beautiful settings stay with you wherever you go.

this is a process that happens every year. the areas are only fully closed on high visitor days. then park at the likes of suncoast or two roads back or mm stadium and walk get on the peoplemover

Ahh, cool, I wasnt sure to honest if it was a new feature of busy season control or not. Seems like all is in order, and its good they have dedicated bus/taxi pick up points too. all stands to reason when you have the mass influx that Durban beaches has every holidays that there'd be this approach in place :)
Also good they have sooo many police lol

^^ Deeyam!! WTF! Talk about a kaleidoscope, my brain in fried from all those colours that represent the rainbow nation. Just check the numbers, I love the fact that people are out in their numbers enjoying the new beachfront.

Fark it, there simply is no country better in the world. I don't even think Madiba himself envisaged us making it this far. Damn I love SA :banana:

Truly is an amazing sight!

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g370/jaheim2/f7e4239bf00f48f68387622410ea6e7f.jpg

PACKED: Several thousands of New Year party revellers and holidaymakers gather on the North Beach and the swimming pool during New Year festivities in Durban. (Rajesh Jantilal, AFP)

is that the beach coz i cant see the beach:lol:

I can only imagine what the place must have looked like after that x_X

http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg876/scaled.php?tn=0&server=876&filename=gahtm.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640

http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg878/scaled.php?tn=0&server=878&filename=71flj.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640

The first pic is definitely a safety hazard. :ohno:

Probably the second pic as well but it looks so cool. :lol:

And that is one of the reason most Durban residents avoid those beaches for the period between xmas and new years....toooooooo many ppl....

^^

where you get the notion that these people are not durban based ....if most are not there...as you have pontificated.....most of those in the shots are likely day trippers to the beach from the durban area. Unlikely so many people would en masse drive in from Jhb or long distance for a day on the beach.

^^

where you get the notion that these people are not durban based ....if most are not there...as you have pontificated.....most of those in the shots are likely day trippers to the beach from the durban area. Unlikely so many people would en masse drive in from Jhb or long distance for a day on the beach.

I get the notion from ALL the buses in and around the beach front area.... But since you live in your little walled compound in Mt Edgecombe or out of the country, you wouldn't actually know what its like on the streets would you?

ahh.....so the notion extends to your contentions that vetche`s doesnt need development as the beaches mostly cater for highly infrequent day trippers then......he enquires lock stock and barrel

I get the notion from ALL the buses in and around the beach front area.... But since you live in your little walled compound in Mt Edgecombe or out of the country, you wouldn't actually know what its like on the streets would you?

where i live has a fence around it ..correct...got issues with fences ??...good for keeping the property away from unwanted rodents etc like wild rabbit/hare, guinea foul, etc.....

whilst there are many more users of the beachfront, i was one who used it on xmas day, having ridden from the stadia complex to Vetche`s and back, it was a pleasure if not fun dodging the throng of durban people using the same space. Umhlanga beachfront prohibits bicycles, hence one swims there and drinks there.:cheers:

I really like the diversity of Durban.