South Africa, Beaches Resorts

South Africa boasts some of the finest beaches in the world. From the pristine coastal stretch of Cape Vidal in KwaZulu-Natal to the Eastern Cape's famous Wild Coast, from the penguin colony of Boulders Beach to sun-drenched Camps Bay in the Western Cape … when it comes to beaches, we win, hands down. The beaches are much more than a haven for sun-worshippers and surfers. There's so much to see and do along the dramatic coastline, including a range of wonderful multi-day coastal hikes.

Sun, sand, sea, skimpy swimsuits and the smell of coconut scented sun tan lotion. South Africa has a 3,000km coastline with thousands of beaches, some of which are more appealing than others. So if you’re after a beach holiday, you just need to decide what kind, and then choose the right beach.The West Coast has some unbelievably beautiful, long, lonely beaches, where you can walk for miles and not see another person. Some lovely little towns, which were once fishing villages, are great to explore and also usually have nice beaches that are not quite so deserted, but also not that crowded. It hardly ever rains, so the West Coast is a good place to work on your sun tan but – be warned – the water is freezing. Probably the best West Coast destinations are Langebaan, Paternoster and, for surfers especially, Elands Bay. Cape Town, of course, is a beach destination of note, where you’ll find a beach for every reason. The Southern Cape Coast refers to the whole section of coast between the eastern side of False Bay and somewhere near Mossel Bay, including the Overberg beaches. Settlements are few and far between and pretty laid back generally. They’re not nearly as crowded as Cape Town or the Garden Route, but not as deserted as the West Coast. Some of the favourite beach towns here include Arniston and Stilbaai.