The Durban North Coast hillsides are covered in sugar cane fields, with excellent beaches and cultural tourism. Some of the places of interest along the north coast of Durban are as follows:

Umhlanga Rocks

Umhlanga Rocks is an upmarket holiday resort with luxury hotels, shopping centers and many restaurants. All year skiboating, with boats available for hire from the Cabana Beach Hotel.

The Natal Sharks Board offers educational presentations at their premises, focusing on the main-eating predators: Zambezi, tiger, great white and ragged-tooth sharks. .

Dolphin Coast

The region from the Umdloti River to the Tugela is known as the Dolphin Coast, as Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins can be seen here all year round. The larger humpback dolphins are also present throughout the year, but as they are very shy, they are rarely seen. Common dolphins follow the sardine run northwards in winter. Both bottlenose and common dolphins are extremely playful, swimming alongside humans, and following boats.

Richard's Bay

Richards Bay is shipping port, with a rapidly growing industrial sector. Transport from Richard's Bay airport to some hotels and game reserves can be arranged through the establishments concerned.

Stanger

Shaka, the Zulu king, had an important military outpost at Stanger, and this is where he met his death at the hands of assassins. He was buried the following day, upright in a grain pit. The site is commemorated by a monument in Couper Street, the main entrance to Stanger. Memorabilia from the early days of the sugar cane industry can be seen in the Natal North Coast Museum in Glendow Mill Street. The bustling, colourful Indian market has an atmosphere all of its own.

Sodwana Bay National Park

Sodwana Bay National Park Coral reef attracts scuba divers all year round and powerboaters arrive in summer for some of the best marlin fishing in the world. Barracuda and kingfish are also caught in summer, while winter is the time for shad and stumpnose. A dune forest dotted with cycads is alive with small mammals.

St. Lucia Game Reserve

St Lucia Lake is recognised Internationally as a heritage site. The reserve contains some of the highest forested dunes in the world, as well as swamp and sand forest, palm veld and various woodland vegetarian types. St Lucia is a fisherman's paradise, with excellent bird life. Wildlife includes black rhino, suni, pangolin and red duiker, marine turtles, breeding populations of pink-backed pelicans, Caspian terns, flamingos, and the largest crocodile, hippo and reedbuck populations in South Africa.