South Africa beach accommodation

South Africa’s Top Beaches

Whether you are spending time in South Africa in winter or in summer, the magnificent coastline is worth a visit at any time of the year. There are no fewer than 18 beaches that have been awarded internationally-recognised Blue Flag status.  And there are plenty more beaches that deserve that status; beaches that are secreted away behind high dunes, in coves along the coast, and that form part of nature reserves.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 Blue Flag beaches, and below those, at 5 non-awarded (but equally worth-a-visit) beaches.

 

 

 

Hobie Beach, Port Elizabeth

 
Another aptly named beach; and what better thing to do on a lazy summer’s day than to watch the Hobie Cats passing by in Algoa Bay. There is the much-photographed Shark Rock Pier on one side of the beach that allows you to walk a short distance over the sea, and a further expanse of beach on the other side that allows you to take a relaxing meander along the shore.

 

Dolphin Beach, Jeffrey’s Bay

 
Jeffrey’s Bay is known as the home of the perfect wave. Surfer or swimmer, the beaches are unbeatable. Dolphin Beach is located right near the centre of this holiday town and is popular with locals and visitors alike.

 

Margate Beach, Durban

Situated on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast (on SA’s eastern coastline), it has shops on the one side and a park-like area on the other. It is a palm-lined subtropical heaven. Again, arrive early so you can guarantee your spot for the day.

 

 

Long Beach, Cape Town

A 4km long, and almost as wide, expanse of the finest white sand in Cape Town. It is the city’s best walking beach, and the best place for horse-riding too.

De Hoop Nature Reserve Beach, a few hours out of Cape Town

Tall white dunes, picture-perfect rock pools, and some of the best whale spotting in the world, make this beach worth the distance travelled to visit it.

Noetzie, Garden Route

A beach more for walking or relaxing on than for swimming, the beauty of the beach is accentuated by the natural forest-like vegetation of this region.

Port St Johns, Wild Coast

This entire coastline, true to its name, is dominated be deserted expanses of beach, with Port St Johns being one of the more accessible points. The entire Wild Coast is blessed with coves and beaches that are fringed by subtropical vegetation.

Rocktail Bay, Maputaland

This World Heritage Site combines pristine forests with wetlands and marine ecology. The string of lakes, marshes, coral reefs and secluded beaches, make this north-eastern corner of South Africa a subtropical paradise.