Boasting the deepest natural harbour in South Africa, Richards Bay lies on the Indian Ocean coastline north-east of Durban. It was established by Sir Markus Eugene Brown during the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War and once boasted the world’s largest coal exportation facility.
Things to do in Richards Bay
In the heart of Richards Bay is the Boardwalk Inkwazi Shopping Centre, which is home to more than 150 retail stores selling everything from clothing to homewares and electronics. In addition to H&M, Identity and House & Home, the mall features a Woolworths supermarket and a Pick n Pay. Dining options range from Domingo’s Pizza and Mac’s Fish & Chips to the Bronco Creek Spur Steak Ranch.
A short drive west of Richards Bay is the Ngoye Forest Reserve, an ancient tract of coastal scarp forest that provides habitat for rare and endemic species. In addition to Ngoye dwarf cycads and Natal grass cycads, it’s home to red bush squirrels and Woodward’s barbets. The Ngoye Forest Reserve also serves as a breeding site for endangered spotted ground thrush and eastern bronze-naped pigeons.
Dominating the coastline south of Richards Bay is the Durnford Point Lighthouse, a whitewashed tower named after a 19th-century British colonial engineer, Colonel A.W. Durnford. It was originally erected in 1916 as a lattice steel tower to assist ships travelling along the adjacent coastline. You can combine your visit with a stop at Esikhaleni King Cetshwayo Beach where the Zulu king embarked on a ship for exile in the United Kingdom.
Getting around Richards Bay
Richards Bay Airport is 10 minutes’ drive from the city centre and has regular flights to Johannesburg. Long-distance buses connect to Richards Bay, although renting a car will give you greater freedom to explore the city.