Beaches

Atlantic Ocean Beaches (on the doorstep of Enchanted Guest House)

This is where the more fashionable set go to see and be seen. The Atlantic Seaboard, also known as Cape Town’s "Riviera" stretches from the V&A Waterfront on the north Shore of Table Mountain up as far as Hout Bay and is connected by one of the most picturesque, scenic drives along Victoria Road.

Mouille Point, Sea Point and Three Anchor Bay don’t have much beach to speak of - they’re more ocean front than beach. However, Saunders Rock has a little tidal pool and Three Anchor Bay has a tiny, little beach from which many sea kayakers embark. It's the promenade that draws people here. This walkway is right near the sea and is a haunt of joggers, walkers, dog walkers and families.

Clifton is an extremely popular hangout for locals and international jet setters - you’re here to be seen and to share space with the latest designer costumes and sunglasses. Clifton has four beaches called 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th beach and has blue flag status, not least because of the turquoise water and white sands. These beaches are Cape Town’s premier beaches, divided by granite boulders and packed with beautiful people in summer.

Camps Bay just up the road from Clifton, is a long, sandy beach with palm trees and a fantastic promenade lined with trendy restaurants and cafes. Here Cape Town's fashionable set mingle with visitors to the city against one of the most beautiful backdrops of Lion’s Head and the 12 Apostles. From Camps Bay you can walk to Glen Beach - a small beach set in a little enclave and great for surfing - and Maiden’s Cove, which is very much a family beach just in front of the Glen Country Club. Bakoven Beach gets a mention because of its natural beauty - big boulders, white sands and a gorgeous setting. But it’s smallish and zealously protected by territorial local residents.

Llandudno, set in an exclusive neighbourhood, is one of the most photogenic beaches in Cape Town and definitely one of the most beautiful. If you’re not a strong swimmer then settle for a dip as the currents are strong but great for surfers and sunsets here are notorious. Parking can be a bit of a headache but this does mean it doesn’t get too crowded.

Sandy Bay, a bit of a clamber across the boulders from Llandudno or a walk from the car park, is enclosed by sand dunes and well protected from the wind. It’s Cape Town’s nudist beach and not as busy as the other beaches, possibly because of the walk. But you can escape the crowds here and don’t have to be naked in ??? order to experience the beach.

Hout Bay (15 kms from Enchanted ) is a protected harbour bay great for walks and horse riding with spectacular mountain surrounds and views over the Holland Hottentots Mountains in the distance. The Chapman’s Peak side of the beach is better for sunbathing, and swimming is good here as the waves are gentle. Fish and chips are the order of the day and a stroll along the pier to view the fishing boats is a treat, particularly if you can spot the odd Cape Fur seal or whale, during season.

South Atlantic Beaches The South Atlantic, running south along the west coast from Noordhoek to the tip Cape Point at the tip of the Cape Peninsula, offers an escape from the crowds of sun worshippers who flock to the better known beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay. The beaches of the South Atlantic, though a further drive, are rugged and unspoilt and are ideal for those looking for peace and quiet and natural beauty.

Noordhoek Beach, at the end of Chapman’s Peak drive and south of Hout Bay, has a gorgeous, incredibly wide expanse of sand perfect for long walks, horse riding and local surfers. Views of the bay are spectacular and the beach is lined with dunes that offer shelter from the wind. The beach borders on local wetlands and because of its size, is rather isolated, so swimming or walking on your own is probably not a good idea

Long Beach at Kommetjie is just that; a long, sandy beach very popular with surfers. There is also a large tidal pool here great for swimming and families with some spectacular views.

Witsands, between Kommetjie and Scarborough, is popular with surfers, windsurfers and kitesurfers alike. For locals, this is a haven as it’s further from Cape Town and thus not very well known. The beach is big and there are plenty of sand dunes, which contributes to the beauty of the natural surrounds.

Misty Cliffs, situated below a conservation village of the same name, is wonderfully remote with some of the most awe-inspiring views of the Atlantic. Waves here can get notoriously big, so it isn’t really a swimmers paradise and even surfers take along an extra fin. It is popular with locals, divers and those wanting to escape it all.

Scarborough Beach is large with plenty of sand for sunbathing, popular with surfers and body boarders and has some beautiful views. Because it’s so far from Cape Town (it's the last residential suburb before Cape Point), it never gets crowded here although it can get busy in summer. When the wind blows, it’s an ideal spot for flying kites and kite surfing.

Table Bay Beaches The fact that these beaches are great for windsurfing and kite surfing should alert one to the wind factor. Table Bay’s beaches can be unpleasant when the wind blows, but nothing beats these beaches for their view of Table Mountain and Robben Island and the miles of sand on which to stretch your legs. The acrobatics of kite surfers will keep you entertained if you’re not working on your tan or taking a quick dip.

Big Bay has two rocky outcrops that jut out into the sea, creating a bay.

Bloubergstrand has some lovely rock pools and the viewpoint from here of the bay and Table Mountain has graced many a postcard.

Table View has a number of restaurants and venues for sundowners and Dolphin Beach is the first of this series of beaches reached from the M14 and is synonymous with kitesurfing.

