Beach guide – Atlantic Seaboard, Cape Town
The Atlantic Seaboard in Cape Town is loved by both tourists and locals, because it offers everything from weekend markets to shopping malls, delicious food spots to trendy bars, promenade runs to whale & dolphin watching. However, one of its biggest draw cards are its epic beaches.
Here are our top 5 best beaches and local tips on how to make the most of your beach experience.
Beta Beach
A beautiful quaint beach with an unbelievable view of Lions Head. It can’t take many people, so if you’re lucky enough to get a slice of the beach, you can kick back and relax in peace.
Where: Bakoven, Cape Town
Size: Small and the tide takes away a lot of the beach, so it can get really squished
Activities: Not enough space to hit some bat and ball or kick a soccer ball. So, pack that backgammon set and pack of cards or your favourite book.
Swimming: There are quite a few rocks around and it is surrounded by kelp forests, so you are limited to a dip if you want to swim close to the beach. However, a few strokes through the kelp forest and you’re into some beautiful deeper water with more space.
Parking: Very limited close to Beta beach, however, there are a lot of small roads in and around you can park on (be respectful of residents and don’t park on yellow or red lines).
Bali Beach
Another small beach in the Bakoven suburb, so if you are wanting to avoid the crowds this should be one of your options. Found opposite the bay to Beta Beach, Bali is a local favourite as it quiet and only a stone’s throw away from the Camps Bay strip.
Where: Bakoven, Cape Town
Size: Small, with the tide eating away precious beach at certain times of the day
Activities: Again, not a ball activity beach. You come here to unwind, read your book and take a good snooze.
Swimming: As it is in the same bay to Bakoven, thereare rocks dotted about, so this is more of a beach to dip at.
Parking: There is ample parking on this stretch of Victoria road.
Clifton 4th Beach
If you haven’t been to Cape Town before, this is probably the beach that has filled up your feed. Clifton 4th receives the most amount of attention, because it ticks many boxes and is a blue flag beach.
Head on down lots of steps to Clifton 4th if you want to do any of the following:
- Play some volleyball, spike ball, bat & ball, throw a rugby ball about etc – you’ve got the space for all the beach activities
- Hire a beach lounge and umbrella
- Get those iconic pics with the Twelve Apostles (mountain range) in the background
- Swim far and wide (watch the current, don’t get swept out)
- Treat yourself to the famous Granadilla ice lollies
Where: Clifton, Cape Town
Size: Big, big, big. But a lot of the beach is taken up by pre-setup beach lounges and umbrellas
Activities: Volleyball courts (just bring a ball or join Friends Who Volley on Thurs afternoon). There is a lot of space, so you can play pretty much any ball sport
Swimming: The open ocean is in front of you. Enjoy uninterrupted swimming. There are waves (not for surfing).
Parking: If you come early enough you will find parking on this stretch of Victoria road, otherwise you may need to park on lower Kloof road and walk down the stairs (don’t underestimate the walk back up)
Bakoven Beach
This beach is famous for its sunsets. Perfectly positioned to watch the sunset, many locals head here late afternoon to admire the views and get a dip in before the evening.
Where: Bakoven, Cape Town
Size: There is a small amount of sandy beach, but there are a lot of boulders to sit on (great to watch the sunset from)
Activities: It’s a small beach surrounded, by big boulders so your activities are limited. No volleyball here, but a good spot to tan and read your book.
Swimming: You have a good amount of space to swim between the boulders, but don’t go too far out (especially if it is rough, because you could be swept against the rocks)
Parking: Very limited, but you can park on Victoria road or some of the smaller roads in the suburb above the beach (be respectful of residents and don’t park on yellow or red lines)
Glen Beach
Pack the surfboards and the dogs. Glen Beach is a versatile beach which offers some surf action and is big enough for your pooch to run around on.
Where: Camps Bay, Cape Town
Size: Medium to big. You have a lot of beach to play with.
Activities: You can kick about a ball, throw a stick for your dog or head out for a surf
Swimming: Lots of space to swim. Watch out for the surfers (it’s not packed with surfers, but just be aware of them).
Parking: Lots of parking on this stretch of Victoria road and if this runs out, just in front of Camps Bay High School there are parking bays (it’s a short walk away).
