Trade Shows » Country » South Africa » Durban

History & Evolution
Vasco da Gama arrived at the bay of the Durbanin the year 1497, and called it "Terra do Natal". In the year, 1825 a group of 25 men under British Lieutenant F. G. Farewell arrived from the Cape Colony and established a settlement on the northern shore of the Bay of Natal, near today's Farewell Square. The town gets its name from its former Governor Sir Benjamin D'Urban. The city got its present name in the year 1824. The city of Durban was headed by a British governor.

The city grew in population as many people migrated from Europe and the Cape colony to Durban. The Britishers established a sugar cane industry in the 1860s. Britishers brought several laborers from India and their other Asian colonies to Durban. The laborers were hired on a contract of five years. Thus the Asian community began to grow in Durban. Today Durban is largely influenced from Asian culture and has a large Asian community. Asian flavor can be seen in the culture, cuisine and festivals of the city.

Site-Seeing
Durban has plenty of sites of historic importance. The city has many heritage sites that are visited by people from all over the world. The city's beautiful beaches, amazing architecture and magnificent buildings makes it one of the most loved tourist destinations in the world.

The Golden Mile:
The Golden Mile is a long stretch of beach front between South Beach to Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World in the north. This long stretch of golden sands is a a major tourist destination of Durban. One can enjoy the sub-tropical sunshine and warm waters of the Indian Ocean at the Golden Mile. The beach also serves as a surfers paradise. The Golden Mile has numerous residential apartments, hotels and resorts. Tourists from all over the world visit Golden Mile throughout the year. The golden mile also has a Blue Lagoon which is a popular fishing spot in South Africa. The beach front also houses an exact replica of the city of Durban. The Golden Mile is often crowded by the vendors. The major attraction of the beach front is Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World. The Golden Mile has restaurants, shops and other public entertainment facilities that are ingredients of a dream holiday.

Location: Between South Beach and Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World

uShaka Marine World:
uShaka Marine World is a major theme park in Durban. The park is further divided into following sections uShaka Sea World, uShaka Wet 'n Wild, uShaka Beach and uShaka Village Walk. The uShaka Marine World is the 5th largest aquarium, having almost all aquatic animals, from small sea horses to sharks and dolphins. The Phantom Ship is the gateway to the aquarium. The Ship houses several restaurants, a dolphin stadium and a Seal stadium. The uShaka Wet 'n Wild is a water park that has numerous rides for children as well as adults. The water park is a amjor entertainment center that attracts people from all over south Africa.] The other major attraction of the uShaka Marine World is uShaka Beach.

Location: Harbor

Gateway Theatre of Shopping:
Gateway Theatre of Shopping is the largest shopping center not only in South Africa but in the whole southern hemisphere. The Gateway Theatre of Shopping opened in September 2001 with an area of over 160,000 sq. metres. The Shopping center is visited by millions each month and has become a premier shopping destination in South Africa. The Gateway has 18 movie theatres and an IMAX theatre. The center has more than sixty restaurants. The center also has an arcade and a theme park called Fantasy Forest. The fantasy forest is a 4000 square meter skate park.

Location: Umhlanga Ridge