Best Beaches in Cape Town

Camps Bay Beach

This is one of the more accessible and best beaches in Cape Town. You can be dropped off in front of the beach by taxi / Uber or find parking across the road or up the side streets. With a vibey strip of restaurants, cafés, convenience stores and boutiques you can spend the whole day here. There is lots of activity on this beach and a mix of families, teens and singles hanging out, and at sunset you’ll find a plethora of blankets and towels with picnic baskets dotted all along the seashore. It’s a long and wide beach so there is acres of space to spread out and if you really don’t feel like moving a bronzed muscle, there are plenty of drinks and ice-cream sellers with hydrating choices. The best part of this beach – the magnificent backdrop of the Twelve Apostles Mountains!

Llandudno Beach

Before you even reach this visual feast of tranquility and beauty, you’ll meander along the winding way of Victoria Road from Camps Bay, one side dropping sharply into the ocean while the other steeply climbs the protected Oudekraal Nature Reserve. You’ll pass the famous Twelve Apostles Hotel. The drive sets the vibe perfectly for the relaxing, rugged and almost-secluded beach of Llandudno, with its breath-taking ocean view embraced by large granite boulders, and its clean, white, soft sand –but be warned that the water is icy-cold!

While there’s no food to buy here, you’ll find lots of families packing a picnic and enjoying ice-creams and cold drinks bought from the ice-cream vendors and sunbrellas can also be hired on the beach. There are life guards on duty in the summer and the beach is also home to the Llandudno Surf Lifesaving Club – so you’re in good hands.

Clifton Beach

Clifton is technically made up of 4 smaller beaches neatly hugged by rocks, but you can move between all of them. Clifton 2nd, which is (according to the kids in the know) an easy swimming beach for the smaller humans too. You do have to climb stairs down from the road to reach the beaches below, but this makes the Clifton beaches well protected from the wind – which makes Clifton Beach the best choice on these hair-ruffling days. It’s also a super beach to people-watch, as your neighbor is a little closer to you than on some of the other beach coves. You’ll get to overhear all kinds of conversations and maybe make a new friend. As on Llandudno, there are no cafés or stores nearby, but you’ll find drinks, crisps and ice-lollies sold, so pack drinks and snacks for a day of powder-white sand and glorious sunshine.

Muizemburg Beach

Moving away from the Atlantic Ocean and into the warmer Indian Ocean, you’ll find Muizemburg Beach on the False Bay coast. One of my favorites; it feels as if it somehow got stuck in time somewhere between the 70’s and now, no doubt because of the retro-looking pavilion and the primary-coloured Victorian ‘bathing boxes’ / changing huts. It’s a long beach (stretching 20kms) with perfect surfing waters, where the color of the ocean and sky merge on the horizon. Here you’ll find many sun-streaked surfer dudes and gals looking for a wave to drop in to! It’s also a fun beach for mini swimmers and boogie boarders alike because of its warm, shallow water. You can also find a few surf schools that are run out of the Pavilion across the road from the beach, as well as rent wetsuits, surfboards and beach umbrellas. You can also pick from a variety of food options, from burgers and fries, fish and chips and coffee and pastries.

Boulders Beach

Made famous by the four African Penguins who made Boulders their home in 1982, there is now a colony of more than 3 000 of these tuxedo-ed birds. While there is a small swimming beach at Boulders, the main reason to come to the beach is to view the penguins from Foxy Beach, which is protected, but you can easily hangout watching the birds from the beautifully constructed boardwalks. The walk along the long boardwalks is truly beautiful and even in peak season, it’s not that crowded. After watching the birds for a while, head to the swimming beach, where kids will love climbing the large granite boulders and splashing in the rock pools. There is lots to explore here and you’ll find relaxed penguins sunning themselves on the rocks too – so you can get right up close for that perfect selfie op – after all, they’re always red-carpet ready!

There is food available, some vending machines for drinks and a few BBQ areas – but a packed picnic is always a good idea.

*be warned that they can snap when threatened and their beaks are pretty sharp!

Across the street from Camps Bay Beach, there are some great options for a quick take-out, restaurants to keep the kids happy and for foodies alike, all with some gorgeous views too.

Café Caprice

Chic beach-bar and all-day restaurant with a café-style menu - all-day breakfast, salads, sushi, burgers as well as a Vegan menu. Perfect for a sunset cocktail, and a bar that has a DJ that fills the space with laid-back house tracks.

Col'Cacchio

Italian restaurant perfect for the whole family or a larger group. Pizza - and you can make your own with personalized toppings, pasta and a great menu for the 'bambini'. Relaxed and super-friendly atmosphere.

Kauai

A casual take-out health food cafe, grab a made-to-order sandwich, wrap or a smooth before heading onto the beach.

Mantra Café

Delicious breakfasts with breakfast cocktails, smoothies, iced coffees and komucha. Lunch and dinner menus have seafood dishes, and if you're interested in trying South African game, then try the seared kudu carpaccio.