Durban International Airport lies in the city of Durban in South Africa. It was earlier called as the Louis Botha Airport. The airport code is DUR and it has only one terminal. The airport has its official site as well that is www.airports.co.za. The runway of this airport is shared by the AFB Durban. This airport is the smallest out of the three affirmed international airport gateways of South Africa after Johannesburg and Cape Town. It has a single north-south runway that is surrounded by the Umlazi Canal towards north and the industrial suburb of prospecton to the southern direction.
You can get access to the airport from the N2 and M4 freeways. For a small span of time this airport was offered only intercontinental flights by the Singapore Airlines. Today, there are many international airlines that serve flights to South Africa through Johannesburg. The number of passengers is very less and the runway of this airport is too short for Boeing 747 to take off. During the year 2007, this airport served some 4.4 million passengers.
The airlines that are operated from this airport are 1Time, Air Mauritius, Airlink, British Airways that are operated by Comair, Emirates, Interlink Airlines, Kulula.com, Mango, South African Airways and South African Express. The construction of new King Shaka International Airport at La Mercy is in progress and is situated at a distance of 30 kilometres to the north of Durban. The construction work is expected to be finished in the year 2010 before the hosting of football World Cup at South Africa.
Spaces for car parking are available in open air and shaded areas of the airport. Once you arrived at the airport you can hire cars of various companies from the desks situated in arrivals areas. Companies like Avis, Budget, Imperial, Hertz, Europcar, Khaya, National, Sixt and Thrifty operates from the airport. Airport shuttle services are also available at the airport. Super Shuttle, Coastal Motor Transport and Cheetah Coaches operate from the airport. Besides this, taxi operators like A Hassan, Aussies Radio Taxis, Boshoff, Checkers Radio Taxis and Eagle Radio Taxis are available at the airport to take you around the city.
For any guidance you have information desk and an Airports Company South Africa Information Centre which you could found in the Departures passage. In the Arrivals you have Teleguide hotel information board and a MR Info touch screen information from where you can seek further information. Along with this a tourism information office are also available in the domestic arrivals area that operates by KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Authority, Durban Africa and ACSA. This office will provide you all the details related to events, attractions and accommodation. In the terminal building you will also get ACSA courtesy help line telephones.
After arriving here, do not worry for anything as all the basic facilities are available at the airport. ATMs are situated on the ground floor of Arrivals Terminal. On the ground floor of International Departures and in the Arrivals Terminal you will get a banking hall and also bureaux de change. In the terminal building you will get a post office. Not only this, fax and internet facilities are also there in the arrivals terminal at the tourism information office.
Besides this, you have bars and restaurants along with the steak house, pizzerias, a cigar bar and a coffee shop. For shopping you will get plenty of shops that are available at the airport. Duty-free shops, florist and sports shops, luggage all are available at the airport. Also prayer room is been provided for the Muslim passengers. For conference and business you have ACSA VIP Lounge & Conference in Arrivals. Also other facilities are domestic South African Airways Business Class Lounge is situated in Departures area and Premier Lounge lies in the departures terminal. Well you won’t get any hotels at the airport but close to the airport you will get various Bed and Breakfasts. So first book a room here and then start with a fresh mood to explore the city.
Durban is a popular tourist destination as well as a business destination. Here you will get many attractions to see and visit like museums, theatres and galleries and Art-Deco style Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World. You can also enjoy by watching rugby and football matches at the historic Kings Park Stadium and also at uShaka Marine World. The uShaka marine world is the world’s fifth largest aquarium where you will find all the marine lives like from the huge sharks to the friendly dolphins.
Durban has a warm climate with the summer season that remains from November to the month of March. The summer brings very high humidity that makes the season wettest year round. Tourists throng here to soak up the sun on the Golden Mile of sandy beaches. Rainy season is the greatest season from the spring that starts from the month of October to autumn in the month of April. You can experience the strong tropical thunderstorms every day during the summer season especially in the months of December, January and February.
During winter you can enjoy the mild to warm temperature in the months of June to August. The nights are also remains temperate and sometimes humid. You can spend your time swimming in the Indian Ocean for all year round. Well, the best time to visit Durban is between autumn and spring when the temperatures remain low. Most of the tourists could be found during those seasons.
Well, when you reach at Durban few of the things you should do here after accommodation is visiting at some most attractive places like Durban Jewish Club, Phezulu Safari Park, Bergtheil Museum, John Ross Statue, Umgeni River Bird Park and Japanese Gardens. You should also snorkel at the Vetch’s Pier and should try fishing at the North Beach Pier. To get a best taste of food go at the Joe Kools and wander around the stalls at Essenwood Craft Market during Saturday from where you can buy craft, art, treasures and many other collections.
The attractions of Durban are endless where you can experience much variety of attractions, sightseeing and some other places of interest. Though this airport provides almost every thing at your door step you should systematically plan your trip and enjoy this place entirely. The nature of Durban always welcomes tourist from each and every corner of the world. So just try flying at the Durban International Airport and feel the difference.
