The Boathouse in Ballito is offering a Stay for 4, Pay for 3 deal for the month of May only.

This 4* beach front retreat invites you to relax in splendour in Ballito, at the heart of the Dolphin Coast near Durban. Known as the pearl of the Dolphin Coast, Ballito is flanked by golden beaches and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, and is a popular destination for spotting the bottle-nose dolphin off the coast line.

Guests can enjoy a leisurely breakfast overlooking Salmon Bay, while watching dolphins playing in the waves, before setting out for an activity-filled day or just soaking up the sun next to the swimming pool.

The guest house has direct access to the beach, offering the opportunity for lengthy strolls along the Dolphin Coast line.

Each room is individually decorated in its own colour scheme of fabric and style, and most have sea views.

The new airport for Durban (the King Shaka International Airport - or KSIR for short) has just announced that it will be fully operational from 1st May 2010.

All flights into Durban will go through here as of this date.

The current airport will be closed on the 30th April once the last flight into here has safely landed.

Although already a beautiful lodge, the Phinda Forest Lodge has undergone a recent refurbishment … and if it was ever possible to improve on perfection - well, they have successfully achieved this !

Forest Lodge is just one of lodges situated in the 22,000 hectare Big 5 Phinda Game Reserve, just 3 hours from Durban.

Forest Lodge is unique, in that it is extremely eco-sensitive, and it is set deep in a sand forest within the heart of the reserve. The refurbishment took over a year to complete, and care was taken to protect the natural surroundings.

The suites all now boast newly tiled bathrooms, and each suite has been completely repainted with colours reflecting the Zulu culture and which accentuate the dark, handsome furniture used throughout. Each suite now offers complete privacy and intimacy.

The main guest area in the lodge has also been extended, with over 100 square metres (330 square feet) being added to the deck, splitting it now into 2 levels. The boma area has also been completely rebuit, with the addition of an elevated platform designed to accommodate nighttime choir performances for guests enjoyment while dining around the open fire under the stars.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better … you can also stay here for 4 nights and only pay for 3 between the 6th April and the 10th October (excluding the World Cup period).

So go on … why not ask us to check availability for you now so that you can experience this all for yourself ?

For football fans visiting South Africa during the FIFA World Cup in 2010, and staying in and around Durban and Port Elizabeth to follow their teams, they can have the opportunity to stay somewhere completely unique - on a luxury cruise ship !

Durban Harbour will be host to the MS Noordam, which is one of the world’s biggest and most luxurious cruise ship and has over 950 cabins. Port Elizabeth Harbour will host the equally luxurious and large MS Westerdam for part of the tournament, also with over 950 cabins. Both cruise ships will give fans the opportunity to live aboard during the World Cup period and experience the unbeatable combination of a luxury cruise and soccer !

The MS Noordam will be moored at Durban Harbour for the majority of the tournament, but will also cruise around the coastline to dock at PE Harbour for the quarter-final and for the playoff for the 3rd and 4th place.

The MS Westerdam will be moored at PE Harbour for the first 14 days of the tournament, and then will cruise between PE and Cape Town for the rest of the time.

Day and half-day tours will also be offered to fans on board, which they can take advantage of inbetween games to explore the host cities.

An upcoming event in KwaZulu-Natal is the International Orchid Show that will be held in Durban from 24th – 27th September 2009.

The show will feature rare and exotic blooms, and is guaranteed to be a show full of colour for anyone, even if you are not an avid gardener !

There are also 4 major orchid growers in the province, so you could also combine the show with a visit to the actual orchid farms.

Situated overlooking the historic, famous landmark that is the Umhlanga lighthouse, The Oyster Box Hotel, which originally opened in 1954, has long been one of South Africa’s best-loved and most distinguished hotels. The 1st October 2009 will see this luxury boutique hotel reopen its doors to guests following a lengthy restoration project under The Red Carnation Hotel Collection. It promises to ooze the same abundance of colonial charm and original character it always did – but now with state-of-the-art technology to bring this legend into the 21st century!

The stylish décor will be an elegant combination of natural stones and woods; complemented by soothing, light colours and shades of the hotel’s beautiful surroundings. The hotel will boast 86 luxurious and individually designed rooms, an array of dining options and bars (including the award winning Grill Room and an Oyster Bar), an extensive spa and fitness facility as well as 2 heated pools including an infinity pool overlooking the ocean.

It will also have a small cinema and a kids club.

But the “X-factor” for this property will always remain its key location on one of the most prestigious pieces of coastline you could ask for. Few places can offer the same sweeping views of the Indian Ocean, lush landscaped tropical gardens and direct beach access!

