Durban - Post Report Question and Answers
Do you feel that it is safe to walk, run or hike outside? Are there areas where bike riding is possible? What is the availability and safety of outdoor space for exercising? Are these easily accessible?
Yes. You have to stay aware and don't flash valuables, but it is safe to walk around residential neighborhoods and other nearby towns during daylight hours (which starts at 4:30 am in the summer). The only place which is truly unsafe at all hours is the Durban Central Business District (CBD). We frequent the beachfront (Addington Beach and North Beach) which runs parallel to the CBD, but only during day light hours and we don't stray from the action packed promenade and beach. There are few areas to walk/hike in the vicinity. They are more like nature reserves with some groomed paths, but they get the job done. Less than an hour away there are more serious walks/hikes. Three hours away and you are in the Drakensberg mountains, which have an endless amount of trails waiting to be discovered. Some easy, some moderate, and some challenging, and all beautiful! I'm a surfer, so most of my exercising takes places in the ocean and on the beach. There are frequent ocean swims (1 mile, 800 meter, 2 mile distances). My husband cycles and has found a local cycling group he joins every so often. There are park runs dotted all around the city. We have a lot of local friends mostly through our sports activities. - Sep 2024
