With school holidays here, Durban was a hive of activity on a recent trip to the city.
The excitement is palpable as children in swimwear rush out of the Garden Court South Beach hotel lobby, dragging their parents to the beach.
After a five-hour drive in the heat from Johannesburg, the inner child in me starts bouncing up and down at the thought of walking on the sand and getting into the ocean.
Yet, I am also looking forward to checking out our hotel room and freshening up.
Booked into the deluxe room and located on the second floor, my first thought at hearing this is that I'd miss the beautiful views that such high-rise buildings offer.
My concerns fade away as I walk out of the room through the sliding door.
A step outside leads you to the pool area surrounded by a beautiful garden. And guess what? One can still enjoy the beach from this height.
The beach is filled with families. As the sun goes down, the crowds disperse and couples are seen strolling along the shore.
Some have advantage of the bike-hire facilities and are seen cycling around on matching bikes.
The next day, after a short drive to the uShaka Marine World, I head into a day packed with activities.
First on the list is snorkelling at the Sea Animal Encounters.
Equipped with gear to keep afloat, I get to swim with the fishes (of course, not in the Al Capone gangster film way).
Then on to the Shark cage dive. I must admit my fear wouldn't allow me to completely let go and fully immerse myself into the water for a face-to-face encounter with this dangerous sea creature.
After such an adventurous morning, it was time to enjoy the rest of what this popular tourist destination has to offer.
This included the aquarium, the dolphin show and the fun rides at the Wet 'n Wild section of the park.
A wonderful seafood meal at the Cargo Hold restaurant was a great way to end the day.
This eatery, situated in the stern of the Phantom Ship, offers customers superb views of the aquarium and shark tank. Do note that tank tables have to be reserved two to three weeks in advance.
The following day I enjoyed a half-day tour of Durban.
This tour is via a Ricksha bus along the long stretch of waterfront - including the Golden Mile and uShaka Marine World, and takes an educational trip through Florida Road, Mitchell Park, Morningside (including the house of King Goodwill Zwelithini and the house of President Cyril Ramaphosa) - the Cube viewpoint, Wilson's Wharf and the city centre. This is also a chance to see the city's art deco architecture and learn about its history and culture.
Now take all of that, add the warm Indian ocean and you have the perfect family break.
Boshomane was hosted by Tsogo Sun's Garden Court South Beach
Durban: The perfect holiday destination for tourists
With school holidays here, Durban was a hive of activity on a recent trip to the city.
The excitement is palpable as children in swimwear rush out of the Garden Court South Beach hotel lobby, dragging their parents to the beach.
After a five-hour drive in the heat from Johannesburg, the inner child in me starts bouncing up and down at the thought of walking on the sand and getting into the ocean.
Yet, I am also looking forward to checking out our hotel room and freshening up.
Booked into the deluxe room and located on the second floor, my first thought at hearing this is that I'd miss the beautiful views that such high-rise buildings offer.
My concerns fade away as I walk out of the room through the sliding door.
A step outside leads you to the pool area surrounded by a beautiful garden. And guess what? One can still enjoy the beach from this height.
The beach is filled with families. As the sun goes down, the crowds disperse and couples are seen strolling along the shore.
Some have advantage of the bike-hire facilities and are seen cycling around on matching bikes.
The next day, after a short drive to the uShaka Marine World, I head into a day packed with activities.
First on the list is snorkelling at the Sea Animal Encounters.
Equipped with gear to keep afloat, I get to swim with the fishes (of course, not in the Al Capone gangster film way).
Then on to the Shark cage dive. I must admit my fear wouldn't allow me to completely let go and fully immerse myself into the water for a face-to-face encounter with this dangerous sea creature.
After such an adventurous morning, it was time to enjoy the rest of what this popular tourist destination has to offer.
This included the aquarium, the dolphin show and the fun rides at the Wet 'n Wild section of the park.
A wonderful seafood meal at the Cargo Hold restaurant was a great way to end the day.
This eatery, situated in the stern of the Phantom Ship, offers customers superb views of the aquarium and shark tank. Do note that tank tables have to be reserved two to three weeks in advance.
The following day I enjoyed a half-day tour of Durban.
This tour is via a Ricksha bus along the long stretch of waterfront - including the Golden Mile and uShaka Marine World, and takes an educational trip through Florida Road, Mitchell Park, Morningside (including the house of King Goodwill Zwelithini and the house of President Cyril Ramaphosa) - the Cube viewpoint, Wilson's Wharf and the city centre. This is also a chance to see the city's art deco architecture and learn about its history and culture.
Now take all of that, add the warm Indian ocean and you have the perfect family break.
Boshomane was hosted by Tsogo Sun's Garden Court South Beach