Kasouga, Sunshine Coast, Eastern Cape
If there were a “great beach” Oscar then Kasouga, near Port Alfred, would be a clear favourite. The
usual phrases like “soaring white dunes” and “azure sea” come to mind, but it’s more than that.
It is remarkable. On a calm day, Kasouga is what little beaches want to be when they grow up.
The path to the beach flanks a wide lagoon – the mouth of the Kasouga River. Sun dances on the
surface of the water and small fish dart from your shadow.When you get to the sea, take a look around: pure, unspoilt nothing in all directions. Enjoy.

See… If you face the sea and look left, you’ll see a dark shape in the waves about a kilometre down
the beach. Although it looks like a shipwreck it’s actually a rock, but another kilometre beyond the rock is a real wreck – the Cape St Blaize, a trawler that ran aground in 1965. Although all 13 crew members were saved, it proved too much effort to salvage the vessel. If you’re feeling energetic, take a stroll to the wreck. The fishing there is great too.

Do… Swim. But be careful – there are no lifeguards at Kasouga and the beach is deserted, long and exposed, which means there could be dangerous currents. Stick to the shallows or – even better – wallow in the clear, warm lagoon.

Don’t… Spoil the place. Take all your rubbish away with you and save your New Year’s Eve party for Margate.

Where is it? The turn-off to Kasouga is on the R72, 18km from Port Alfred and 11km from Kenton on Sea. Follow the little dirt road to paradise.

Go! says: Don’t skimp on time here; give yourself at least a day to explore Kasouga properly.

Mpande, Wild Coast
Even during the holiday season it’s quiet at Mpande. Green hills hug the long golden beach and the only sounds you’ll hear are crashing waves and maybe a few young boys kicking a soccer ball. Get up early, run down the hill and watch the sun rise over the Indian Ocean.

Where is it?
Take the R61 from Mthatha to Port St Johns (80km), and follow the road south along the coast.
Mpande beach is roughly 20km from Port St Johns.
 

Boulders Beach, Cape Town
Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town is world famous for its penguin colony but it’s a fantastic
beach too. The massive granite boulders that give the beach its name block off the ocean swell,
forming a cove fringed by a sliver of white sand. Understandably, space on the sliver comes at a premium so it’s best to get there early. The water is also surprisingly warm, which makes Boulders the perfect place for kids. Cut them loose and relax.

See? The main African penguin colony is next to the swimming beach, accessed by a wooden walkway. Once you’re done in the sun, walk there and watch the penguins coming in from their daily fishing expeditions at sea.

Do… Take an inflatable lilo along with you – the water is so calm it’s like floating on a gigantic
swimming pool.

Don’t… Try and touch the penguins. You’ll probably get a nasty bite.

Where is it? Look out for the signpost just after Simon’s Town, heading towards Cape Point.

Cost? Boulders Beach is part of the Table Mountain National Park. Entrance is R25 for adults, R5 for
children, free withWild Card.

Go! says: This is penguin real estate so watch where you sit!

 

Uvongo Beach, KwaZulu-Natal South Coast
The family favourite! Like a Venter trailer, Uvongo beach has been a family favourite for generations. Swim in the sea, splash about in the lagoon or rent a pedal boat and visit the waterfall. Ice creams and slap chips are mandatory.

Where is it? About 7km north of Margate, on the R61.
 

Margaruque Island, Mozambique
You don’t need a platinum credit card and a mid-life crisis to plan a holiday to a tropical island. If you look at a map of southern Africa and trace a line from the top of the Limpopo province east to the sea, you’ll come to a dot on the Mozambican coast called Vilankulo. Drive there. Hire a dhow for the day and ask your skipper to take you to Magaruque Island, the lesser-known sister of Bazaruto and Benguerra. There’s a good chance you’ll have the whole place to yourself. Blinding white beaches and wonderful snorkelling are guaranteed, and knowing that you got there yourself, without the help of Club Med, is priceless.

See? The whole island. A walk around the perimeter takes about an hour and a half.

Do… Buy a crayfish on the mainland before you set off and ask one of the crew to prepare it for you for lunch.

