Property to let along the “Golden Mile” of Durban’s beachfront has always been in huge demand, and there are numerous apartments and townhouses to rent throughout the area, with the most sought-after being those with off-street parking.
The front-line apartments to let offer panoramic views of the Indian Ocean and the ships coming into port, as well as direct access to the beach, and many are kept by their owners/ investors for letting on a short-time basis to the thousands of holidaymakers that flock to Durban every year. Rentals for those that are available on a long-term basis start at around R5000 for a two-bedroom unit.
There is, however, such demand for flats to let from permanent residents of Durban that many of the second and third-line apartment blocks have been refurbished in recent years and are good options for those who want the best of both worlds – proximity to the beach without the holiday crowds.
The best choices are buildings with modern high-security provisions and on-site managers, and apartments to rent in these start at around R3000 a month for a renovated one-bedroom unit and R4000 a month for two-bedroom units.
Modern-day Durban was named after a governor of the Cape Colony, Sir Benjamin D‘Urban, who was ceded a 48km stretch of coastline by the Zulu King Shaka, although it was actually discovered by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who sailed into the bay on Christmas day in 1497 and accordingly named the surrounding area Terro da Natal.
Durban is known as South Africa’s playground and the broad, paved beachfront precinct known as the Golden Mile is a key tourist attraction, as is the city’s very diverse and multicultural population.
The Golden Mile begins at North Beach which stretches from the famous Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World to the Protea Edward Hotel, and boasts many more of SA’s top hotels, including the Southern Sun Elangeni Hotel.
It then runs along South Beach, which is where visitors can find the Ushaka Marine World, containing one of the biggest and best stocked aquariums in the world as well as the Wet & Wild playground with its exciting round-about slides, tube rides and other water-based activities.
Renting a home in this area also gives residents quick access to other attractions such as the popular MiniTown – which is a miniature version of Durban city – and the movies, restaurants and watersports facilities at the Sun Casino & Entertainment World.
Then there’s the Point Waterfront area, which is currently undergoing extensive rejuvenation and upgrading. Investors plan to build a total of more than 750 000sqm of commercial and residential space there over the next decade but there are already several modern blocks of apartments to let in the area. Rentals here start at around R2000 a month for a studio unit and range all the way up to R16 000 for a three-bedroom apartment in the luxury Point Bay block.
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