Top 10 Beaches in South Africa : A Guide to Coastal Paradise

South Africa has become the talk of the town, and for a good reason. South Africa has stunning safaris, vibrant towns, and fascinating history, but it also has some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet! South Africa is brimming with coastal beauty, from beaches with breath-taking mountain vistas to beaches with resident penguin populations. Keep this list on hand, as well as your sunscreen.

Top 10 Beaches in South Africa

Take a look at our list of best beach beaches in South Africa, and don’t forget to carry this with you on your visit.

Robberg Beach

This blue-flag beach in South Africa is said to be the best on the Garden Route. You may stroll for kilometres over dunes that appear to go on forever, and chances are you’ll see some dolphins. The beach is also famous for shore-based whale watching, especially during the winter months when the southern right whales visit Plettenberg Bay. A must-see on any Garden Route Road trip, and number one on our list of the best beaches in South Africa. We strongly suggest this beach in South Africa for a stunning view and scenery.

Things to do:

Robberg Beach Reserve
Plettenberg Bay
Roberg Nature Reserve
Thai Massage Healing Hands

Accommodations:

The Robberg Beach Lodge – Lion Roars Hotels & Lodges
Dolphins Playground B&B
Stoneridge Farm
Barrington’s Small Hotel
Southern Cross Beach House

Restaurants:

Classics & Coffee Gallery
Nineteen89
Ngunit
Off the Hook
The Table Restaurant and Bar

Kraalbai

This gorgeous lagoon is one of the secret beaches on South Africa’s West Coast. Well, not anymore, but it’s too beautiful not to include in our list of the best beaches in South Africa. Driving through the West Coast National Park into the lagoon, one might imagine themselves on a Maldivian beach, with gin-clear, turquoise water, a picturesque jetty, and even a few houseboats floating in the bay. Also, this is one of the best beaches for swimming in South Africa. You can also combine your beach explorations with a trek or a birding expedition in the nearby fynbos.

Things to do:

West Coast National Park
Langebaan Beach
Mykonos Casino
Eves’s Trail
Wheels of Time Trail

Accommodations:

Club Mykonos
Windtown Lagoon Hotel
Shark Bay Hotel & Spa
Crystal Lagoon Lodge
Old Fisher house

Restaurants

Kokoma Beach Bar and Restaurant
Friday Island
Die Strandloper
Thoban Chef’s
Pearly’s

Camps Bay

South Africa has some beautiful beach sites, but no vacation to Cape Town is complete without a stop at Camps Bay. Camps bay is one of the white– sand beaches in South Africa. The 12 Apostles rise above the glittering beach burb on the left, while Signal Hill and Lion Head guard the powdery-white beaches to the right, and a beautiful sundowner scene makes this beach one of the best beaches in South Africa! So, grab a drink at one of the Strip’s pubs, relax on the rocks next to the tidal pool, and see why Capetonians can’t stop bragging about their spectacular sunsets.

Places to Visit:

Theatre on the Bay
Studio G
Bakoven Beach
Beta Beach
Skaris Touring
Kasteelspoort

Accommodations:

Kraalbai Lifestyle House Boats
Crystal Lagoon Lodge
The Stables Cottage
Club Mykonos Resort
Water’s Edge

Restaurants

The Hussar Grill Camps Bay
Codfather Seafood and Sushi
Ocean Basket
Bilboa
Primi

Thonga Beach

Consider staying in a thatched bush suite surrounded by a coastal dune forest, with the shimmering Indian Ocean right ahead of you. Thonga Beach in northern KwaZulu-Natal has it all. Thonga has some of the best beaches in South Africa for snorkeling and offshore scuba diving in the nation, and depending on the time of year; you may observe turtles lay eggs.

Things to do:

Snorkeling
Scuba Diving
Kayaking
Zulu Dancing and Singing

Accommodations:

Thonga Beach Lodge
Tembe Elephant Park
Bayala Private Safari Lodge and Camp
White Pearl Resorts
Rhino River Lodge

Restaurants

Thonga Beach Lodge
Rocktail Camp

Llandudno Beach

If you go to Llandudno at high tide, you’ll see a lot of surfers enjoying the little swell and south-easterly wind. Even if you’re passing through for a day of beach relaxation, you’ll be in for a treat as you stare up over the Twelve Apostles, Little Lion’s Head, and the magnificent Karbonkelberg Mountain. This beach is also one of the best swimming beaches in South Africa. A five-minute drive from Llandudno brings you over the hill to the community of Hout Bay, where dozens of eateries serve excellent sea cuisine fresh from the sea.

Things to do:

Table Mountain
Chapman’s Peak Drive
Animal Ocean Seal Snorkeling
SA Forest Adventures
Twelve Apostles

Restaurants:

Quentin at Oakhurst Barn
Chef’s Warehouse Beau Constantia
La Colombe
Leopard Bar
Azure Restaurant

Accomodations:

Llandudno Beach Apartments
Hideaway Cape Town
Villa Mirage
Fisherman’s Bend Retreat

Muizenberg Beach

Muizenberg beach is one of the warm water beaches in South Africa and the most beautiful. You can also swim and surf at Muizenberg beach. Don’t forget to click a picture along with the colorful small cottages that this beach boasts about. This hip district of cape town has loads of surf shops, beautiful vistas, and hip eateries. This is one of the best beaches in South Africa. There are loads of surf shops, stunning sights, and hip eateries in this laid-back beachy district of Cape Town. This magnificent beach is located where the Cape Peninsula meets the False Bay shoreline.

