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.