3 Best Sights in Durban and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Popular with big tour buses, PheZulu is the equivalent of fast-food tourism, good for people who want a quick-fix African experience. A tour of the cultural village, in collaboration with the Gasa clan, with its traditional beehive huts gives some insight into African traditions, and there are performances of traditional Zulu dancing, but the operation is not as vibrant or professional as the cultural villages up north in Zululand. An old-fashioned crocodile farm and snake park is fairly interesting, if a little tacky. The curio shop is enormous; you can probably get just about any type of African memento or booklet imaginable. Impala and zebra are frequently spotted on the hour-long game drive (additional fee). Accommodations are available on the property and can be booked online.

A living museum of Zulu culture, Shakaland is one of the most popular tourist stops in the region. Originally the movie set for Shaka Zulu (1987), it consists of a traditional 19th-century Zulu kraal, with thatch beehive huts arranged in a circle around a central cattle enclosure. Watch traditionally dressed Zulus making beer, forging spears, and crafting beadwork. Opt for a three-hour day tour with lunch or spend the night. A Zulu cultural adviser leads you through the kraal, explaining the significance of the layout and the roles played by men and women in traditional Zulu society. A highlight is a performance of traditional Zulu dances. This is undoubtedly an excellent introduction to Zulu culture, but some critics have labeled it Zulu Disneyland.

The first-rate Talana Museum, set in an 8-hectare (20-acre) heritage park, on the outskirts of Dundee, is well worth a visit. Fascinating exhibits, spread over 17 buildings, trace the history of the area, from the early San hunter-gatherers to the rise of the Zulu nation, the extermination of the cannibal tribes of the Biggarsberg, and, finally, the vicious battles of the South African (Anglo-Boer) War. The museum stands on the site of the Battle of Talana (October 20, 1899), the opening skirmish in the war, and two of the museum buildings were used by the British as medical stations during the battle. The military museum here is an excellent starting point for the Battlefields Route, where Zulus, Brits, and Boers battled it out for territory and glory. Reenactments, living history, and special events are regular features.