SUP South Africa: Explore Addington Beach, Durban

Written by Robyn Dawson / June 2021

Addington Beach is a wide, sandy, clean beach on the Durban beachfront. It’s a smooth safe area of the Indian Ocean, where you can ride a wave, cruise with the dolphins or look back at the impressive city skyline from your board. So, whether you want to explore, cruise or surf – pump up your paddle board and hit the water at Addington Beach – you won’t be disappointed!

The local surf shop ‘Xpression on the Beach’ is located right on Addington beach. The store specializes in SUP and is the only paddle boarding school in Durban. Just a short paddle from the shop (approx. 500m) is a surf break called ‘Afro’s’ which often has a beginner-intermediate SUP wave making it a perfect spot for all abilities.

Hit the waves at Addington Beach: A top Surf SUP location

Durban is a surfing destination, and there are always waves here, so if you’re a SUP surfer, you’re in the right place, as there are plenty of places to catch a wave here. That’s not to say that you can’t cruise around these waters. The entrance to the harbour (just around the corner from Addington beach), provides protection from the huge swell making it a calm corner of the ocean to paddle on, and it’s quite something to paddle alongside a huge ship comes into port!

Highlights

The rocks along the harbour wall teem with marine life. Look down into the clear waters as you paddle and you’ll see an array of reef fish, rays and even sea turtles if you’re lucky. The shore break is generally small along this stretch of the beachfront, so it’s easy to get out back on your SUP board making this a great area for beginners and a perfect place to SUP in South Africa.

If the ocean is really messed up from an onshore wind, the Point Waterfront Canal is just 1km away and the guys at Xpression can give you a permit access so you can paddle along here. It’s a well-maintained ecosystem with lots of marine life to SUP with.

Be sure to hit-up the friendly team who can guide you on the best SUP locations based on your paddling needs. They offer a rental service at the shop, where you can hire a SUP for the day or a few hours.

Local knowledge

Sat nav
-29.84769148128019, 31.038139790410042
Nearest parking
Leave your car at your hotel / hostel in Durban
Launch point
Xpression on the Beach or Point Waterfront if you a looking for cruise conditions