The vibrant city of Cape Town is hugged by rugged coastlines that give rise to beautiful bays and sandy beaches. The coastline of Cape Town caters for just about any type of tourist and traveller. From adventure activities to sedentary living, you’ll most certainly find the beach that is the perfect fit. The peninsula of Cape Town just out into the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean, which is quite a geographical marvel. This means there are cascading cliffs, tidal pools, reefs, endless beaches, rocky outcrops, sand dunes all waiting to be explored. But, the question is – which of these bays and beaches are safe in terms of cleanliness, rip tides and opportunistic thieves?
The Blue Flag Status helps first time visitors to Cape Town establish the best beaches to suit their needs. To achieve this status, beaches must meet the following criteria:
- High level of safety
- Cleanliness
- Meet internation safety and tourism standards
- Provision of amenities
- and maintenance of environmental standards meeting the coastal management criteria.
Clifton Fourth, Muizenberg, Mnandi, Camps Bay, Bikini, Llandudno, Fish Hoek, Melkbosstrand, Silwerstroomstrand and Strandfontein beaches have all been awarded Blue Flag status. There are some beaches that are perfectly fine but they haven’t been given the Blue Flag status. It’s best to chat to the locals about these beaches.
In the meantime, here are four of our favourite Blue Flag Beaches in Cape Town:
If you’re looking for a relaxed beach with fine white sand in an area vaguely reminiscent of St Tropez, look no further than Camps Bay. Restaurants, cocktail bars and a buzz of activity are just a few of the things to expect while sunning yourself on the shores of this Blue Flag beach. The water is quite icy and the small waves are very powerful. A place for volleyball and good times.
Clifton beaches are located adjacent to Camps Bay and there are four beaches separated by boulders. This is where the yachts sail past and where the sea calm but fresh. Fine white sand gives rise to idyllic conditions for a range of beach activities. This is where the who’s who of the world hang-out. A spectacular beach of exceptional beauty that matches the crowd it attracts – perfect and not a blemish in sight!
Fish Hoek is a family beach with a catwalk hugging the coastline and is enclosed in a bay. Rock pools and warm waters make it great spot for younger families. There is an area designated for swimming and is home to a shark net; which ensures safety from these apex predators common on that side of the world. The sea is mild and welcoming. There’s a restaurant on the beach serving ice-creams and food. Just down the road is a lovely French coffee shop (C’est La Vie Coffee Shop) and bakery selling artisan breads and good coffee.
For surfers, kiteboarders, stand-up paddle boarders and anyone looking for an active family beach, then Muizenberg Beach is highly recommended. This is the place where people learn to surf and locals enjoy an easy wave. The entire beachfront has surf shops, restaurants, coffee bars and surf rental shops. The water is warm – it’s around the corner from Fish Hoek beach and both beaches form part of the Indian Ocean. Muizenberg has a gentle and cruising style wave with very favourable swimming conditions.
