If you’re looking for African stuff including beads, handcraft and African prints, the Victoria Street Market in Durban is the place to visit!

We were informed that the Chief of Police did not recommend cruise passenger to visit the downtown Durban (unless on an organised excursion). After our visit to the Botanic Gardens yesterday via the excellent People Mover buses We were confident to visit here on our own. This is a market for local people although there are plenty of stalls selling souvenirs. At no time did we feel uncomfortable or intimidated and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.The Great Market! Loved the spice shops and very nice African bead and basket shops. Very interesting, especially pleased to see locals shopping there! Recommend you taxi there.

The Great Market! Loved the spice shops and very nice African bead and basket shops. Very interesting, especially pleased to see locals shopping there! Recommend you taxi there.

Durban has its own Indian district. Sadly they don’t have a catchy name like Chinatown, but they do have Victoria Street Market. Kurtas, saris, incense, other fabrics, spices and pretty much anything appropriately Indian is available here. The place is a thrill for the senses, with over a hundred and fifty stalls filling the air with sharp, spicy scents. Apart from spices, there’s a market for seafood, meat, fruits and vegetables. And naturally, the Indian atmosphere wouldn’t be complete if you didn’t get a chance to bargain so go ahead and test your negotiation skills against the vendors. The atmosphere here is heady with exotic energy. Close by, you’ll find the Grey Market, which has more Indian shops and architecture. Make sure you tuck into an Atom Bomb curry.

This is a fun market to visit – shopkeepers and assistants are really friendly and only a couple were pushy. There is a lot of beautiful Zulu and Xhosa beaded jewelry here and if you’re around for a few days, you can also commission pieces. You don’t have to haggle if it makes you uncomfortable – prices are comparable to other markets (just have an idea of how much things should cost before you go). Others have commented on the safety of the surrounding neighborhood. It’s crowded but safe. As long as you aren’t flashing your money and phone around, you’ll be fine. I waked to the market from the eastern part of Durban Central and felt perfectly comfortable. The neighborhood has a lot of interesting fabric and clothing shops as well as street vendors selling all sorts of things. It’s worth having a look around if you’re already in the area.

The Victoria Street Market is a touristy Durban market where one can buy lots of souvenirs! Spices, bracelets, African/Indian dresses and little trinkets are sold here.