Places to See:

Het Posthuys
Rhodes Cottage Museum
Mzoli’s Place
Visit the Blue Bird Garage Market

Restaurants:

Lucky Fish and Chips
Tiger’s Milk
Ocean’s Basket
Casa Labia by Ideas Cartel

Accommodations:

The Muize Bed and Breakfast
African Soul Surfer
Bluebottle Guest House
Cape Capsules Back Packers

Elands Bay

For many years, this magnificent seaside location has managed to retain its charm and small-town character; it features a world-class surfing beach and has attracted some of the country’s top surfers year after year. It’s also a birdwatcher’s paradise, with 232 species of birds known to be observed in Elands Bay or nearby. It is also well-known for its magnificent blossoming flowers, which may be seen in full bloom throughout the spring. This beach is also one of the secret beaches in South Africa. If you want to avoid the crowd, this is your place.

Things To Do:

Visit Verlorenvlei
Go Crayfish Diving in Eland’s Bay
Boegoeberg 4×4 Trail
Klein Tafelberg 4×4 Trail

Accommodations:

West Coast Luxury Tents
Fork West Holiday Apartments
Vensterklip
Louws Manor

Restaurants:

Wit Mossel Pot
Beach Bum
Elands Bay Hotel
Vensterklip Guest Farm and Restaurant

Pringle Bay

This quiet bit of heaven, located not far from more popular and less isolated spots such as Hermanus, is a fantastic weekend retreat not far from Cape Town. Whale watching is also possible from this location at certain times of the year. The location includes stunning mountain views and the sights and sounds of the ocean. Penguins can also be seen at adjacent Betty’s Bay.

Things To Do:

Fishing
Whale Watching
Hiking in the Biosphere
Water Sports

Accommodations:

Pringle Beach Bay House by Raw Africa Boutique Collection
Moonstruck on Pringle Bay Guesthouse
Baytown Holiday Accommodation
Kapensis Guesthouse

Restaurants:

Bistro Three Six Five
La Galerie
Hanging Rock Kitchen
Hook, Line and Sinker

Coffee Bay

This beach is an all-arounder in the middle of the Wild Coast. Take a long walk along the water’s edge, feel the breeze in your hair and horseback ride down the dunes, or simply relax and work on your tan at Coffee Bay. If you’re seeking a bit more adventure, swim through the Hole in the Wall, and you’ll find yourself entirely alone overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Places to See:

Hole in the Wall
Coffee Bay Beach
Arfitude
Jah Drums

Accommodations:

Ocean View Hotel
Hole in the Wall Hotel
Sugarloaf Beach House
White Clay
Swell Eco Lodge

Restaurants:

Sunset Sushi and Grill
White Clay Restaurant
Gigis Seafood Restaurant
Nosh
Kota Life Shack

Kommetjie Beach

A wonderful narrative or an antique lighthouse are two elements that make a beach genuinely unique. Kommetjie possesses both and hence merits a position on the list of best beaches in South Africa. Needless to say, the view along the white sand beaches of South Africa’s Kommetjie Beach from the top of South Africa’s highest cast-iron lighthouse is spectacular.

Places to See:

Slangkop Point Lighthouse
Baboon Matters
Long Beach
Pepe Charlot

Accommodations:

Long Beach Holiday House
Kommetjie Beach House
Tristan’s Beach House

Restaurants:

Fisherman’s Garden
The Green Room
Blue Water Café
Umami Restaurant

Private Beaches in South Africa

Everyone is aware of South Africa’s breathtaking beauty and the fantastic outdoor activities available there. However, there are times when the beaches near the country’s major coastal cities, particularly Cape Town and Durban, might see uncontrolled crowds. That’s fantastic if you want to experience the energy of a busy beach town over the holidays. However, many people might choose a location that is significantly less populated and developed. Here are 5 locations that are either unexplored or loaded with amazing natural beauty and an interesting locality that is worth visiting.

Elands Bay, West Coast, Western Cape.
Umzumbe, South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal.
Uvongo Beach, South Coast KwaZulu-Natal.
Pringle Bay, Overberg, Western Cape.
Noetzie Beach in Knysna, Garden Route
With this, our list of best beaches in South Africa ends.

Bon Voyage!

Beaches in South Africa FAQS

1. Are there beaches in South Africa?

Yes, South Africa has beaches. South Africa has no lack of beaches, with a coastline spanning approximately 2,000 miles and bordering two seas. Some are traditional sandy bays ideal for sunbathing and sandcastle construction.

2. What is the longest beach in South Africa?

Yzerfontein brags South Africa’s longest stretch of the ocean side, 16 Mile Beach, which runs from Yzerfontein’s Main Beach in the South, as far as possible up to the beginning of the West Coast National Park in the North.

3. Are there penguins in South Africa?

The African penguin is just found on the south-western shore of Africa, living in states on 24 islands among Namibia and Algoa Bay, close to Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

4. How many beaches are in South Africa?

Pristine waters, Sandy shores, and exquisite scenery. South Africa is just showing off with its array of coastlines and can now show off a total of 46 Blue Flag beaches in the country.

5. What are the nicest beaches in South Africa?

The nicest beaches in South Africa are:

* Coffee Bay, Wild Coast
* Boulders Beach, Cape Town
* Paternoster Beach, West Coast,
* Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu-Natal
* Muizenberg Beach, Cape Town

Tboacademy Team

Top 10 Beaches in South Africa : A Guide to Coastal Paradise