The Oyster Box Hotel is a few minutes walk from Umhlanga Village Centre, with easy access to Durban, the airport and numerous shopping centres, including free shuttles all day to the Gateway Theatre of Shopping.

Durban has been listed as one of the top 10 family beach holiday cities in the world by travel publishing heavyweight Lonely Planet.

It shares the prestigious list with the likes of Kauai in Hawaii, Cottlesloe in Australia, Karon Beach in Thailand, Portugal’s Tavira, Mexico’s Sayulita and Bali’s Sanur in the latest edition of Lonely Planet’s “Travel with Children”.

The latest guidebook says, “Durban resembles a gigantic resort holiday paradise, raised for the sole purpose of entertaining families,” the Lonely Planet publication says of the city in its section on South Africa. “Lined with safe beaches watched over by lifeguards, the Golden Mile is great for swimming, snorkelling and water sports.”

Emirates’ connectivity will soon span 3 major FIFA 2010 World Cup host cities, as of 1 October 2009, when they introduce daily direct flights, both inbound and outbound, between Dubai and Durban International Airport and later the new King Shaka Airport.

An A330-200 will service the route with 27 business-class and 251 economy-class seats. The Dubai-Durban flight will cover a distance of over 6,600 kms in 8 hours 40 minutes. EK774 will depart Dubai daily at 04:45 hours and arrive in Durban at 11:25 hours. EK775 will depart Durban at 13:15 hours and arrive in Dubai at 23:45 hours.

“Tourism KwaZulu-Natal is elated that Emirates will be launching direct flights to our beautiful province, which will now be opened to the world – making inbound and outbound travel far easier and cost effective. This move by Emirates sets a positive outlook for the city of Durban, KwaZulu- Natal as a province and South Africa as a whole,” said Ndabo Khoza, CEO – Tourism KwaZulu-Natal. “As Tourism KZN, we have pledged our support for Emirates to make the route a resounding success and prove sceptics wrong. The spotlight is on South Africa as we move closer to the 2010 World Cup. Let us shine back.”

The city of Durban has wasted no time, effort or expense to ensure it is ready for the 2010 World Cup in June next year. The various projects are progressing full-steam ahead at an estimated cost of over R5 billion.

THE STADIUM: Taking its design inspiration from the South African flag, this impressive new structure on the Durban skyline is a world-class, state-of-the-art, multifunctional arena located in the heart of the Kings Park Sporting Precinct, seating 70,000 people. The retractable roof, that can cover around 80% of the stadium, means this venue can host events 365 days of the year. The stadium also incorporates Imbizo Place with over 7000m2 of retail space, an amphitheatre and a cable car up to the viewing platform on the arch, offering breathtaking views over the ocean and city.

KING SHAKA AIRPORT: A brand new airport in the North of the city at La Mercy will link Durban and the rest of the country/world.
The new airport will be able to handle larger aircraft, more people and will provide a direct international link to Durban.

INFRASTRUCTURE: There is also major work happening along freeways and highways, on the streets leading to the stadium
and the planting of trees in parks and in other public open spaces, all of which are being done with the tournament firmly in mind.

Another of the major projects that will radically change the face of Durban is the R100m upgrade of the Golden Mile (Durban’s famous beachfront). Not only will this area incorporate the FIFA Fan Park at New Beach, it will also house a “Fan Mile” where people can buy food or drink while watching the matches at one of the many cafes or restaurants that will be scattered around. This Fan Mile will run along the beach from the Fan Park to the stadium itself. Two public viewing areas will also be set up, where matches can be watched on a plethora of big-screen TVs.

This new facelift for the city, combined with other initiatives to improve safety and security overall - will leave Durban an even more beautiful, friendly and safe place.

The Drakensberg mountains in KwaZulu Natal are just a couple of hours north-west of Durban and are one of the most spectacular natural features of Africa.

Nature lovers will enjoy the many walking trails and hikes offered in the region, and in addition to soaking up the natural beauty of this World Heritage Site there are countless other activities including horse riding, fly-fishing, and art-courses to be enjoyed.

Whilst it would be possible to visit the mountains as a day trip from Durban or even Johannesburg, this really would be passing up the opportunity to stay in one of the most scenic parts of Africa. Accommodation around the Drakensberg range from clean comfortable lodges in the foothills of the mountains to luxurious guest houses and small hotels a little further out.

The less expensive places offer a clean, comfortable base from which to enjoy the great outdoors, whilst many of the more expensive places are the best of their type in the country and destinations in their own right, with excellent service and food presented in old colonial homesteads or restored farms.