Don’t… Forget a camera. Your friends won’t believe how beautiful it is.

Where is it? The easiest, safest way to get to Vilankulo is to enter Mozambique at the Komatipoort border then drive straight up the EN1 – tarred all the way. Vilankulo is about 1300km from Joburg.

Cost? Magaruque Island is part of the Bazaruto National Park, so pay your park fees and go with a reputable operator like Dolphin Dhow or Sailaway Safaris. A day trip should cost roughly R270 per person.

Go! says: Get there quickly. These islands are being snapped up by hotel magnates.

Valley of the Waves, Sun City
The Valley of the Waves at the Lost City may be as classy as gold teeth, but where else is there a beach in the NorthWest? Plus there aren’t any sharks, rip currents or bluebottles to spoil your day. The Lost City has been around for 15 years and although the whole “ancient civilisation” thing is more Inca than Ndebele, it’s still a feel-good outing for the whole family.

See? Take a walk up to The Palace of the Lost City hotel and marvel at Sol Kerzner’s imagination. The hotel is perched on a hill and its massive fake elephants, water features and Afro-chic pagodas make it an impressive sight.

Do… Tackle the nearly vertical Temple of Courage waterslide. It will give you a wedgie but it’s worth it.

Don’t… Go on a school holiday weekend; you’ll find it hard to move.

Cost? Entrance to Sun City is R65 per person and entrance to the Valley of the Waves is a further R65 per adult and R35 per child. A day pass (including both entrance fees and a lunch pack) is R110.

Go! says: If you don’t want to drive all the way to Sun City, catch a wave at Wild Waters in Boksburg.

Kwaaiwater, Hermanus
Hermanus is full of beaches that aren’t what they seem. “Grotto beach”, a massive expanse of sea
and sand, is very unlike a cave, and “Langbaai” is actually rather cramped. The only beach that lives
up to its name is Kwaaiwater: a little bay to the east of the town where the ocean swell crashes into
the rocks and churns up the beach. You’ll find more sea shrapnel here than anywhere else along the Overberg coast.

See? If it’s whale season, you’re bound to spot a southern right beyond the breakers, otherwise
watch the stream of happy holidaymakers file past you on the cliff path.

Do… Make yourself comfortable on one of the benches overlooking the beach and let your mind be
lulled by the restless ocean. Or thread your way down and look for shells.

Don’t…Go swimming. It’s not a good idea.

Where is it? Look out for the Kwaaiwater sign as you’re heading out of Hermanus on the main road
in the direction of Stanford.

Cape Vidal, Zululand
Walking along the beach at Cape Vidal, you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’re somewhere further north. The sand is golden and never-ending, the dunes are thick with coastal bush and the
sea is wild and blue. All signs of human activity (a few log cabins, a campsite and a car park) are
tucked behind the dunes, so the sense of isolation is complete. Take a few brooding thoughts,
mix with a black subtropical thunderstorm gathering on the horizon, stir in a humid breeze and serve raw.

See? In the winter months, humpback whales cruise past the beach on their way up to Mozambique
and in summer, loggerhead and leatherback turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Twitchers should scan the campsite and coastal forest for birds like the narina trogon.

Do… At low tide, in calm seas, the small bay where the boats launch offers excellent snorkelling. Pack your mask and fins and hold thumbs for nature to play along.

Don’t… Drive on the beach; it’s illegal, except at the launch site and immediate surrounds.

Where is it? Cape Vidal falls within the iSimangaliso (formerly Greater St Lucia) Wetland Park and is 38km north of St Lucia itself. Follow signs from within the park.

Cost: A day permit costs R30 per adult, R15 per child, with a surcharge of R35 per vehicle.

Oyster Bay, Hamburg and Cintsa
The Eastern Cape is packed with wild beaches. Oyster Bay, Hamburg and Cintsa are some of the better ones. Sardine fever hits the KZN South Coast in winter and the water teems with sharks, dolphins and birds. Watch the action from any beach between Scottburgh and Port Edward.
 

Victoria Bay, Garden Route
This impeccably maintained little beach between George and Wilderness is a surfing favourite.
On almost any given day there will be something to ride, but when the conditions are perfect,
the curling right-hand wave that peels around the point is world-famous.

