Diaz Beach - South Africa, Africa

 

Dramatically surrounded by sheer craggy cliffs, Diaz Beach is situated right at the tip of Cape Point on the western side. It deserves its reputation as one of the most scenically stunning Cape Town beaches. Access to this beach is down a series of wooden stairs and only takes about 20 minutes. The climb up can take twice as long; will probably leave you breathless and sweaty but it is well worth the effort.

Standing on Diaz Beach gazing at the relentless waves battering the 200 metre cliffs, you will be moved by the sensation of adventure and awesome power of nature that radiates from this lovely place. On most occasions you'll have the beach to yourself, occasionally sharing it with troops of baboons and flocks of seabirds. Swimming on this beach can be dangerous. Diaz Beach can produce excellent waves with a North Westerly wind and the right swell direction. Surfers love it for its big, hollow, closeout barrels. Photographers love it for its awesome beauty and many moods. Couples love it for romantic beach walks.

Most visitors to the Cape of Good Hope have their photos taken in front of the sign that declares the site to be the southwestern most point of the African continent. Some ride the funicular up jagged cliffs to see Cape Point Lighthouse and look seaward, to where the cold west coast Beguela current merges with the warm east coast Agulhus current, imagining the fierce storms that make this such a treacherous passage. Then they clamber back into their rental cars and tour buses and return to Cape Town, happy to say they have been to Cape Point. The few hearty souls who hike the trails along the precipitous clifftops, or even venture to the edge and look down, discover Diaz Beach, a pure white sand jewel tucked between jutting rock arms.

Diaz is a great spot for surfing and body boarding, although the waves are not for the beginner. Heavy barrels are common and there is a fairly severe shore break. And it should be said that this is not the place for frolicking in the water, as heavy currents can carry swimmers out to sea. But the beach is stunning and almost always secluded, aside from the wild baboons who sometimes wander down to the water’s edge. To reach Diaz Beach, travel south from Cape Town to the Cape Point section of Table Mountain National Park (formerly Cape Peninsula National Park). Take Cape Point Road all the way to the end to the parking lot, then follow the path on the right hand side all the way down to the beach. The walk takes about 20 minutes down and 30-40 minutes up, but is well worth the effort for the spectacular views along the way and a fun day of sun worshiping.

Stand beach - South Africa, Africa

 

With its five kilometre long stretch of white sand, Strand Beach is a perfect family beach for swimming, sunbathing and a variety of marine sports. There’s even a tidal pool for anyone who is not brave enough to plunge into the mellow surf.

And if its waves you’re after, there are a number of surf spots to suit every level of surfer. Wannabee surfers can grab a lesson or two in gentle waves with Stand Surf School - 083 232 4822.

Although the beach is mostly sandy, there are two rock pools frequented by rock and surf anglers at low tide.

The town of Strand lies right next to the beach with a plethora of beachy restaurants and drinking spots. Access to the beach is easy and parking is never a problem.

The town of Strand is situated on the shores of False Bay at the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, an easy 40 minute drive from Cape Town. It is a bustling metropolis of some 50 000 residents and forms part of the picturesque Helderberg Basin, along with Somerset West and Gordon's Bay.
Strand originated some 200 years ago as a holiday and fishing resort and was founded in 1714. Strand's main attraction is "the strand" - 5 kilometers of beautiful white sandy beach lapped by the warm waters of False Bay.
The beach is known to be one of the best and safest bathing areas in the country. Facilities on or nearby include Dune Park with a supertube and mini-golf and Harmony Park which boasts a huge tidal pool. Watersports may be conducted from various points along the beach front.
For the sporting enthusiast Strand offers a wide variety of organised sport including a brand new golf course capable of hosting international events; tennis, rugby, squash, jukskei, athletics, and watersports like surfing, sailing, power boating, paddleskiing and boardsailing.
Strand also boasts an olympic sized, covered, centrally heated swimming pool which is open all year round. The coast between the Lourens river mouth and up to Rooi Els is very popular with beach fishermen and rock anglers, whilst organised and social diving activities beckon the more adventurous.
Strand forms an ideal base from which visitors can explore the Cape Peninsula and its environs:
* The majestic Peninsula with its renowned coastal drive from Muizemberg to Cape Point to Hout Bay via the magnificent Chapmans Peak to Sea Point;
Cape Town itself with Table Mountain brooding over the city and the vibrant V&A Waterfront;
* The West Coast and Swartland;
* The scenic Boland with its pinotage of wine routes and with its heart, Stellenbosch a mere 25km away;
* The coastal road past Gordon's Bay to Betty's Bay and Hermanus, one of the greatest sites for whale watching.
Strand offers a wide variety of restaurants guaranteed to appease even the most selective palate. The choice of shopping facilities is simalar - from the comprehensive Somerset Mall situated just outside the town to the local Dorpsmeent Centre, one would be hard pressed to find a service which is not locally available.
Strand accomodates most requirements with three caravan and camping sites, one with chalets, tent sites, numerous bed and breakfast facilities and a top class RCI Timeshare and hotel an the beach front with conference facilities, but not forgetting good honest family accomodation.

