Discover the most popular beaches in Cape Town

From blue flag to nudist beaches, Cape Town has numerous beautiful beaches and they are all attractive in their own unique way.

Please be aware that drinking alcohol in public is illegal in South Africa. Us locals all enjoy the occasional sundowners on the beach, but be aware that this is not strictly allowed, and you can be fined, and will definitely have your alcohol confiscated.

Camps Bay

Camps Bay beach is one of Cape Town’s largest and most popular beaches. Trendy cafés, bars and restaurants line the promenade opposite the beach, and the beach itself offers plenty of space for whatever it is you choose to do with your beach hours – be it beach volleyball or idling reading a book. It is also a very popular family beach and has one of the best spots for a sundowner picnic.

Clifton

Clifton’s four brilliant white beaches are without a doubt Cape Town’s most fashionable. Yet each beach retains a slightly different character. Clifton 4 is the most popular and largest of the 4, this is the place to see and be seen. The beach gets packed to capacity with tight young bodies, and there is barely a patch of sand open on a popular day. Beaches 3, 2 and 1 are progressively quieter, although all four will fill up on a good summer’s day.

Llandudno

Llandudno is another of Cape Town’s well-kept secrets. With no strip of cafés, restaurants and bars to attract tourists, it has remained relatively “off the tourist map”, especially seeing as it is arguably Cape Town’s most beautiful beach that is easily accessible by car. It lies in a small cove just before Hout Bay. Ensure you bring your own drinks and snacks as there are no shops or cafes around. This tranquil little spot is perfect for relaxing.

Sandy Bay

Cape Town’s one and only nudist beach. This beach is situated just behind the hills of Hout Bay. You can gain access to this beach via Llandudno or from the Hout Bay side.

Hout Bay

This beach lines the bay of Hout Bay. On the one side is the Harbour with some fantastic seafood restaurants (if you are a seafood lover then Mariner’s Wharf is a definite must for lunch or dinner) and on the other side are a few family pubs, restaurants, and the Chapman’s Peak Hotel which offers good food and an lovely views of Hout Bay harbour.

Noordhoek

Noordhoek is the longest, whitest beach in Cape Town. This spot is not as popular for sunbathing as it is for horse riding. There are a few horse farms at the beginning of the beach that offer rides for every level of rider. What can be more exciting for a horse lover than to gallop down the seemingly endless sandy beach with the wind blowing in your hair and the sound of the waves gently breaking against the shore….

Kommetjie

Kommetjie is situated at the other end of Noordhoek beach. From here you can also do horse riding, as well as Camel riding from the bohemian farm Imhoff. There is also a snake park where you can view an assortment of endemic indigenous species as well as exotic, from throughout the world. It houses over 40 species of reptiles.

Boulders

Boulders Beach is nestled in a sheltered cove between Simon’s Town and Cape Point, and has become world famous for its thriving colony of African Penguins and magnificent wind sheltered, safe beaches. It is set in the midst of a residential area and has a spot for sunbathing and a spot from where the Penguins can be observed at close range on their own little protected beach, Foxy Beach. If you go for a dip at Boulders you may be lucky enough to observe a Penguin from really close as they tend to float around in close proximity to the swimmers, not feeling threatened in the least. This is quite a fascinating experience.

Muizenberg

This stretch of beach is situated in False Bay where the water is definitely warmer than the freezing cold Atlantic as it is influenced by the Indian Ocean’s warm currents. This is a lovely place to frolic in the waves, learn how to surf, or just chill out on the beach and catch some rays. Muizenberg has a great little water park where the kids can play and slide and swim and have fun, while the parents can stroll along the promenade and grab a bite to eat in one of the many restaurants or cafés.

Blouberg and Table View

Blouberg and Table View beaches are definitely the windier beaches in Cape Town. They lie along the West Coast, north of Cape Town, and boast the classic postcard view of Table Mountain. They are also the perfect places for wind-sports like windsurfing, kite surfing, and power-kiting. Blouberg is also a good surfing beach, although the water is definitely a tad colder than Muizenberg.