Cape Town has a lot of beaches! Each beach feels like it could be in a different country, and that is what makes Cape Town and its beaches so special! With so many incredible beaches to choose from in Cape Town. We decided to put together a comprehensive guide to some of our favourites.
Top-down view of Clifton beach
Before we get into the details, it is important to understand Cape Town's weather and the types of beaches we have.
If you look at Cape Town from above, you’ll see how Table Mountain is set at the heart of the city. Besides looking epic, this creates diverse microclimates and landscapes. Combine this with 2 Oceans (the Cold Atlantic and ‘Warm’ Indian Ocean) and you get a vast variety of beaches across the City of Cape Town.
The Wind in Cape Town
The main factor when choosing a beach in Cape Town is wind. Summer can get windy in Cape Town. Luckily Table Mountain nature reserve (Table Mountain, 12 Apostles, lions head and signal hill) provides shelter from the wind at certain beaches, specifically when the common South Easter/ SE / Cape Doctor is blowing.
A side note: The SE is nicknamed the Cape Doctor as it cools Cape Town down and blows away all smog and pollution.
Capetians will use different beaches for different reasons, although all can be good in certain conditions.
The Best Website for checking the wind in CAPE TOWN is Windguru
1) Clifton Beach (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th beach)
Clifton is the best beach in Cape Town if you are looking for a day on the beach. Set against the backdrop of the 12 Apostles, white sandy beaches meet turquoise waters and beautiful people. Clifton is breathtaking. Just look at the image below.
Best For
Sun-tanning (bring sunscreen, the sun is hot)
Day on the Beach
Arguably one of the best beaches in the world
Cons
Parking is a mission, use Uber if possible.
Bit of a walk down the stairs
Clifton can get crowded
Notes
Clifton has 4 beaches; 4th beach is the biggest and closest to the parking and unofficially the family beach. 2nd and 3rd beaches get a little smaller and where you will find the younger crowd. There is no rule, but friends, singles and couples will generally be on the 2nd and 3rd beach, and families will be on the 4th.
Great for sunset picnics.
Clifton is sheltered from the wind. (Very rare in Cap Town)
2) Camps Bay Beach
Camps Bay is super popular, it's fairly similar to Clifton with an incredible backdrop, however, it catches a bit more wind and doesn’t have that same exclusive feeling that Clifton gives you.
Best For
Suntanning
Day on the Beach
Surfing at Maidens cove (sometimes)
Cocktails, Restaurants and Shops
Cons
Parking can be hard to find
Gets very crowded
Can get windy
Notes
Locals will hardly ever spend the day on Camps Bay beach. If you're looking for a close beach to tan, head to Clifton, Bakoven or Llandudno.
Camps bay beach is more known for sundowners, and cocktails that overlook the beach.
Tigers Milk is a great vibe
Cause and effect make incredible Cocktails
A tidal pool makes for incredible pictures.
Cafe Caprice is a must-do for cocktails. Their main night is on Sunday. Dress up, it's fancy.
3) Diaz Beach (And Cape Point)
Diaz Beach is inside Cape Point National Park. It’s about an hour's drive out of Cape Town and then a 30-60min hike down to the beach. It is a bit of a mission, but it really is beautiful if you want something a little different and private.
Best For
Exploring and Adventure
Day on the Beach
Something unique
Day trip
Seeing Cape Point, which is really beautiful.
Cons
Bit of a mission, a long drive and walk
Long walk
Can get windy
Inside Cape Point National Park, so you will have to pay the entrance fee and leave before the gates close. (This means you will also miss sunrise/ sunset on the beach)
Notes
Ostriches sometimes find their way to the beach
Check the wind for Cape Point (www.windguru.com)
Research it before you go.
Watch out for baboons, they will steal your stuff.
4) Llandudno Beach
Llandudno beach is beautiful with a very similar appeal to Clifton 3rd beach. The crowd is young and beautiful. Unlike Clifton, Llandudno does get a bit of wind when it's South Easter direction.
What makes Llandudno popular is the turquoise water and great waves for surfing (It's a pretty advanced wave, so we wouldn't recommend it to beginners.
Best For
Exploring and Adventure
Day on the Beach
Surfing
Pictures
Exploring the rock boulders on the beach
Cons
A bit out of Cape Town
Parking is limited
Can get windy
The water seems extra cold.
Notes
Exploring the rock boulders to the right of the beach makes for some great images.