Milnerton is well known for its lighthouse, which sits virtually on the beach and is great for swimming as, unlike Dolphin Beach, it is manned by lifeguards. There are also a number of beach cafes and restaurants here.

False Bay Beaches The False Bay coastline is generally more laid back and not as frenetic as the Atlantic coastline, although in peak season, these family oriented beaches can still become pretty busy and the waters are often filled with surfers.

Beaches here are popular with locals as they are warmer than the Atlantic beaches (3-4 degrees) and are great swimming beaches. Most are manned by lifeguards and shallow waters extend quite far out so that swimming and paddling are relatively safe.

Muizenberg, very popular during its heyday in the '60s and '70s, is where every surfer learns to cut their teeth. It is one of the most racially integrated beaches in Cape Town. Synonymous with the colourful beach huts that make their way onto picture postcards of Cape Town, this very long beach can get pretty busy during peak season but the waves are not too powerful.There are other facilities here such as putt-putt courses and water slides so that it never feels crowded.

St James Beach is not very wide or big and it can get rather crowded in summer, but it offers a delightful tidal pool which is great for children. During high tide, big waves can break against the tidal pool wall. A similar tidal pool can be found in Kalk Bay (Dalebrook Pool), just a little further down the main road. Danger Bay Beach, nearby, is much quieter and tends to be used by local residents.

Fish Hoek beach is very popular with pensioners and families and its calm waters offer plenty of space for games, swimming, walking and exploring. The walkway that hugs the right hand side of the beach makes an enjoyable Sunday afternoon stroll and is a good place for spotting whales that come right into the bay during season.

Clovelly Beach adjoins Fish Hoek beach on the far left hand corner of the beach and tends to be used by young surfers.

Glencairn beach is great for swimming and sunbathing or for spotting great whites, which shouldn’t deter you from the waters as there is more chance of being killed by a falling coconut in Thailand than by a shark in South Africa!

Just past Simons Town is Boulders Beach, synonymous with the population of African Penguins who have decided that this beach is their home. This is a paying beach and one of the best swimming beaches in Cape Town. It lies in a small cove and is protected from the wind by giant granite boulders. A boardwalk past the main beach takes you to the penguin beach, although they do pop over to visit you around the boulders.

En route to Smitswinkelbaai (Smitswinkel Bay) one passes Windmill Beach - just past Boulders and also fairly well sheltered from the wind with shallow waters that make it perfect for families - and Froggy Pond and Miller’s Point, a couple of little beaches. Smitswinkelbaai is practically inaccessible and right next to the Cape Point Nature Reserve. Reached only by foot, it is worth the effort to get there. The bay here is popular for snorkelling, diving and fishing and the water is calm and great for swimming. Views are fantastic as the mountains are virtually to the back of the beach and one overlooks False Bay.

The beaches of the Cape Point Nature Reserve are well worth a visit. Not only do you have the beauty of the reserve itself but Diaz Beach is secluded and peaceful and well away from the crowds with spectacular views. It takes some doing to get there as there’s a climb on the way back but it’s worth it. Buffelsbaai has a safe tidal pool whilst Platboom and Olifantsbos are the more popular beaches within the reserve. There are a number of other small beaches and the sand stretches for miles, beckoning one to walk.

With magnificent views of the Helderberg and Hottentots Holland mountain ranges, the northern shores of False Bay offer the beaches of Macassar, Monwabisi, Mnandi - a beach with blue flag status - and Strandfontein. These beaches are close to the suburbs of Kayelitsha, Macassar, Philippi, Tafelsig, Langa, Gugulethu and Nyanga. They tend to be frequented mainly by residents from these suburbs and white people are seldom seen here. These beaches are rather wild looking and a favourite haunt of fishermen. They are exposed to the elements and if the wind blows in Cape Town, it really blows here. Running the length of the R310 Baden Powell Drive from Muizenberg, a slower but definitely more scenic alternative when travelling north from Cape Town, these beaches blend into each other with no defined boundaries and are part of the Wolfgat Nature Reserve, which protects the rapidly declining strandveld and dwarf coastal fynbos.

Cape Helderberg Beaches

Just a 45 minute drive from Enchanted Guest House, the beaches of the Helderberg Basin or Cape Helderberg offer warmer waters (the rule of thumb is 3-4 degrees warmer) than her Atlantic Seaboard rivals and effortlessly white, sandy beaches.

A visit to any of these beaches is essentially a family friendly day out that includes fantastic views over False Bay, wonderful swimming opportunities in safe and shallow waters, and rock pools ideal for children. Take a picnic, beach umbrella and don't forget the sunblock!

Bikini Beach is a small beach and one of Cape Town's seven Blue Flag Beaches, which means it has a high level of water quality, facilities, cleanliness and safety. It is popular for sunbathing as it is sheltered from the wind. Kogel Bay (or Cool Bay) is just around the corner from Bikini Beach and is essentially a surfers beach, but has a long stretch of white sand and a couple of exciting caves.

Strand has a long 5km stretch of white, sandy beach ideal for long walks. Fishing and surfing and wind surfing are very popular here as the waves are quite good. There is also an Olympic sized, centrally heated swimming pool at Strand.

Gordon’s Bay, regarded as one of the safest swimming beaches, has wonderful sheltered rock pools great for exploring and paddling.