Flying into Durban on a business trip, conference or seaside vacation? What better place to stay than in the suburb of La Mercy, a 20 minute drive from the centre of Durban and with the King Shaka International Airport located within its boundaries?
La Mercy is situated on the east coast of South Africa in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The suburb has a variety of accommodation, is located alongside a lagoon and just a single block away from the coast. The region has magnificent weather, warm sandy beaches and thick vegetation as far as the eye can see. While La Mercy has little commercial activity, there are a bewildering array of beach resorts and large shopping and entertainment facilities nearby. La Mercy’s award-winning international airport has close to 50 retails stores.
The suburb was named by a wealthy Mauritian sugar baron who owned much of the property in the area. The name La Mercy is a modification of La Mer (French for The Sea).
Top 6 reasons to visit La Mercy
1. Lather up on sunscreen and, towel in hand, walk down to Umdloti to enjoy a relaxing day on the beach. Hire a board if you would like to try out surfing or a canoe to row down the length of the lagoon.
2. Get your sunglasses, beach gear, reading material and stock up on wine supplies at the stores located at the international airport. Make sure to keep your receipts for artwork, curio and jewellery purchases to claim back on VAT upon your return.
3. Visit the Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom where the fun never stops. The resort is open 24/7 and has over 1000 slot machines and close to 50 tables for high rollers to chance their luck. Several restaurants, cafés, bars and fast food outlets on the premises.
4. Make sure to try the prawn curry at the Seabelle Restaurant, a much-loved dish at this eatery that is so popular that the proprietors won an award for promoting tourism in the region.
5. For those seeking late night entertainment, travel to Ballito Bay to dance the night away at one of the many nightclubs or chill over good conversation at a lounge bar.
6. The Mount Edgecombe Country Club has 2 magnificent golf courses, vastly different in both layout and difficulty. The parkland course meets USGA specifications.
Transport
The nearest airport is located in the suburb! There are many car rental agencies at King Shaka International Airport to hire a vehicle or you could order a rental online. Rikki Cabs operate out of King Shaka airport otherwise if you have the Uber app, order a ride via your mobile phone.
Did you know?
The King Shaka International Airport was designed such that the landing and take-off flight paths and schedules do not affect the migratory path of the barn swallow which roosts in reed beds south-west of the airport. Over 5 million birds arrive every springtime.
King Shaka International Airport has won the best regional airport in Africa for several years running. The awards are based on customer satisfaction reports.
La Mercy was a township allocated to Indian families during South Africa’s apartheid years between the 1940s and the early 1990s. This prime area is now home to our rainbow nation.
