South Africa is blessed with more than 3000km of coastline, and much of this consists of some of the finest beaches to be found anywhere on earth. South Africa's beaches are renowned for their white or golden sands, their tall sand dunes, excellent surfing conditions, and clean and tidy facilities.
As Cape Point is the location where the warm Indian Ocean and the cold Atlantic Ocean meet, the beaches on the eastern coast of South Africa have lovely year-round warm waters, while those of the western side have waters that are surprisingly chilly! Many of South Africa's fine beaches have been awarded Blue Flag status, which is awarded to beaches that have both stunning natural beauty and excellent facilities.
The beaches found along the eastern coastline of South Africa include those of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape provinces. Cape Vidal is found way north of this stretch of coast, close to Mozambique and forms part of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, a World Heritage Site. The popular beaches of Durban, further south, are huge beaches with golden sand, lovely promenades and a great deal of entertainment options, including the uShaka Marine World themed marine park. Just north of Durban are the wonderful beaches of Umhlanga, Umdloti and Ballito, while south of Durban there is Marina Beach, Margate and the attractive Ramsgate beach. Even further south and into the Eastern Cape, there is Nature's Valley lying secluded in the Tstitsikamma Forest region, Plettenburg Bay which is regarded as the jewel of the Garden Route, the fabulous beaches of Port Elizabeth, and those in between Port Alfred and East London.
Although the waters may be colder, the trend value and status of the Western Cape's Atlantic Seaboard beaches are way hotter. Some of South Africa's beaches, including Camp's Bay, Clifton and Llandudno, gorgeously fringe some of Africa's priciest real-estate, and if celebrity-spotting is your thing, you won't often be disappointed here.
The best time to swim and enjoy South Africa's beaches is in summertime, between November and February. There is more than just sunbathing and surfing too, as the coastal areas of South Africa are so lovely, that scenic drives and hiking are always popular pastimes.
Visitors should be reminded that South Africa's oceans produce strong currents, rip-tides and huge waves, and therefore swimming should only be done under supervision of a life guard. |
