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The Golden Mile (or, colloquially, "The Mile") is the popular stretch of beachfront in the city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, including the promenade that runs along with it. It runs roughly from South Beach (where the uShaka Marine World is located) 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, provides excellent opportunities for sun-worshippers and swimmers to enjoy the sub-tropical sunshine and warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Most of the Mile's beaches are protected year-round by lifeguards and shark 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 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 region, flock to enjoy its many attractions, which include:
