Suggest a nice beach/town for a few days along Garden route.

We´ll be going to S.A in Jan/Feb and will be spending 12 days in cape town and then head of (by plane) for a 5 days safari in Kruger.
I feel like 12 days in Cape Town will be a bit mucg although I have bo doubt there are things to do to fill the entire 12 days.
We are thinking to go away for let´s say 3 days to just lie on a beach and take it easy.

Which place would you suggest along the Garden Route?
Prio 1 is a really nice beach. We do not care that much for night life, but some selection of restaurant and beach bars would be nice.

Maybe you can laso suggest how to get there. We´d like to avoid spending to much time travveling during the day since we have a limited number of days in total.

Hi Jocke, I doubt that you would have time to get bored around CT and the peninsula. There are some great beaches close by to Cape town, Camps bay, Llandudno, Glencairn, Fish hoek etc. Or if you want to try further away ? Theres the Bredasdorpberge coastline or Struisbay, or even further theres mosselbay ! Depends how long you are willing to drive !

A good suggestion if you have got a couple of days to spare is to do a circular route. Go up the garden route and return via Route 62 or visa-versa.

Plettenberg Bay (5 hours from CT) might bea good option. Lots of beach options, walking and restaurants/bars to entertain you. Knysna is only 20 minutes drive away so you coudl spend a day there or even just a meal. It will be school holidays though, so anywhere along the coast will be busy! I know it's not strictly Garden Route but Hermanus (1 1/2 hours) is beautiful. Good selection of beaches - some for families, swimmers and surfers, with a great coastal town atmosphere.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>some selection of restaurant and beach bars would be nice.<hr></blockquote> -- Mossel Bay (3.5 to 4 hours drive) or Plett is your best bet for this. In Knysna you have to travel to the beach.

Martraveller is right, there is a lot to do around CT. Going up the Garden Route will involve 10-12 hours in travel time alone, so if you are just wanting a change of beach I wouldn't think it is worth it. Even if you fly to George and then hire a car you will spend 6-8 odd hours going back and forth to catch your flight.

Why not take time out in Hermanus or Simonstown to go beaching?

Nothing beats Wilderness.......

Agree for Widlerness - I stayed at the Beach hostel, and it was one of the nicest hostel I ever been too. The double room were gorgieous, and there is a unbelievable view over the sea. They also offer breakfast and dinner, and there is some nice little places "downtown" (you can walk over there from the hostel)

yebo, Wilderness is really nice!

seb

Yes, I'd also go for Wilderness. Below the Beach Hotel there is a great beach for walking on that extends all the way back to the Kaaimans Pass. Then if you get bored on that beach, there's also Vic Bay very close by (close by car about 10 mins) or Myoli Beach (which is more like 25 mins drive from Wilderness).

Knysna is very nice but it doesn't have a beach (next door at Brenton-on-Sea does).

I agree with Martraveller: Llandudno or one of those in greater Cape Town area = really nice.

The school holidays end 15 January so if you're going late Jan into Feb as your post suggests, you'll miss the crowds and have the beach almost to yourself! This happened to us at Llundudno. Although they're so close to the city Cape Town, you feel like you're somewhere quieter.

Route 62 is nice but it's inland.

Wilderness is really nice. I have only passed through there in the past but we're going there 1 January (sadly just 1 night) and staying at Faerie Knowe Backpackers (does anyone know it? Is it nice?) I was trying to find somewhere quiet for new years day I have a feeling we're going to regret not having enough time to "veg"/relax.

Thank you so far for all you replies. We´ll be landing on the 22nd of Jan so then Schools have started again as I understand it which is good.
Maybe you are right about Garden route. It´s probably to far away considering the limited time we have.
So probably the best option is something closer to Cape Town.
What about water temperature on the closer beaches. I know it´s freezing (we´ll I am a Swede but below 20 is a bit cold even for me) in Camps Bay and Clifton. What about the others yo have suggested that are a little closer?

More info please :-)

Jocke, the water temp will seem low at first (obvious) but its not cold by North/Baltic sea standards. But remember it is South Atlantic, so by nature quite cold compared to the Indian ocean (4 hours away) I would expect the water temp to be slightly warmer on the False bay side of the Peninsula (Muizenberg, Fish Hoek, Simons town etc) than the west coast (camps bay, Sea point, LLandudno etc)

Will PM you when we're there in December (if I remember) and let you know about the temps, but in January 3 years ago I swam at fish hoek most days and it was very pleasant !

I guess it also depends on your tolerance. For me, even Hermanus water is a bit too cold : /

I just rcvd Getaway Magazine e-zine, and guess what they published, a list of the blue beaches

South Africa's 2007 Blue Flag beaches are:

WESTERN CAPE Bikini Beach, Gordon's Bay; Clifton 4th Beach, Cape Town; Grotto Beach, Hermanus; Hawston Beach, near Hermanus; Kleinmond Beach, near Hermanus; Lappiesbaai Beach, Stilbaai; Mnandi Beach, Strandfontein.

and for interest:

EASTERN CAPE Dolphin Beach, Jeffrey's Bay; Humewood Beach, Port Elizabeth; Kelly's Beach, Port Alfred; Kings Beach, Port Elizabeth; Wells Estate, north of Port Elizabeth.

KWAZULU-NATAL Addington Beach, Durban; Hibberdene Beach, South Coast; Margate Main Beach, South Coast; Marina/San Lameer Beach, South Coast; North Beach, Durban; Ramsgate Main Beach, South Coast.

Milmaw - I used to work at Faire Knowe Backpackers! It's lovely and right in the forest too. Please tell Monica and the staff there that Alexis said "Hello"!! Have a great visit!

Milmaw - the faire knowe backpackers has a quite good reputation, as the beach hostel. The main difference is that the beach hostel is closer to "downtown" and the beach, and the faire knowe closer to the National park. It's 2 different environments, both very nice ; if you have a car, it's not a problem, if you are "on foot", the beach hostel is more convinient.