Brighton Beach, Durban

Brighton beach, regarded along with Anstey’s as the main beach on the Bluff of Durban, lies roughly halfway between Durban’s city centre and the Durban International Airport south of Durban, give or take a couple of kilometres.

Brighton beach does tend to suffer something of an inferiority complex, when compared with her sister, Anstey’s beach. People flock here during the summer season particularly whilst Anstey’s enjoyed blue flag status. Both Brighton beach and Anstey’s have a very laid-back appeal, locals are mellow, it’s always hot, no matter the time of year (Durban seldom experiences temperatures under 20 degrees unless you’re here in the middle of winter, and even then…), the waves are powerful and beautiful and the atmosphere is conducive to holiday fever. Surfers on the Bluff speak about “classic bluff right handers”, compare the waves here to Jeffreys Bay and G-Land and examine epic barrels the way the average person discusses the weather. The bottom line is that Brighton beach is the place to be south of Durban.

Brighton Beach is also within easy access of the uShaka Marine World, Africa’s largest marine theme park and home to the fifth-largest aquarium in the world. To say that there is a lot to do here for all age groups is an understatement, and one can well understand the lure of the wild water rides, the aquarium, dolphin displays and snorkelling in the lagoon. The venue also has its own restaurants and beach where one can join in the myriad water sports such as windsurfing, surfing, kite flying, boat charters or simply laze in the sun.