Beaches, Cape Town

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This is exactly the sort of beach that I love: beautiful, isolated and deserted!

Soutwater is located on the Atlantic coast of the peninsula, south of Kommetjie and north of Scarborough. It is a beautiful reach of white sand, and its northern end is marked by a jetty with a crayfish factory at the end, which I think is still used in season (although I'm open to correction on this point).

To my mind, this is the Cape peninsula at its best - why run the gauntlet of the crowds at Clifton and Camps Bay when you can have this expanse of loveliness all to yourself?!!!

I should add that in Cape Town and the peninsula region, there is a beach for everyone and for (almost) any weather - see the link below for an excellent website to help you find the perfect one for you!

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If the startlingly beautiful long sweep of Noordhoek Beach looks vaguely familiar, then chances are that you've seen the 70s movie "Ryan's Daughter" (in which Noordhoek masquerades as a suspiciously sunny the West of Ireland).

Noordhoek is an extraordinary sight: over 6km kilometres of white, sandy gorgeousness that inspires awe in even a non beach enthusiast such as myself! It is sandwiched between the rocky point at Kommetjie (complete with lighthouse) to the south and the iconic Chapman's Peak to the north, so the views along the coast are breathtaking.

Noordhoek beach offers so much to do, from dog walking (hugely popular) to riding along the beach which I am dying to do (see the website below for contact details) - the stuff of Mills & Boon fantasies! It is usually breezy - often downright windswept - so it would be an excellent spot to fly a kite and there is even an old wreck (the Kakapo) which is exposed under certain weather conditions.

Of course, this the the Cape, and the Atlantic coast to boot, so be warned that the water is icy, even in high summer. There is also a strong breeze for most of the year which is is very welcome in the summer heat, but it makes it very easy for you to burn without realising. I was unwittingly rendered an unflattering shade of lobster red for the duration of my first Christmas in South Africa (when I was staying in a house just by the beach), and this is one of the very few Cape Town experiences that I wouldn't recommend!

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I confess that I am not a 'beach person', but if I had to nominate the best beach ever on which to sip sundowners, Llandudno would win hands down!

Llandudno is just north of Hout Bay on the western side of the Cape peninsula. As a result, the sun appears to sink slowly into the Atlantic ocean - the stuff of postcard photography!

Llandudno itself is a beautiful horseshoe-shaped sandy beach located in a sheltered rocky bay. The slope to the shoreline is littered with enormous granite boulders which have slipped down from the steep cliffs which speak volumes about the optimism of the well-heeled property owners who have shoehorned exclusive real estate into every last nook and crannie!

We first discovered this beach when a Capetonian friend (yes, this most clique-y of species does occasionally consort with Foreigners) invited us for a sundowner picnic - our daughter was only about two at the time. They laid on a lavish spread, and I don't think that I'll ever forget the image of bare-bottomed Small Daughter with her face smothered in chocolate (courtesy of the chocolate-dipped strawberries), which was subsequently covered with a frosting of sand during sand castle construction!

The beach is a friendly spot, well used by families and dog walkers, and kids are almost guaranteed finding other little people to play with. It is possible to swim provided that you are willing to brave the icy South Atlantic waters (I suggest that you compromise by sipping something icy whilst you admire the water from a safe distance!)

Be warned that parking is at a premium, and that you may have to park in streets well away from the formal parking area. My suggestion is that if you're bringing a picnic and/or other paraphernalia, then make sure it is packed into a rucksack or a bag that you can wear on your shoulder, as you may be in for a long stroll!

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I have now visited Boulders, Simon's Town, Camps Bay, Fish Hoek, and more and the beaches are beautiful and inviting. The sand is like fine talcum powder and a pleasure to walk through.
I didn't try the water as it was not yet summmer.

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He Guys , if you love spending time on the beach then I highly recommend the Strand.

Just driving along the beach gives you this great Holiday Feeling. This is a long stretch of beach and when driving along , everyone seems to be having fun. You just gotta stop and enjoy yourself.

Well like I said before in my Gordon`s Bay review parking can be a problem in the peak season so always try to go early.

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Isolated by majestic mountains, Kommetjie is delightfully rural and unspoiled. Although being conveniently close to Cape Town, the atmosphere of Kommetjie, even in peak season when holiday resorts are bustling, is one of peaceful isolation.

Hout Bay is a curious municipal formation with lots of marketing gusto ready to provide anybody willing to consume some fish-and-chips with a passport to the least known republic of the continent. For the country counters this is a convenient excuse to extend the visited-countries list. As for the fish itself it cannot be fresher since the boats unload it right there. The amount of batter is significant though and the taste is almost diluted in this floury representation of a poor cousin of the Yorkshire pudding. The beach offers nice view of the icy-green waters of the sea limited only by the dramatic slopes on the other side. Hout Bay is also a spot for seal-bound excursions but this should be most probably a trip on its own because there seems to be not enough time to combine it within the city tour limits if one is to do justice to any of those two activities.

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Camps bay setup is more Mediterranean than the Mediterranean itself. The soft beaches backed by mountains and peppered with whitewashed buildings on a small scale might as well be on the Dalmatian coast. The rumour has it that the rich and beautiful are permanent fixtures of this place, gently strolling along the beach or watching life pass by from the many cafes lining the main street.
A visit to this part of the city is a must since it offers completely different atmosphere from the hustle and bustle of the waterfront or the city bowl. Access is easy with the hop-oh-hop-off bus and timetable of the runs facilitates shorter or longer stays depending on intoxication, natural or distilled.