See? Vic Bay is tiny. Walk next to the rocks along the west side of the bay and watch the waves barrelling in. If you have a telephoto lens you could get a nice photo of a surfer in “the green room”, tucked under the lip of a wave.

Do… Stay over. Live your Endless Summer fantasy and camp at the Victoria Bay Caravan Park on
the hill behind the beach.With a bird’s-eye view of the break and a sea breeze through your tent, good times are guaranteed. Contact: 044 889 0081.

Don’t…Surf out of your depth. Like, respect the sea, dude. The takeoff is sometimes shallow and
the locals here won’t move out of your way, so study the wave from the beach for a while before you
paddle out.

Where is it? Victoria Bay is signposted from the N2 between George andWilderness. The beach is about 3km down a good tar road.
 

Muizenberg, Cape Town
For sheer magnitude of leather anklets, surfboards and shaggy hair, head to Muizenberg on a sunny Saturday morning. The long, gentle wave makes it perfect for beginners, and the Shark Spotter programme means you can practise without a great white sneaking up on you.

Where is it? Head south from Cape Town along the M3 and follow signs to Muizenberg
 

Diaz Beach, Cape Point
Scientists say that the southernmost tip of the African continent is Cape Agulhas, an uneventful patch of fynbos somewhere near Arniston, but many people prefer to think it’s Cape Point, where the sheer cliffs and swooping scenery makes it feel as if you’re standing on the end of the earth. Diaz Beach, a baboon’s bark to the west of Cape Point itself, is the perfect place to go if you want to rediscover your place in the natural order of things. Strolling hikers are reduced to dots against the cliffs and there isn’t a single sea-facing mansion to spoil the view.

Do… Stand on the beach and take a moment to appreciate what it must have felt like for Diaz and his crew to round Cape Point for the first time. It would have looked pretty much the same then as it does now.

Don’t… Forget your asthma pump in the car. It’s a long walk back from the beach.

See? Cape Point. You may as well, you’re right there! Catch the Flying Dutchman Funicular if the walk from the beach has tired you out, or join the stream of tourists huffing and puffing their way to the lighthouse at the top.

Where is it? Park at the main parking lot at Cape Point and follow the Cape of Good Hope boardwalk trail, which leads off to the right. Soon you’ll see Diaz Beach below you; follow the steps down and down and down…

Cost? Diaz Beach falls within the Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park. Access to Cape of Good Hope costs R55 per adult, R10 per child; free if you have aWild Card. Gate hours are 6am to 6pm in summer and 7am to 5pm in winter.

Go! says: Entice your relatives back from London with pictures of this beach.

Nahoon Beach, East London
There’s a huge car park at Nahoon Beach, north of East London – for good reason. Once you get
there you won’t want to leave. The beach is enclosed to the north by a shallow, clear estuary where
the Nahoon River flows into the sea, and to the south by a rocky point where a wooden boardwalk
gives a seagull’s view of the famous Nahoon Reef surf spot. A day at Nahoon requires a bit of
planning and a big boot. Umbrella, surfboard, beach bats, book, cooler bag with snacks, binoculars, bird guide and walking shoes are essential. It’s a popular spot in season, but the beach is so big that it hardly ever feels crowded.

Do… Everything. Swim between the flags, surf Nahoon Reef if you’re feeling brave, take a stroll
in the nature reserve on the point or walk the Dassie Trail along the Estuary, keeping an ear open
for the call of the elusive Knysna warbler. But if all that is far too active for you, just read a book in
the shade and relax.

Don’t…Forget the sunscreen.

Where is it? Heading north from the Buffalo Harbour, follow signs to Nahoon from the Northeast
Expressway.

Strandfontein, West Coast

If you have a masochistic edge to your personality, you’ll appreciate the beach at Strandfontein. The water hardly ever gets above 12˚C and the exposed coastline is often lashed by a wind straight out of Antarctica’s lungs. But unlike most other West
Coast beaches, which are generally flat, the beach at Strandfontein is bordered by desolate ochre cliffs that curl north for 20km, all the way to the mouth of the Olifants River.

