Top Beaches

The Atlantic Seaboard

Clifton

Fifteen minutes' drive from the city centre, Cape Town's most famous four beaches are packed solid in the festive season with each beach 'unofficially' designated.

Clifton Four is the family beach and colourful umbrellas overlap providing cover from the summer heat. The other beaches range from students, trendies and whatever else is flavour of the season.

Don't misunderstand, anyone is allowed on any beach and no one will be checking your status. The water is chilly but access is easy and you will need to get wet to cool down.

Sundowner picnics on any of Clifton's four beaches are the stuff of legend. Picnic basket stuffed with goodies, blankets spread out and candles at the ready for the post sunset bash. A festive atmosphere always prevails and once the sun has gone, the candles will burn late into the night.

Drinking alcohol on the beach is illegal so unless you're going to brown bag it, or drop some tequila in that smoothie, stick to orange juice.

Camps Bay

Beautiful white beach, across the road from the Camps Bay strip. If the wind does pick up (and it can in this area in summer) nip across the road to any one of many cafes or restaurants and enjoy the sunset in comfort.

Llandudno, Sandy Bay, Noordhoek

Further along the coast, Llandudno sits pretty in her little alcove and if you want to get your kit off, Sandy Bay is the Cape's nudist beach.

Continue along Victoria Road, all the way along scenic Chapman's Peak Drive and as you round the final bend you'll spot a long white stretch of paradise. Noordhoek's beach stretches from the popular horse riding beach in Noordehoek itself all the way to Kommetjie, a surfing hotspot.

While the western beaches are trendier, the beaches on the False Bay side are just as beautiful and the water is warmer, sometimes by as much as five degrees. Sure, sharks also enjoy the warmer water, but you can't have it all your way.

False Bay

Muizenberg, St James, Boulders

Once the summer social hub of Cape Town, Muizenberg is making a comeback to its glam days and is great for families, long swims and surfers. The popular Muizenberg beach has a team of spotters keeping an eye out for the guys with the big teeth, so you can swim there with relative peace of mind.

False Bay is also home to St James and its colourful beach houses and tidal pool, while further along, in the direction of Cape Point, Boulders is a picturesque little family beach that you'll share with the cheeky jackass (African) penguins.

Bikini Beach

Across False Bay sit the protected beaches of the Helderberg. Bikini Beach in Gordon's Bay lives up to its name in season and the family beach in the Strand offers easy swimming options. In between Muizenberg and Gordon's Bay is the Blue Flag beach of Mnandi.

West Coast

Dolphin Beach, Table View, Blouberg

Popular with photographers, the views of Table Mountain from here are world famous. Good winds make it just as popular with kite surfers. Spend a few hours watching them flaunt their stuff, or sign up for lessons if you're game. A great beach to stretch the legs with long walks in either direction.

Yzerfontein's 'Sixteen-Mile Beach'

Head up the R27 West Coast road for just under an hour and you'll find this quiet, unspoiled stretch of paradise. The wind can blow but that's the West Coast for you.

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