“There Should Be a Price for Locals and Tourists”: uShaka Marine World Ticket Increase Divides SA

• uShaka Marine World raised its entrance prices from 1 September 2026, with a single-attraction ticket now costing R267 per adult
• A family of four visiting both SeaWorld and Wet 'n Wild can expect to pay more than R1 000 before food, drinks or parking
• South Africans online reacted strongly to the new prices, with many saying bigger families simply cannot afford a day out

A popular Durban attraction is drawing sharp criticism. A TikTok creator broke down exactly what a family day at uShaka Marine World now costs.

@theshaya1826 posted the video on 30 September 2026, laying out the updated pricing that came into effect on 1 September 2026. The numbers added up fast, especially for families with multiple kids.

For a single attraction, either SeaWorld or Wet 'n Wild, adults now pay R267 per person while children and seniors pay R216. A family of two adults and two children choosing just one attraction would spend R966. If that same family wants to visit both SeaWorld and Wet 'n Wild, the bill climbs considerably. The combo ticket is priced at R399 per adult and R324 per child or senior, bringing the total to R1,446 for four people. The new figures for uShaka Marine cover entrance only, with food, drinks and parking all still to come. The creator pointed out in the clip:

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"This is before food, parking, drinks. That's why people are complaining online, especially bigger families."

Watch the full price breakdown below:

SA discuss uShaka Marine World prices

South Africans in the comments had plenty to say:

@Preeyan Winston Naidoo said:

"I'd rather buy a shark and watch it 😏💯😎"

@muhsinmeshallenra suggested:

"There should be a price for locals and tourists."

@FABIAN joked:

"We will just sit on the beach 🤣😂 and have KFC."

@user6500548798647 added:

"That's flippin crazy, I would rather take the kids to the pet shop to see the fish for free."

@🐾Loreen🐾 defended the park:

"It's all worth the money, its a beautiful place♥️"

@Nabeela Niland offered a balanced view:

"It's expensive to look after the sea animals and the maintenance on everything. We went recently, and it is expensive, but it's an occasional expense. The park is really clean, and the animals look really well looked after. It's worth it for the animals to be well taken care of."

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@Clyde_Zwe wrote:

"I thought that was expensive, but if you had to think of the maintenance fees at Ushaka, those must be astronomical... it's worth it."

Other Briefly News stories about travel budget breakdowns

• A Johannesburg traveller went viral on TikTok after breaking down her low-cost 3-day, 2-night getaway to Durban totalling less than R5 000.
• A South African son shared a viral video highlighting the detailed budget and itinerary he put together to treat his mother to a trip to Cape Town.
• Content creator @mpiloo_life shared a detailed TikTok video detailing how she spent less than R20 000 on a 10-day trip to Bangkok, Thailand.

Source: Briefly News