Best South Africa Beaches
The Best South African Beaches...
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16. Durban North Beach // KwaZulu-Natal
© Michael Jung Set to the North of the harbour (hence the North bit) running from the Bay of Plenty and Dairy Beach is Durban's North Beach. The beach sits at the heart of the much redeveloped Durban beach-front which is aptly named "Golden Mile" or "Durbs by the sea" as some locals call it. Development of the Golden Mile began back in the 1970s when it became one of the country's biggest… read more »
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17. Hobie Beach // Eastern Cape
© Michael Jung Great for:- Surfing
Port Elizabeth's Hobie beach is considered one of the best on the so-called "Sunshine Coast", which sounds like a glowing endorsement to me! Apparently, along with mild winters, there are more sunny days over this way than anywhere else in South Africa.
Whilst Hobie beach doesn't have the Blue Flag award some of its neighbours do, it has everything else - and more. A big stretch of beautiful golden sand,… read more » -
18. Paternoster beach // Western Cape
© Adele Van Schalkwyk Paternoster is a small, laid back fishing village within a stones throw (well, 150km) of Cape Town. With its attractive cluster of whitewashed cottages and long sweep of pristine sand it is little surprise this is a popular weekend getaway spot for Capetonians. If you are a fan of seafood and like long walks on white sand beaches, watching the sun set, then Paternoster is definitely the place for you.
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19. Noordhoek // Western Cape
© Andrew massyn Located at the foot of Chapman's Peak at the base of the Cape Peninsula are the expansive sands of Noordhoek beach. This picturesque stretch of sand runs for eight kilometre (5 mile) between the suburb of Noordhoek towards Kommetjie lighthouse.
Given its wide, open and exposed nature it is often quite breezy at Noordhoek. This makes it a good spot for a range of kite-based activities from kitesurfing and kite-yachting to… read more »
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20. Bloubergstrand // Western Cape
© SkyPixels / CC BY Great for:- Surfing
- Kitesurfing
Bloubergstrand is a suburb of on the northern fringes of Cape Town. Its meaning is literally "Blue Mountain Beach", which is owed to the fact that in the middle of the day, the rising oil on the eucalyptus leaves refracts the sun and makes the haze look blue from a distance.
The "mountain" part refers to Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain which can clearly be seen across Table Bay.… read more »
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21. Scarborough // Western Cape
© SkyPixels / CC BY Sitting on Cape Town's exposed Atlantic Seaboard, at the base of the long finger-like peninsula which extends to the Cape of Good Hope, is the little beachside village of Scarborough. Despite being only a short drive from the city the beach here feels pretty wild and sits on the edge of the Cape Point Nature Reserve. The large swathe of white sand beach is backed by low dunes and heath… read more »
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22. Milnerton Beach // Western Cape
© Milnerton Beach / CC BY Great for:- Surfing
- Kitesurfing
You can find Milnerton Beach around 11 kilometres or 20 minutes from the centre of Cape Town in the area known as Blaauwberg. While drawing visitors from right across the region as a result of its fantastic views of Table Mountain, its delightful white sands actually remain something of an open secret.
Patrolled by lifeguards during the peak December season, the waters here are a little chilly compared to other beaches… read more »
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23. Jeffreys Bay // Eastern Cape
© Julien Carnot / CC BY Great for:- Surfing
Jeffreys Bay, in the Eastern Cape Province sits a short distance from the most southerly point along this coast at Cape St Francis. The vast golden sand beach here runs for miles along the warm, emerald waters of the Indian Ocean.
There is so much to do, as Jeffreys Bay is one of the world's most famous (and best) surfing locations. Primarily known for its long, powerful point break the… read more »
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24. Muizenberg // Western Cape
Sitting at the western end of the huge curve of sand that make up False Bay, Muizenberg is rightfully one of Cape Town's best known beaches. The beach is around 200 metres of soft white sand which backs onto the laid back seaside town of Muizenberg.
The sandy stretch which forms the northern shore of False bay itself goes on for ever. Well around 40km (25 miles) around to Gordons… read more »
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25. Umhlanga // KwaZulu-Natal
Set on KwaZulu-Natal's Sugar Coast, just north of Durban is the buzzing resort town of Umhlanga. With the golden sand of the beach meeting the warm waters of the Indian Ocean it is little wonder the beachfront here has become home to a number of luxury hotels and apartments. Some of these actually predate the resort; the Oyster Box, a luxury hotel was originally a beach cottage around which the… read more »
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26. Seaforth Beach // Western Cape
© Kostas Limitsios / CC BY Great for:- Swimming
Though narrow, at 600 metres long Seaforth Beach in the Simons Town suburb of Cape Town has one spectacular surprise for the unprepared – penguins. Best witnessed in the early morning just after sunrise and in the early evening at sunset, African penguins waddle happily along the sands of Seaforth Beach from their better-known colony at nearby Boulders Beach.
However, that's not the only reason to visit Seaforth Beach if… read more »
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27. St James Beach // Western Cape
© Lennon Fletcher / CC BY The Cape Town suburb of St James is located on the western side of False Bay, at the base of the Cape Peninsula. The name relates to the Roman Catholic churhc of St James which was built here in the 19th century for the Filipino fishermen who worked from adjoining Kalk Bay. With the coming of the railway the area flourished, bcoming something of a seaside resort.
St James is perhaps… read more »
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28. Sandy Bay // Western Cape
© Gary Bembridge / CC BY One of Cape Town's most inacessible beaches it is not entirely surprising that Sandy Bay is also Cape Town's only recognised naturist beach (although it is still unofficial). The beach is located just around the corner from upmarket Llandudno at the base of the rugged peaks of the Twelve Apostles mountains.
Like neighbouring Llandudno, Sandy Bay is a pretty stretch of white sand strewn with huge slabs of granite. The… read more »
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29. South Beach // KwaZulu-Natal
© ilf_ Great for:- Surfing
Situated on Durban's famed "Golden Mile", South Beach sits to the south of the city centre about halfway between the surfing mecca of North Beach and Ushaka. As with other beaches in Durban South Beach has golden sands and warm blue waters that are a magnet to beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers alike. The beach is protected by shark nets and lifeguards, so people can swim without worrying about… read more »
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30. Santos Beach // Western Cape
© ZS1TP / CC BY Santos Beach is located in Mossel Bay, around 100 miles east of Cape Town. It is one of the most popular spots on the south coast for locals and holiday travelers alike. Besides hanging out on the beach there plenty of activities to enjoy, from checking out the harbour, dolphin and whale watching, snorkeling, swimming, and fishing.
The golden sands make up wide beaches with plenty of room for walking… read more »
