Next to Camps Bay Beach on your way to Clifton Beach is Glen Beach.  Large granite boulders create the barrier in the sand between Camps Bay Beach and Glen Beach where multi-million Rand (South African currency) shacks sit right on the beach.  Local surfers have always regarded Glen Beach as home and on a good surfing day there will always be a group of surfers surfing the reasonably consistent right break.

If you’re not surfing, on a good beach day Glen Beach is a great place to get away from the busy Camps Bay Beach.  It feels more secluded and is also great for sun downers or just relaxing on the beach.  Park anywhere along Beach Drive.

Regarded as one of the most scenic and popular beaches in Cape Town, Camps Bay beach is a long stretch of white sand lined with palm trees, lawns and hip, trendy restaurants and shops along Victoria road (Beach road).  Framed from behind by the towering and dramatic twelve apostle mountains which extend all the way from Table mountain to Lundudno beach and Hout Bay, people regular stand gaping with camera in hand at the stunning natural beauty of Camps Bay beach.

Despite all its popularity and trendiness, Camps Bay beach still has a wild beauty and energy about it.  The ocean can one day be as still as a lake and azure blue, and then another day it can be more moody and tumultuous, pounding large beach dumper waves on the sands and washing the beach clean of any previous traces of humans.

If the wind turns to a strong south easter in the summer, Camps Bay beach can turn into a large stretch of sandblasting sand.  The majority of the time you can rent chairs and umbrellas on Camps Bay beach and enjoy beautiful sunsets or even stay the evening for the moon rise (during the right time of the month).  Take your chair and table down to Camps Bay beach and have a sunset picnic.

Beach Volleyball is played on Camps Bay beach as it traditionally has been since the late 80’s.  You’ll find professional beach volleyball players there in the summers mostly on the weekends.  Similar to the beaches in California, volleyball players play with players of their own experience level but anyone is welcome to take their own net down to the beach and have a game with their friends.

Frisbees, beach bats and swimming are the other activities commonly found on Camps Bay beach.  During the busy summer months there are always lifeguards on duty with areas demarcated for swimming.  Commonly the water is cold but there are the rare occasions when the water warms up to bathwater temperatures.

Early in the morning from 6 am – 8am you will find the early risers and dog walkers strolling up and down the beach.  On a good weather day, Camps Bay beach will get crowded starting around 11 am with umbrellas, chairs and sun-seeking bodies.

All levels of experience are welcome with a minimum age of 12 years. Booking is essential, so call them beforehand.

While you’re there stroll around Imhoff farm village, which has intriguing craft shops, restaurants, coffee shops, a surf shop and farm stalls. They even have Camel Rides at Imhoff farm.

Phone: 082 7741191

At Imhoff Farm Village
Kommetjie Road, Kommetjie
(Across from Ocean View)

www.horseriding.co.za

You don’t actually have to get in the water or cage to view the Great whites, you can just view them from the comfort of the boat.

Gansbaai and Dyer island is about a 2.5 hour drive from Cape Town and it’s recommended you book at least 2 weeks in advance to avoid disappointment.
Costs:
Adults: R1350 per person
Children U/12: R750 per person

Return trip cost from Cape Town:
R300 per person or R150 from Hermanus return. Transport R300 and from Hermanus R150. You must be up early to leave Cape Town, it is at least a 2.5 hour drive to Gansbaai.

Look to their website for answers to all questions.

www.sharkcagediving.net

BRIAN MCFARLANE – CONTACT DETAILS:

Office: +27 (0) 28 384 1418
Cell: +27 (0) 83 300 2138
Dial (0) only if inside SA

Cape Town is arguably the most picturesque and scenic city to host the Fifa Soccer World Cup. All games in Cape Town will be played at the brand new Green point stadium. Green point is very central to downtown, flanked on the one side by the Waterfront (popular shopping area), downtown Cape Town on the other side with the Atlantic ocean and Mouille point on the other sides.

If you’re looking to buy tickets, go to the Fifa site here.

Fifa website also has some good info About Cape Town the host city.

Check the interactive map below for the exact location of the stadium and nearby Inside Scoop recommendations on restaurants and accommodation.

If you want to soak up the raw natural energy of nature and the ocean this beach is ideal, but if you’d like to sunbath and swim rather choose another more traditional and popular beach like Campsbay, Clifton, Lundudno, or Muizenberg which are all more family friendly beaches.

The steps leading down to Diaz beach are numerous and makes for a great hike if that’s what you’re looking for.

Enjoy and cherish this beach for it’s natural beauty and un-touched splendor.

Pro’s:
• Close to the Cape Point lighthouse parking area
• Beautiful natural raw splendor
• Few people no crowds

Con’s:
• Rough and dangerous ocean on occasions, not for swimming
• Lots of stairs to the beach (even though we think of this as a good workout)
• Need to pay admission to the Cape Point Nature reserve to visit the beach

The surf break at Lundudno is a hollow right hand break on the right side of the beach and can get pretty big if the swell is just right. The currents are strong so if you’re only bathing don’t venture out too far. To the right side of the beach is a great walk through the large granite boulders, it’s spectacular setting for photography.

Llundudno is a small exclusive neighborhood community with a small parking lot at the beach but finding parking can be a problem on busy weekend days.

Pro’s:
• Beautiful beach for relaxing sunbathing, surfing & watching the sunsets
• Spectacular granite rocks

Con’s:
• Parking can be difficult on busy days
• Water is cold most of the time

Clifton beach actually consists of 4 adjacent beaches. They are called Clifton 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st. The busiest and most popular of the four is Clifton 4th Beach which has a small parking lot close to the beach and a lifesaver club with showers.

You can walk from 4th to the other 3 beaches except on very high tides, but that’s rare. The beaches are separated from one another only by groupings of Granite boulders. Parking for the other Clifton beaches (1st, 2nd and 3rd) are on the main street and rare on busy days, you access these beaches by waling down lots of stairs winding between the beach cottages.

Clifton is the closest beach to the city and arguably the most popular and scenic, adjacent Camps bay beach is most likely a tie in popularity. Yachts will throw anchor in the natural bays at Clifton.

Popular activities are body surfing, playing beach bats, people watching and having sun downers with spectacular sunsets over the Atlantic ocean.