Quintessentially Durban

Renowned for miles of sandy “Blue Flag” beaches, winding pedestrian promenades, warm seas, and a laid-back lifestyle, Durban’s North Coast remains a perennial favourite with holiday investors and residents alike. Property options range from grand old homes on the Berea, with shaded verandas and sweeping views across the city bowl and Indian Ocean, through central Durban North, to Umhlanga Rocks — the North Coast’s own glitzy Sandton by the Sea. We’ve compiled a list of some coastal classics to fuel your tropical property fantasies.

HUNTERS WAY Riverside, Durban North

This home’s wraparound Victorian veranda provides an ideal spot for G&Ts or afternoon tea and biscuits, overlooking lush gardens, large established trees, and an inviting lap pool. Original interiors feature strip timber flooring and double-volume tongue-in-groove ceilings. Originally a hunting lodge, the property has carefully been updated to create an excellent indoor-outdoor flow, with en-suite bedrooms, an open-plan kitchen, and plenty of natural light that floods in through elegant sash windows. 

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EDGE OF THE SEA Lagoon Drive, Umhlanga

A lock-up-and-go penthouse in the heart of Umhlanga, set in indigenous gardens, and right on the main beach. This apartment offers ample accommodation, open-plan receptions, and a wraparound veranda with virtually uninterrupted ocean vistas — what more could you ask for? 

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HAWAAN DRIVE Hawaan Forest Estate

This ultra-modern home in the Hawaan Forest Eco Estate seamlessly transitions from slick open-plan indoor spaces to an expansive deck and rim-flow swimming pool. Located above Umhlanga and surrounded by indigenous forest, the property commands a spectacular view over the greenery to the boundless blue horizon. 

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SUNDRIDGE Mentone Road, Morningside

An Edwardian mansion that radiates gracious Old Durban character. You enter through a colonnaded portico into a generous hallway that opens out to well-proportioned reception rooms with views over the city and Indian Ocean. Period fixtures include timber floors, panelled feature walls, stained-glass windows, and even an oriel window. This home promises the perfect Durban lifestyle: relaxing at the pool, exploring the terraced gardens and ponds, or simply lazing away on the upstairs sleeping porch — and enjoying the summer year round. 

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THE EXECUTIVE La Lucia Ridge, Umhlanga

This minimalist mansion in low-key La Lucia is designed with floor-to-ceiling windows, luxuriously appointed interiors, and lots of space for family and friends. You’ll probably feel as if you’re on holiday all year round. Isn’t that exactly why we love Durban? 

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• From the August edition of Wanted, 2021.