Camps Bay Beach

Camps Bay is the Atlantic Seaboard's best-known beach suburb, a short drive over Kloof Nek from the city centre. Its main beach is a long curve of white sand backed by palm trees and lawns, with the mountains of the Twelve Apostles rising steeply behind and Lion's Head at the northern end. The beach has held Blue Flag status since 2008.

The beach is the centre of life in Camps Bay. Across Victoria Road, a strip of restaurants, cafés, bars and hotels looks straight over the sand, and at sunset many people move from the beach to a terrace table for a drink. Glen Beach, tucked around the rocks at the northern end, is smaller and more popular with surfers.

Be prepared for cold water. The Atlantic here is chilled by the Benguela Current, and even on hot summer days a swim is short and bracing for most people. There can also be strong currents, so swim only where lifeguards are on duty in the season, near the lifeguard station with toilets at the western end of the beach. The wind can blow hard in summer, and the lawns and rocks offer a little shelter.

Camps Bay gets very busy at weekends, on public holidays and during the December and January holidays, when parking along Victoria Road and the side streets is hard to find. Go early in the day for space on the sand and an easier time parking, or come late in the afternoon for the sunset. Bring sun protection, as the sun is strong, and keep an eye on your belongings.

MyCiTi routes 106 and 107 link Camps Bay with the Civic Centre in the city and stop along Victoria Road, and taxis and ride-hailing services are easy to find. The beach suits families, couples and groups, and it works well combined with a drive along the coast to Clifton, Sea Point or Llandudno, or with an afternoon walk or hike in the Table Mountain range above. Neighbouring Clifton's four sheltered beaches, a few minutes north along Victoria Road, make a quieter alternative when Camps Bay is crowded, although they are reached by steep steps.