Business

South Africa’s underwater restaurant where guests dine among sharks

Kirsten Minnaar • 17 July 2026

Cargo Hold Restaurant at Durban’s uShaka Marine World allows guests to enjoy a meal inside a ship-themed restaurant overlooking the largest shark tank in South Africa.

Located inside uShaka Marine World in Durban, Cargo Hold Restaurant has become one of the country’s most unusual dining spots.

The restaurant combines elements of fine dining with panoramic views of one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest aquariums.

Opened in 2004 alongside uShaka Marine World, the restaurant is built inside the stern of the park’s Phantom Ship. This gives guests the feeling of dining aboard a historic cargo vessel while looking directly into a large shark tank.

The Cargo Hold restaurant forms part of uShaka Marine World, a 16-hectare theme park situated on Durban’s Golden Mile.

Since opening its doors on 30 April 2004, the marine park has become one of KwaZulu-Natal’s best-known tourist attractions and the largest theme park in Africa.

The development was conceived as part of Durban’s waterfront redevelopment, which sought to achieve two primary goals.

The first was to establish a major tourism attraction for Durban and KwaZulu-Natal, and the second was to help revitalise the Point waterfront precinct.

While it has faced financial challenges over the years, it remains one of the city’s landmark attractions and a major contributor to tourism in KwaZulu-Natal.

The park welcomes both local and international visitors looking to experience its marine exhibits, water attractions and entertainment offerings along Durban’s beachfront.

Today, uShaka Marine World consists of seven main attractions. These include Sea World, home to the largest aquarium in the Southern Hemisphere, Wet ‘n Wild water park, and uShaka Kids World.

It also includes Village Walk shopping centre, Dangerous Creatures, Sea Animal Encounter Island and a wide range of food and beverage outlets.

A unique dining experience

Cargo Hold is the flagship fine-dining restaurant within the uShaka Marine World complex. Its location is what sets it apart from other restaurants, both in the development and across the country.

Positioned inside the theme park’s Phantom Ship, the restaurant’s design reflects the wider design style of uShaka Marine World.

Rather than constructing a conventional aquarium, the developers created the illusion of a wrecked cargo ship. Many of the attractions were built around this central theme.

Large viewing windows overlook the aquarium’s shark exhibit, allowing guests to watch sand tiger sharks and other marine life glide through the water throughout their meal.

Combined with the ship-themed interior, the setting creates the impression that guests are dining beneath the ocean.

The menu combines local KwaZulu-Natal produce with international flavours. Fresh seafood features prominently, alongside grilled meats, vegetarian dishes and desserts inspired by regional ingredients.

The restaurant describes its cuisine as drawing on flavours from around the world while showcasing local ingredients and Durban’s rich culinary heritage.

Over the past two decades, Cargo Hold has become a popular venue for a variety of occasions, from romantic dinners and family celebrations to corporate events and year-end functions.

The combination of ocean views, the aquarium backdrop and the restaurant’s distinctive setting has made it one of Durban’s most recognisable dining venues.

Cargo Hold also continues to benefit from the popularity of uShaka Marine World, which remains one of Durban’s biggest tourism drawcards more than 20 years after opening.