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Country Info > South Africa >Visa Info > Travel Basics >Safari Tours > Beaches > National Parks >Arts & Culture > Shopping & Watersport > Govt & Economy

South Africa Beaches

1. THE EASTERN CAPE

Part of the Tsitsikamma National Park lies in the province known as the Eastern Cape. For the adventurous there is blackwater tubing down the Storms River and the world's highest bungee jump from Bloukrans Bridge.

The resort of St Francis Bay, at the mouth of Kromme River, is an ideal place for a wide range of water-bome activities like windsurfing, waterskiing, sailing, canoeing, swimming, deep-sea and rock angling, diving, power-boating and surfing.

A range of wildlife may be seen in the Cape St Francis Nature Reserve, which also protects endangered coastal fynbos plants.Cape St Francis is a small seaside village behind Seal Bay offering swimming, fishing, diving and surfing.

The lighthouse at Seal Point, built in 1873, is a national monument.

Jeffreys Bay is world-renowned for its surfing - it is known for "the perfect wave" - and is also a delightful holiday resort also offering sailing, windsurfing, fishing and swimming. The Jeffreys Bay Shell Museum has an exceptional collection.

Port Elizabeth, the largest city on the coast between Cape Town and Durban, boasts the South African record for the number of hours of sunshine in a coastal city so it is a great base for holidaymakers, particularly families. There's the choice of a dozen sandy beaches in and around the city, with opportunities for all types of watersport as well as diving.

The Swartkops River, minutes from the city centre, is a broad stretch of water for swimming, sailing and angling. For entertainment, dolphins perform at the
Oceanarium. You can follow the Donkin Heritage Trail, which traces the history of the 1820 British settlers.Hiking trails, mountain hiking, horse riding and other outdoor experiences are right on the doorstep - and there's a nature reserve close by.

2. THE SUNSHINE COAST

The stretch of coastline from Port Elizabeth to the Fish River is known as The Sunshine Coast. Beach lovers, hikers and history buffs will enjoy Alexandria, 100 km east of Port Elizabeth. The Alexandria Hiking Trail is a 35 km, two-day scenic route encompassing
seashore, sand dunes and indigenous forest.

See the Diaz Cross, a replica of the stone cross, erected by Portuguese navigator Bartholomew Diaz in 1488.Situated on the eastern bank of the Bushmans River is the small village of Kenton-on-Sea, with its beaches, sand dunes, shallow lagoons, sheltered coves, rock pools and nature reserve. Activities include boat trips on the river, waterskiing, angling and swimming. Port Alfred, straddling the banks of the Kowie River and regarded as the heart of the Sunshine Coast, is known for rare nautilus shells. Offering fishing and watersports, it has a picturesque harbour, beaches and a nearby spa.

3. THE WILD COAST

A section of coastline known as The Wild Coast runs from East London to Port Edward - an area of spectacular scenery, loads of leisure options and rich in the cultural heritage of the Xhosa people. Here you can swim, surf - or hook a prize catch in waters teeming with more than 800 fish species.

Lying at the foot of two hills is Haga Haga, a charming fishing village with excellent fishing. Unwind here or at Morgan Bay, simply walking along the beach and through the sand dunes.On the southern bank of the Kei River, fringed by lush coastal forests, is the delightful resort of Kei Mouth, where you can swim, fish or indulge in a range of watersports. There's a shell museum in the town, while a pontoon ferry will take you across the Kei River.

About 50 km from here is The Hole in the Wall - a huge detached section of cliff with a giant hole carved out by wave action. Port St Johns, at the mouth of the Mzimvubu River, is thought to have taken its name from the Sao Joao, which sank off the coast in 1552. It has three popular beaches, one situated in the Silaka Nature Reserve, all easily accessible from the town.

A short drive inland is Umtata, where the Nelson Mandela Museum houses some of the gifts that South Africa's first democratically elected president received after he was released from prison.On the way to Port Edward, at the northern tip of the Wild Coast, is a stunning resort and casino complex.

4. THE WEST COAST

With its beachfront seafood restaurants, Lambert's Bay is a popular holiday resort. New hides on Bird Island offer close-ups of gannets, cormorants and penguins. Whale watching is another option.One of the oldest towns on the West Coast, Langebaan, set on the stunningly beautiful Langebaan Lagoon, is a leading seaside resort with sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and angling amongst the activities.

