Need to know

Population: 595,000 Languages: English, Zulu, Xhosa and Afrikaans Time zone: GMT+2 International dial code: +27

Visas: UK nationals can visit South Africa for up to 90 days without a visa.

Currency: South African rand (R), currrently around R19 to the UK£. The currency’s value also recently dropped significantly following the news that the economy had gone into recession.

ATMS: South Africa has an established banking system with no-fee ATMS readily available at bank branches, shopping centres and supermarkets. Independent ATMS can have high fees, so try to avoid them. Maximum cash withdrawal limits vary but are likely to be in the region of R2,000 (£105) to R5,000 (£263).

Credits cards: Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, including in some of the larger stores in the city’s markets. Recommended guidebook: Durban & Kwazulu Natal Footprint Focus Guide (2015) is a welcome spotlight on a part of the world that’s yet to be comprehensively covered by the big names in guidebook publishing.

Useful website: While not particularly attractive, worldtravelguide.net’s Durban page offers an in-depth overview of the city’s credentials, from getting around to its headline events.