World Heritage Site: An eco- tourism wonderland of beautiful lakes, swamps, forests and marshlands surrounding the estuary of Lake St Lucia. This area was declared as one of South Africa's first World Heritage Sites and is no doubt one of the most beautiful sites. Beaches some of South Africa's best beaches can be found along the KwaZulu Natal coastline, Umhlanga Rocks, Umdloti, Ballito, Shaka's Rock, Shelley Beach (on the North Coast), Uvongo and Margate (on the South Coast), to mention just a few. These beaches offer safe swimming and excellent surfing. The small Sodwana Bay National Park consists of a narrow coastal strip of forest covered sand dunes. It was proclaimed in 1950 and is an angler's paradise. Sodwana is a fairly remote area but people travel a long way to dive the coral reefs teaming with colourful fish.

Gifts and Souvenirs - - Natal has transformed its former prison complex into a crafts market,). About 40 crafts shops are now housed in the cells and provide easy one- stop shopping for local crafts. The best- known items are the handmade white- linen tablecloths, and the small painted clay figurines depicting characters from folk dances such as the bumba- meu- boi. You will also find hammocks, woodwork, and lots of sweets made with sugar cane and coconut. Prices are negotiable. Dozens of booths are packed with tacky souvenir T- shirts and trinkets as well as with nice locally made handicrafts. The market is open daily from 10am to10pm.A smaller evening crafts market takes place Thursday to Sunday from 6 to 10pm, near the waterfront at Rua Conselheiro de Medeiros in Praia dos Artistas.

Natal food and drink has a distinctly Brazilian flair, with unique dishes and drinks that the Brazilians are fiercely proud of. If there's something South American cultures love to do, it's eating! So when you're visiting Natal, you simply must take advantage of the many Natal restaurants available to you in the city. Acaraje: a tasty food often sold by street vendors, an acaraje is a deep- fried ball of black- eyed peas, served in halves with a spicy shrimp and peanut paste in the middle, called vatapa. This dish can also be made for vegetarians, substituting hot peppers and green tomatoes for the shrimp. Carne Del Sol: sun- dried meat, typically beef and sometimes salted or spiced. Feijoada: a delicious stew of black beans, beef, and pork; usually there are several types of sausage included in the dish as well as salted pork trimmings. The stew is made in a large clay pot, and the broth is thick and a rich brown color. It's typically eaten with rice, and tastes wonderful with a glass of red wine.