See? The sunset. Perch yourself on a rock, far away from everything, and watch the sun sink beneath the foggy horizon in a blaze of orange. Sunsets are always better the further away you are from civilisation. Just remember to bring your own sundowners, there’s no Café Caprice here…

Do… Go for a bracing walk. The coastline is laden with a variety of mineral deposits, which means that the beach alternates in colour between white, black and orange. You’ll also find the most beautiful tumbled and sandblasted pebbles scattered all along the waterline.

Don’t… Forget your jacket. Even if the sun is shining, the wind coming off the ocean can be ferocious.

Where is it? Strandfontein is about 350km from Cape Town. Follow signs from Vredendal.

Go! says: Take a photo and add a Strandfontein sunset to your collection.
 

Keep your head above water: Make sure your holiday is memorable for all the right reasons.

Don’t drink and swim. Simple one. Booze and waves don’t go well together.
Stick close to the guys and girls in red. Swim where there are lifeguards and listen to what they say. If you see them waving, get out of the water.
Don’t dive. Even if you think you know what’s under the water, remember that the sea is not a swimming pool. Conditions and tides change, and a dangerous sandbank could lurk just below the surface.
Know your limits. If you still haven’t graduated from water wings, it’s probably best to stick to the tidal pool.
Take a friend. Don’t swim alone.
Watch the rip. A rip is a strong, narrow current leading out to sea. Telltale signs are choppy water; seaweed and other debris moving steadily seaward; a difference in the colour of the water; or a break in the incoming wave pattern. Beware.
And if you do get swept out? Stay calm and don’t fight the current. Tread water and signal for help by raising your arm. The rip will weaken the further out you get.When you can, swim away from it, parallel to shore, then back to the beach.
Don’t be a hero. If you see someone in distress, don’t swim out and try to rescue them; this is how many people drown. You can help the person by throwing them something that floats (like a boogie
board) then calling for help.
Stay afloat. Be aware that the chances of being swept out to sea are greater if you are in a kayak or other floating craft. Always wear a life jacket, even if you are paddling in shallow water.

Eina: If you get stung by something, don’t panic, the lifeguards should be able to help you out
with some general first aid.

The thin blue line. Bluebottles are a common nuisance, especially after windy days. If you do get stung, remove whatever is left of the blue tail with tweezers or a gloved hand and hold ice against the sore spot. Don’t scratch – you’ll only make it worse.
Don’t have a wobbly. If you get stung by any other type of jellyfish it could be more serious. Some jellyfish stings can be quite severe. If you feel a heaviness in your limbs, seek medical advice
immediately. All jellyfish stings should be doused with liberal amounts of vinegar.
The prickly bits. Sea urchins are found in between rocks and on coral reefs. Bumping one is a painful experience, and if the spines break off under your skin it’s a good idea to visit a doctor.
Be sun-wise.We all want to show off our tan when we get home, but sunburn is no joke. Not only is sunstroke a possibility, but one bad burn can seriously increase your risk of skin cancer later in life. So try to stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, wear a hat and use a high-factor sunscreen like SPF30 or 40.

We asked a few beach enthusiasts to name their favourite spot.

Dirl Laing: Lientjiesklip near Wilderness is my special beach. It brings back memories of the past. I learnt to swim there, where the sea is safe and warm. Lientjiesklip is also close to other attractions along the Garden Route.

Nicolaas du Plessis: My favourite beach is Main beach at Jeffreys Bay. It’s the ideal place to swim: The water is usually warm and the waves never fail to impress. Restaurants and other social spots are all located around the beach, so it’s easy to have a whole day of fun. And I
always seem to bump into someone I know…

Ryan Daynes: I am originally from Durban, where some of the best beaches are, but Llandudno in Cape Town is tops. This beach is the reason I fell in love with Cape Town. Llandudno has an incredible buzz, friendly people and the mountains running down to the sea are magnificent. It’s also a great place to surf.

Karen Dreyer: Melkbosstrand on the West Coast is my favourite. I moved there last year,
and love going for long walks on the beach. My kids enjoy buying soft serve ice creams from
the little café that only does business when the weather is nice.