According to eThekwini Municipality's beach status update dated 06 November 2026, 22 of Durban's 23 monitored beaches remain open for swimming. Reunion Beach on the city's southern coastline is the only beach currently closed after recording an E. coli result significantly above the municipality's poor-water-quality threshold..
Reunion Beach remains closed
The municipality recorded an E. coli result of more than 24,196 for Reunion Beach, based on a sample collected on 03 November 2026. Other recreational activities are still permitted at the beach, but swimming is prohibited.
Which Durban beaches are open for swimming?
The municipal status update lists the following beaches in Durban as open for swimming:
- Northern beaches: Westbrook, Umdloti Main, Umhlanga Main and Bronze Beach.
- Central beaches: Wedge, Point, uShaka, Addington, South Beach, North Beach, Bay of Plenty, Battery Beach, Country Club, Thekwini Beach and Laguna Beach.
- Southern beaches: Toti Main, Anstey's, Umgababa, Brighton, Doonside, Winklespruit and Pipeline.
Water quality varies between beaches
The latest E. coli results show considerable differences between individual beaches. All beaches except Reunion were tested on 02 November 2026. Reunion's water sample was collected separately on 03 November 2026.
Among the beaches tested on 02 November 2026, Point Beach recorded the lowest E. coli result at 30, followed by Umgababa (31), Toti Main (41), Winklespruit (41), Pipeline (41) and Anstey's Beach (52). Umdloti Main recorded 72 and Westbrook 108.
At the other end of the scale, Battery Beach recorded 441, Country Club 428, South Beach 420, Laguna Beach 410, Doonside Beach 393 and Bay of Plenty 379. All these beaches remain open for swimming.
The municipality uses the following thresholds to classify beach water quality:
- Excellent: Below 130
- Acceptable: 130–500
- Poor: Above 500
An open swimming status does not necessarily mean that a beach's latest water-quality result falls within the excellent category. Travellers should also bear in mind that water quality can change between sampling rounds.
What travellers should know
Visitors planning to swim in Durban should check the latest municipal beach status before heading to the coast. The published results reflect conditions on the sampling dates and should not be treated as a guarantee of current water quality.
The municipality lists beach operating hours as 06:00–18:30.
Source: eThekwini Municipality, Beach Water Quality Results and Status of Beaches and Swimming Pools, 06 November 2026.
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