Cape Beaches

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Beaches & Coastline around Cape Town

Introduction

The Cape peninsula is one of the most spectacular coastal areas on earth: imagine high mountains shooting down into a wild Atlantic sea, a rocky shore from which fishermen and surfers launch, rolling waves where whales come out to play, a wind that threatens to tear you apart but is ultimately invigorating.

A trip around the peninsula, from Cape Town to Cape Point via the newly trendy Muizenberg and arty Kalk Bay, then back via penguinland of Simon's Town and Boulders Beach, makes for an unforgettable day out and some superb photos.

The peninsular road is also the place to find large Shona statues and African art - there are several stalls along the way. !NB! Watch out for roadworks along the M4, which follows the coast along Muizenberg, Kalk Bay and Simon's Town; these are set to continue until the end of 2009.

For information on watery activities in town, namely Robben island and the V&A Waterfront, see Cape Town Central.

Please use the left-hand menu to jump straight to the beach or town you are interested in. Alternatively, simply scroll down the page.

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Cape Point

Cape Point Nature Reserve, 021 780 9010, www.capepoint.co.za

General: The peninsular tip of the Western Cape is clothed in the Cape of Good Hope, a nature reserve which offers fabulous views, whale-watching in winter, more than 250 species of birds, plus zebras, elands and other creatures. It's popularly called the place where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet, but that's not strictly true. The Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean actually meet at Cape Agulhas, but here is where the cold Benguela current on the West Coast hits the warm Agulhas current on the East Coast. An unmissable stop (as the year-round tour buses pay testament).

Access: The nature reserve is absolutely huge, so most of the time you'll be driving around in the car. Most visitors head to Cape Point itself, which lies right on the tip of the peninsula and consists of two levels connected by a funicular railway. The first level has the parking lot (toilets, including accessible toilets, down a ramp opposite the information office), a couple of souvenir shops, a deli, and a restaurant with the most fabulous views you can imagine over False Bay.

The restaurant is the Two Oceans restaurant, fully accessible on the ground level, with a wheelchair toilet at the back. If you want to go down to the terrace, ask for help - the ramp is extremely steep. Reserve the best view in advance on: 021 702 0703 or see www.two-oceans.co.za

The funicular is accessible for wheelchair users, although you'll have to enter round the side and stay in the middle. It takes you up to the top level, where there's a small gift shop and some more great views. Unfortunately, but inevitably, there are only large, uneven steps up to the lighthouse at the very top.

Kalk Bay

Between Muizenberg and Fish Hoek, 021 782 9356, www.capepointroute.co.za

General: A mecca for arts, antiques and poshed-up junk. You might find a bargain rummaging among the many alternative shops and markets, but you're just as likely to come out with a bag of wonky picture frames, a broken African doll and a baggy pair of purple trousers. Great fun, but browse with care.

Access: Kalk Bay is not great in terms of accessibility. Unfortunately, as far as we know there are no disabled toilets in the whole of Kalk Bay. Pavements are narrow and wonky, side-streets are steep and cobbled, and shops and restaurants usually have at least one step up to the entrance.

One of the only accessible shops is the Kalk Bay market, run by 'Dave the Slave' (076 392 3374) and open daily in summer, Tue-Sun in winter. It took them three years to get a ramp installed, and they celebrate the fact by sticking wheelchair symbols in every possible place. The toilet is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.

Eating and drinking is not much better. You can sit outside at the Kalk Bay Expresso, a coffee-and-pancake place in a genuine converted train overlooking the harbour, but there is a step into the narrow train itself and no accessible toilets. The Ice Cafe on the main street has level access.

Your best bet is the fish and chip shops in the harbour: the famous Kalkys has plenty of outside tables and the new, cleaner Lucky Fish & Chips has level entry, wide doors, and a round table outside with moveable chairs as well as fixed picnic-bench style tables.

If you're after something posher, pop into Harbour House to sit overlooking the crashing waves sipping on cocktails and nibbling on fine dining meals, but again - no accessible loo. Sorry.

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Simon's Town

On the M4 towards the Cape Point, 021 782 9356, www.capepointroute.co.za

General:Awaiting information. Meanwhile, see websites of the SA Naval Museum and Simon’s Town Museum

Boat rides are on offer from the Simon's Town Boat Company, but be warned: if you call them up and they claim to be accessible to wheelchair users, note that 'accessible' in this case means being able to get out of your wheelchair, step from a moving jetty into a moving boat pretty much unaided (there are posts that prevent anyone carrying you on), and sit on a small plastic bench with no handrests or rails for the duration of the trip. We're not sure what kind of wheelchair users the company has catered for in the past...

Access: Simon's Town is one of the best of the coastal towns in terms of general accessibility. There are disabled parking bays in the Jubilee Square car park (on right as you enter), and two near the Waterfront centre (one in front, one behind on the left-hand side). Jubilee Square has plenty of curio shops and stalls to keep you happy - cheaper than Cape Town - and a ramp up to a viewing point where you can survey the harbour.

The Waterfront centre has a level covered walkway down the middle level and is lined with jewellery and African art shops; on the lower level is the excellent Bertha's restaurant, fully accessible and with a large, well-equipped disabled toilet.

The Toy Museum in Simon's Town has level entrance (over a slight lip) and flat wooden floors throughout, even if passages a little narrow in some places.

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Boulders Beach

Just past Simon's Town, 021 782 9356, www.capepointroute.co.za

General:The only place in the Western Cape where you'll find penguins. Don't expect Emperor Penguins from the Antarctic, and do expect a nasty smell - worth it for the novelty factor, despite the R30 entrance fee if you want to get down to the beach itself. You can always stay on the walkway and in the car park to get your photos.

Access: There are two car parks linked by a wooden walkway. Stop at the second car park after leaving Simon's Town if you don't want the walk. The path is accessible, but take a strong friend and have a bit of patience, as there are steep and bumpy sections. The path down to the beach itself is also supposedly accessible, but very steep and not recommended unless you're a real penguin fanatic.

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