Durban began in 1824 as a British trading post at Port Natal, land granted by the Zulu king Shaka, and was renamed in 1835 for the Cape Colony's governor, Sir Benjamin D'Urban. From 1860, indentured labourers from India worked Natal's sugar plantations; roughly 200,000 arrived over five decades, and their descendants still shape the city more than in almost any other place outside India. That shows up on the plate: bunny chow, curry in a hollowed half-loaf, was invented by Durban's Indian workers in the 1940s for a fast, portable lunch. The city runs the busiest port in sub-Saharan Africa, with hot, humid summers and the one mild, dry South African winter on this map.
Nights sit around 16°C and afternoons around 24°C, though some nights drop to 13°C.
The year in Durban moves gently: summer afternoons sit around 29°C, winter ones around 24°C.
Some summer days reach 32°C, and some winter nights drop to 9°C.
Most of the rain falls in summer, least in winter. In December it rains about 15 days in 30; in July, 5.
Wind is rarely an issue; most months sit between calm and a light breeze. Air quality is worth watching: May averages an AQI of 65, while February clears to 55.
Days stretch to about 13.9 hours of light in December and shrink to 10.1 in June — something to weigh if you work to a fixed timezone.
For what you're after, the best months in Durban are December – April. Expect fast internet (75 Mbps) and a moderate cost of living (about €1150 a month).
Affiliate links: if you book through them I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