Bikini Beach - South Africa, Africa

 

Bikini Beach is situated on the Whale Coast in the little coastal village of Gordon's Bay, the family friendly Bikini Beach is one of Cape Town's six Blue Flag Beaches, indicating a high level of water quality, facilities, cleanliness and safety. Along the False Bay coastline there are four Blue Flag Beaches, these are Mnandi Beach, Muizenberg Beach, Standfontein Beach, and of course Bikini Beach at Gordon's Bay right out on the easternmost side of False Bay.

Bikini Beach is an excellent swimming beach as the water is usually warm, calm and clear. Named after the numerous bikini clad Stellies students (Stellenbosch University) who are regulars, this intimate little beach has its own particular charm. Surrounded by the craggy Hottentot's Holland mountain range on one side and the harbour breakwater on the other, Bikini Beach is a good option when the wind is howling.

From Bikini Beach you have a never-ending view of the entire False Bay which curves in a huge arc from Gordon's Bay right round to Cape Point at its westernmost extremity. The shops are not far away and there are good changing room facilities. Also on the eastern shore of False Bay is Gordon's Bay Beach and Strand Beach, which are both great family beaches.

Cape Town - South Africa, Africa

Cape Town (Afrikaans: Kaapstad; Xhosa: iKapa) is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. The city is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is also Africa's most popular tourist destination.

Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was originally developed by the Dutch East India Company as a victualling (supply) station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and the Far East. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony. Until the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the development of Johannesburg, Cape Town was the largest city in South Africa.

Today it is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, reflecting its role as a major destination for immigrants and expatriates to South Africa. As of 2007 the city had an estimated population of 3.5 million. Cape Town's land area of 2,455 square kilometres (948 sq mi) is larger than other South African cities, resulting in a comparatively lower population density of 1,425 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,690 /sq mi).

The centre of Cape Town is located at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula. Table Mountain forms a dramatic backdrop to the City Bowl, with its plateau over 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high; it is surrounded by near-vertical cliffs, Devil's Peak and Lion's Head. Sometimes a thin strip of cloud forms over the mountain, and owing to its appearance, it is colloquially known as the "tablecloth". The peninsula consists of a dramatic mountainous spine jutting southwards into the Atlantic Ocean, ending at Cape Point. There are over 70 peaks above 1,000 feet (300 m) (the American definition of a mountain) within Cape Town's official city limits. Many of the suburbs of Cape Town are on the large plain of the Cape Flats, which joins the peninsula to the mainland. The Cape Flats lie on what is known as a rising marine plain, consisting mostly of sandy geology which shows that at one point Table Mountain itself was an island.

The Cape Peninsula has a Subtropical Mediterranean climate (Koppen Csa), with mild, wet winters, and dry and very warm summers. In winter time, which lasts from the beginning of June to end of August, large cold fronts come across from the Atlantic Ocean with heavy precipitation and strong north-westerly winds. The winter months are cool, with an average minimum of 7.0 °C (45 °F) and maximum of 17.5 °C (63 °F).Most of the city's annual rainfall occurs in wintertime, but due to the mountainous topography of the city, rainfall amounts for specific areas can vary dramatically. Newlands, to the south of the city, is the wettest suburb in South Africa. The valleys and coastal plains average 515 millimetres (20.3 in) of rain per annum, while mountain areas can average as much as 1,500 millimetres (59 in) per annum.