Best Beaches in South Africa
From quiet stretches of white sand to lively resort strips, here are the best beaches in South Africa and what makes each one worth the trip.
Boulders Beach
Simon's Town, False Bay, Cape Peninsula
A protected cluster of boulder-sheltered coves home to a famous African penguin colony, with calm swimming and boardwalk viewing.
Camps Bay Beach
Atlantic Seaboard, Cape Town
Cape Town's glamorous, palm-lined beach beneath the Twelve Apostles, with a buzzing restaurant strip and cold Atlantic water.
Clifton Beach
Atlantic Seaboard, Cape Town
Four sheltered white-sand coves backed by granite boulders and expensive homes, the most glamorous and wind-protected beach in Cape Town, built for sunbathing and sundowners more than swimming.
Hermanus
Whale Coast, Western Cape, about 120 km southeast of Cape Town
A clifftop whale-watching town on Walker Bay with a long coastal path, a Blue Flag swimming beach, and the Hemel-en-Aarde wine valley behind it.
Jeffreys Bay
Eastern Cape, Sunshine Coast, southwest of Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha)
A laid-back, surf-centric town built around world-class point breaks, with rugged rocky shores, shell beaches, and surf outlet shopping.
Llandudno Beach
Atlantic Seaboard, Cape Town (between Camps Bay and Hout Bay)
A small, exclusive granite-framed cove with cold water, dramatic mountain scenery, no commercial development, and famous sunsets.
Muizenberg Beach
False Bay, southern Cape Town
Cape Town's relaxed, family-friendly surf beach with iconic bathing huts, warm-ish water, and a bohemian beach-town feel.
Plettenberg Bay
Garden Route, Western Cape
An upmarket Garden Route holiday town with long golden beaches, swimmable warm water, and superb whale and dolphin watching.
Umhlanga Beach
KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, just north of Durban
An upmarket resort town with a promenade, lighthouse, lifeguarded shark-net beaches, and warm year-round swimming.
Wilderness Beach
Garden Route, Western Cape, near George
A long, wild, dune-backed surf beach for walking and scenery, backed by the lakes and forests of Wilderness National Park, with limited safe swimming.