Beach sights in Cape Town
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Boulders Beach
Some 3km south of Simon’s Town is Boulders, a picturesque area with a number of large boulders and small sandy coves, within which you’ll find Boulders Beach, home to a colony of 3000 jackass (African) penguins. Delightful as they are, the penguins are also pretty stinky, which may put you off getting too close.
There are two entrances to the penguins’ protected area. The first, as you come along Queens Rd (the continuation of St George’s St) from Simon’s Town, is at the end of Seaforth Rd; the second is at Bellevue Rd, where you’ll also find accommodation and places to eat. You can observe the penguins from the boardwalk at Foxy Beach and at Boulders Beach.
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Kommetjie Beaches
A focal point for surfing on the Cape, Kommetjie offers an assortment of reefs that hold a very big swell. Outer Kommetjie is a left point out from Slangkop Lighthouse at the southern end of the village. Inner Kommetjie is a more-protected, smaller left with lots of kelp (only at high tide). They both work best with a southeasterly or southwesterly wind. For breezy beach walks, it doesn't get much better than the aptly named Long Beach, accessed off Benning Dr.
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Llandudno & Sandy Bay Beaches
At Llandudno there's surfing on the beach breaks (mostly rights), best at high tide with a small swell and a southeasterly wind. You'll also need to head here if you want to get to Sandy Bay, Cape Town's nudist beach and gay stamping ground. It's a particularly beautiful stretch of sand and there's no pressure to take your clothes off if you don't want to.
Like many such beaches, Sandy Bay has no direct access roads. From the M6, turn towards Llandudno, keep to the left at the fork, and head towards the sea until you reach the Sunset Rocks parking area. The beach is roughly a 15-minute walk to the south. Waves here are best at low tide with a southeasterly wind.
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Bloubergstrand Beach
The British won their 1806 battle for the Cape on this beach. The panoramic view it provides of Table Mountain is its most famous feature, although the seemingly eternal wind makes it popular with windsurfers. There are also opportunities for some surfing (best with a moderate northeasterly wind, a small swell and an incoming tide). The village of Bloubergstrand itself is attractive enough, with picnic areas, some long, uncrowded, windy stretches of sand, and a good pub, the Blue Peter.
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Muizenberg Beach
This surf beach, popular with families, is famous for its row of primary-colour-painted Victorian bathing chalets. Surf boards can be hired and lessons booked at either Roxy Surf Club or Gary's Surf School, and lockers are available in the pavilions on the promenade. The beach shelves gently and the sea is generally safer (not to mention warmer) than elsewhere along the peninsula. There's a fun water slide too.
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Noordhoek Beach
This magnificent 5km stretch of beach is favoured by surfers and horse riders. It tends to be windy, and dangerous for swimmers. The Hoek, as it is known to surfers, is an excellent right beach break at the northern end that can hold large waves (only at low tide); it's best with a southeasterly wind. In the middle of the beach, like a weird sculpture, the rusted shell of the steamship Kakapo sticks out of the sand. It ran aground here on its maiden voyage in 1900 from Britain to Australia.
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Boulders Beach
Some 3km south of Simon’s Town is Boulders, a picturesque area with a number of large boulders and small sandy coves, within which you’ll find Boulders Beach, home to a colony of 3000 jackass (African) penguins. Delightful as they are, the penguins are also pretty stinky, which may put you off getting too close.
There are two entrances to the penguins’ protected area. The first, as you come along Queens Rd (the continuation of St George’s St) from Simon’s Town, is at the end of Seaforth Rd; the second is at Bellevue Rd, where you’ll also find accommodation and places to eat. You can observe the penguins from the boardwalk at Foxy Beach and at Boulders Beach.
reviewed