The lagoon is a birdwatchers' paradise, while the flowers and wildlife of the West Coast National Park are other draws.Langebaan is also famous for its fossils dating back 10 million years and for a set of footprints from early man believed to be 117,000 years old.
Nearby, at Saldahha, on the largest natural bay in South Africa,there are opportunities for fishing and watersports. Paternoster, known for its seabirds, is one of the most picturesque villages on the West Coast.

With its lovely beaches, Veldrif, at the mouth of the Great Berg River, is a good spot for birding, especially pelicans and flamingos. St Helena Bay is another pretty fishing village worth a stopover.

5. EAST FROM CAPE TOWN

Head east from Cape Town and you come to a region known as the Overberg. Travelling along a scenic route via Gordon's Bay, Betty's Bay and Kleinmond and you arrive in Hermanus, on Walker Bay. Ideal for watersports, the resort is famous as a whale-watching centre.

The town has the world's only Whale Crier to alert visitors to sightings. Beyond Hermanus, towns like Stanford and De Kelders and fishing villages like Gansbaai offer more chances to enjoy Walker Bay.

Gansbaai is a good place for seeing whales on organised boat trips. There's also the chance to take part in shark dives. Overlooked by a 19th century lighthouse. Cape Agulhas is the most southerly point on the African continent and reckoned to be the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Nearby, Struis Bay is a hotspot for surfers.

The small village of Jongensfontein is an ideal resort for simply relaxing while 10 km to the east, on a river mouth, Stilbaai offers activities like boating on the estuary and deep sea fishing. Close by is the settlement of Melkhoutfontein, where there are the first botanical gardens to be run by a previously disadvantaged community.

6. THE GARDEN ROUTE

Beyond the Overberg region is the famous Garden Route, a narrow strip of scenically stunning countryside hemmed in between mountains and the sea. The route stretches from Slang River near Heidelberg eastwards to the Tsitsikamma Forest and Storms River.
Cape Town (approaching from the west) or Port Elizabeth (from the east). Or they can fly in and hire a car on arrival - airports at George and Plettenberg Bay are served by regular flights from Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth.

Tourists can access the Garden Route by car or coach from Cape Town or Port Elizabeth. Or fly to George or Plettenberg Bay and hire a car on arrival. Alternatively, trains run from the major centres to George. A great way of drinking in the scenic splendour of the Garden Route is to hop aboard the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe steam train, on the three-hour journey between George and Knysna.

The Garden Route boasts some of the country's finest beaches, with great surfing and other water sports options as well as challenging hiking trails, championship golf courses and more. Best beaches for those seeking to simply unwind include Wilderness, Brenton-on-Sea, Keurbooms, Nature's Valley, or Robberg Beach and Lookout Beach at Plettenberg Bay. Perfect waves for surfing enthusiasts can be found at Mossel Bay and Victoria Bay.

Those looking for action will gravitate to Mossel Bay - where there's the choice of parasailing, abseiling, kayaking and snorkelling plus, on the lagoon, canoeing. Historic buildings, museums, a working harbour - and some superb seafood restaurants are other attractions. This is where the first Europeans landed in South Africa. Here, at the Old Post Office tree, letters were exchanged between sailors bound for the east and those heading for home.

Nearby is a popular spot for photographing the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe steam train as it crosses the Kaaimans River Bridge. Knysna, set amongst forested mountains and surrounding a shimmering lagoon, has grown from a small village to a bustling town, with top hotels, trendy boutiques, colourful markets, live music and entertainment. Try the local Knysna oysters.

Plettenberg Bay, known as the 'jewel of the Garden Route' was originally christened
'Bahia Formosa' (Beautiful Bay] by early Portuguese explorers. The resort, with its year-round warm climate, is characterised by sweeping, unspoilt golden beaches, a dramatic rocky peninsula, lovely lagoons, indigenous forests and nearby nature reserves.

Activities include kayaking, diving and snorkelling. Take a boat trip to see sharks, dolphins and whales. Inland there are hiking, cycling and horse riding trails through the forest.
No trip to this part of the world would be complete without a visit to the Tsitsikamma National Park a marine and forest reserve with very scenic hiking trails.

Underwater enthusiasts can scuba dive in the marine reserve or follow the well laid out snorkelling trail. Regular sightings of whales and dolphins occur during the whale season.