Pietermaritzburg

Pietermaritzburg is usually referred to as PMB. The city was founded by the Voortrekkers in the 1830's, but despite them being Afrikaans speaking, nowadays the PMB-region is a bastion of English speakers. PMB has a large Indian population and especially the area around the eastern ends of Longmarket and Church Streets resembles the subcontinent. There are also many colonial buildings throughout the city./coa.Pietermaritzburg is usually referred to as PMB. The city was founded by the Voortrekkers in the 1830's, but despite them being Afrikaans speaking, nowadays the PMB-region is a bastion of English speakers. PMB has a large Indian population and especially the area around the eastern ends of Longmarket and Church Streets resembles the subcontinent. There are also many colonial buildings throughout the city.

The city hall is a nice example of a colonial style building. It is on Church Street in the center of town. There are various museums in PMB, including the Macrorie House Museum on Loop Street in the southwest of town, not far from the railway station. It displays artifacts from early British colonization. The Voortrekker Museum has items from the same period, but they were owned by Afrikaans speakers (Boer people). The museum is on Bosho Street, not far east of the town hall. For ethnographical displays you should visit the Natal Museum on Loop Street, two blocks behind the town hall.

There are two Hindu temples in town, both at the eastern end of Longmarket Street. PMB's main mosque is one block to the west.

The Queen Elizabeth Park is a small nature reserve in the northwest of town. The route between PMB and the town of Tugela Ferry 90 km to the north runs through some of KwaZulu's most interesting areas. Buses run between the two places. The Howick Falls. not ar from PMB are well worth a visit.

The PMB bus station is one West Street, in the southwest of the city, not far from the railway station. Long distance buses stop on Longmarket Street, behind the town hall, but you can also catch them at the railway station. There are many hotels and guesthouses in PMB. The caravan park is several kilometers southwest of town. Restaurants and bars are scattered all over the city. PMB is 480 km southeast of Pretoria.