Al-Qalam 
Take a slow drive to the Shongweni Farmers & Craft Market outside Durban, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised, as Ismail Suder found out.
If you are looking for a fun place to chill with the family, then the Shongweni Farmers & Craft Market should be on your bucket list – the vast covered market is a haven for arts and crafts, home-made cakes and pastries, three halaal food outlets – and for the more energetic, there’s a zipline and mini “chook-chook” train on the property.
The Shongweni Farmers & Craft Market is a mere 25 minutes from Durban. Just one offramp from the N2 will take you to the popular market, past meandering hills and sugar fields.
But be aware that major road construction is taking place to pave the way for a high-end mall set amongst the rolling hills. Called the Westown Square, the shopping centre is designed in such a way to reflect “indoor meets outdoor and the characteristics of the Shongweni green belt are reflected.” The mall will open to the public in March next year.
But back to the Shongweni Market. It’s best to go early in the morning to catch the vibe. On the day that I visited, the fenced market precinct was buzzing with activity. Doors open every Saturday from 7 am to 1 pm.
No doubt, the Shongweni Farmers Market is a happy place! Just outside the market – overlooking the lush green of the Shongweni Conservancy – you can ride the zipline, providing you have a head for heights – and speed. The experience costs R80.
Just below the zipline is the Shongweni Express train that takes little passengers on a circular route. Mom and dads can hop on with their kids if they like.
With Springtime on our doorstep, the Shongweni Market would make for a wonderful Saturday morning outing where you could amble through a maze of little shops selling unusual and exotic fare.
Market manager Vanessa Franden told Al-Qalam, that apart from a variety of coffee shops, there are three strictly halaal food outlets to choose from, including Turkish cuisine, hotdogs and chicken burgers.
She said the Shongweni Market & Craft Centre was an ideal place for the entire family to visit and absorb the friendly ambience, connect with relatives and friends and browse all kinds of artistic goods, including antiques.
For me, the best part was walking outside the covered market space and listening to the sounds of shrieking children as they rode the express train and played in the jungle gym.
But, when the market closes at 1 pm, there’s the Ngede Waterfall (also known as Kirk Falls) nearby that you can visit. Put it on your GPS, and it will take you there. The route to the falls goes through a privately owned sugarcane field, best traversed in an SUV.
I have visited the waterfall on a previous trip, but locals say it is better to go in a group for added safety and security. The winding road there may be slow, but when you get there, oh my, it will take your breath away.
