The Golden Mile (or, colloquially, "The Mile") is the popular stretch of

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc s ...

front in the city of

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is loca ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

, including the

promenade An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cl ...

that runs along with it. It runs roughly from uShaka Beach (where the

uShaka Marine World uShaka Marine World is a theme park that opened on 30 April 2004 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded ...

is located) in

Point Waterfront Point Waterfront is a harbour-side town located at the entrance to the Port of Durban. During the last 50 years the town suffered decay and was left mostly abandoned. The uShaka Marine World is located here. History The Point Waterfront was ...

to Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World in the north and now includes a route directly to Moses Mabhida Stadium. It abuts the central business district of the city to its west. It is one of the main tourist attractions in the Durban area. The wide stretch of golden sands, artificially separated by various

piers Piers may refer to: * Pier, a raised structure over a body of water * Pier (architecture), an architectural support * Piers (name), a given name and surname (including lists of people with the name) * Piers baronets, two titles, in the baronetages ...

, provides excellent opportunities for sun-worshippers and swimmers to enjoy the sub-tropical sunshine and warm waters of the

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by ...

. Most of the Mile's beaches are protected year-round by

lifeguards A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, beach, spa, river and lake. Lifeguards are trained in swimming and CPR/ AED fi ...

and

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachi ...

nets. The Mile is also a well-known surfer's haven. The South Beach end, in particular, is well known as a safe beach for neophyte surfers. The beachfront properties are a mix of residential apartments and tourist hotels, development of which boomed in the 1970s, although remnants of Durban's

art-deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

architecture are still evident. Interspersed among the beachfront properties are several popular restaurants and nightclubs. The Golden Mile has long been a popular domestic holiday destination and during the holiday seasons (June–July and December–January) South Africans from across the country, but in particular the

Gauteng Gauteng ( ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. The name in Sotho-Tswana languages means 'place of gold'. Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts for only ...

region, flock to enjoy its attractions and those of the longer beachfront area, which include: * Blue Lagoon, a popular hangout, picnic and fishing spot *''Mini Town'' with a miniature replica of Durban, complete with a working miniature railway and airport. * Moses Mabhida Stadium *Traditional market vendors and other hawkers with a selection of Zulu art and crafts. *An

oceanway A greenway is usually a shared-use path along a strip of undeveloped land, in an urban or rural area, set aside for recreational use or environmental protection. Greenways are frequently created out of disused railways, canal towpaths, utility ...

pavement along the beaches to encourage more people to enjoy walking and cycling. * Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World, a casino complex with a semi-private beach, restaurants, shops and public entertainment facilities. *

aquarium, water park, dolphinarium, containing a restaurant with the largest shark tank in the world. * North Beach,

Dairy Beach A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or processing (or both) of animal milk – mostly from cows or buffaloes, but also from goats, sheep, horses, or camels – for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a ...

, the

Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty ( mi, Te Moana-a-Toi) is a region of New Zealand, situated around a bight of the same name in the northern coast of the North Island. The bight stretches 260 km from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runaw ...

, Snake Park, Pirates and Country Club beaches are popular

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitable ...

beaches separated by the piers. *The Skate Park in front of the Bay of Plenty caters for skateboarders, roller bladers and BMX'ers. *The Surfing Museum, a historical site cataloguing some of Durban's surfing history. The street that runs alongside the Golden Mile is divided between Snell Parade in the north, O.R. Tambo Parade (formerly named, and still widely referred to, as Marine Parade) and Erskine Terrace in the south.

See also