5) Boulders Beach (Penguin Beach, Simon's Town)
Boulders Beach is the home of the African Penguins. There are two paid entry sections, one section you can spend the day on the beach and often penguins will walk across the beach and swim amongst the rocks. It's a great place to really experience the penguins and spend the day with the family.
The second is next to the main beach, it is the official penguin beach which cant be accessed except for a wooden boardwalk. This will give you the view of hundreds if not thousands of penguins. It's really interesting to see these birds that are usually associated with Antarctica, snow and ice chilling in paradise. Spend some time with them, they are exceptionally entertaining to watch. Remember penguins mate for life.
Best For
Seeing the penguins
Day on the Beach
Something unique
A day trip that can be included with Cape Point and Chapman's peak
Seeing Simons Town
Cons
The beach is mainly geared for penguin viewing
Notes
Check out the local shops and restaurants in Simons Town, they really are beautiful.
6) Caves Beach (Kogel Bay, Cape Town)
Caves Beach is in Kogel bay a bit past Gordon's bay. Caves is about an hour drive from Cape Town and you would usually combine it with another activity like crystal pools. It is a great local hangout and a beautiful beach. The backdrop is unique and it gets its name from the rock caves on the beach. Clarens Drive, the road to caves has to be one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
Best For
Exploring and Adventure
Day on the Beach
Surfing/ Body Boarding
Pictures
Road trip
Cons
A bit out of Cape Town
Parking is limited
Great Whites are often seen swimming in the ocean.
Notes
Great for a day on the beach.
Take your own refreshments, there isn't much else around.
7) Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach in Milnerton is beautiful. Dunes covered in wildflowers, fynbos and aloes line the sand and pebble beach with the iconic backdrop of Table Mountain. Sunset beach is great for taking pictures, running, surfing, kite surfing, windsurfing and walking the dog.
Sunset each is very much a local beach for activities, which can get very windy. There are windless days when the beach is great to chill on and does get kind of full, however, it's one of Cape Towns' main windsurfing and kiteboarding beaches.
Best For
Running
Walking the dog
Kite Surfing
Windsurfing
Wing Surfing
Cons
Can get extremely windy, and is windy most days of summer.
Notes
Great place for a private picnic.
8) Blouberg beach
Blouberg beach is one of Cape Towns' iconic beaches. What makes Blouberg great is all the restaurants and bars along the beach.
Much like sunset beach, it can get very windy so it is prime for water sports and arguably the best beach in the world to kite surf with strong winds and Atlantic swell.
Best For
Kite Surfing
Windsurfing
Wing Surfing
Surfing
Running
Walking the dog
Cons
Can get extremely windy, and is windy most days of summer.
Notes
When the wind isn't blowing it's a great place to spend the day.
9) Muizenberg Beach
Muizenberg beach is a great family beach and home to the iconic coloured beach huts. With an incredible surfing culture, the whole town seems geared around surfing, with great coffee shops, local bars, cafes and a couple of surf shops on the beach.
Muizenberg is a great place to learn how to surf and longboard. There are generally always waves that run and are easy to surf. Locals call it a longboarding spot. Expect a lot of beginners and KOOKS.
Muizenberg is in False Bay (Indian Ocean) which makes the water temperature a little warmer than the Atlantic side.
Best For
Surfing
Longboarding
Learning to surf
Pictures
Family
Cons
Muizenberg can get very congested over weekends and on good weather days.
Notes
Muizenberg has some great beachfront restaurants and has a unique Cape Town culture, it kinda feels like Cape Town 20 years ago.
10) Bakoven
Bakoven the secret local beach. Just outside of Camps Bay, is Bakoven or Beta Beach. Bakoven has beautiful views of the 12 apostles and is hidden away in a residential area. The beach is small and parking is limited so much sure you arrive early. It's definitely a local favourite away from the crowds.
Best For
Sundowners
Picnics
Dates
Photoshoots
Chilling at the beach
Cons
Limited Parking
Shops are a little far
11) Noordhoek (Long Beach)
Noordhoek beach is beautiful to look at especially from Chapman's peak drive, as you look down from Chappies you will see a Long white beach below you that extends into the distance.
While we would really call it a beach to sit on due to wind and limited beach access. This beach is known for horse riding, surfing and walking your dogs on the beach.
Best For
Horse Riding
Walking and running
Cons
This beach can be dangerous, please be aware not to walk alone specifically near the Dunes or when the light is dim.
Notes
The best way to experience the beach is with a horse riding experience and view it from Chapman's peak drive.
