Cape Town Atlantic Seaboard - Three Anchor Bay and Clifton

A tiny area to the west of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront , and enclosed by the suburb Green Point, Mouille Point is most noted for its wide vista of open ocean and conspicuous lighthouse. Erected by Herman Schutte as long ago as 1824, the Mouille Point lighthouse, with its haunting foghorn, is the oldest of its kind in the country.

On the seaward side of Signal Hill lies Three Anchor Bay and Sea Point, and the coastal stretch of Beach Road. Sea Point is a hubbub of entertainment, boasting a lively strip of restaurants, all-night cafes and bistros, and trendy nightclubs.

Sun-worshippers of all shapes and sizes tend to congregate along the three kilometres of the Sea Point Promenade, popular among casual strollers, joggers and young rollerbladers. The promenade looks out over popular Rocklands Beach. Offshore, the Atlantic Ocean is dotted with young surfers braving the notoriously icy waters. The area also boasts two safe seawater pools, Saunders’s Rock and Graaff’s Pool, a male nudist haunt.

Southwest along the coast from Sea Point lies the band of upmarket residential property, better known as Millionaires’ Mile. Stretching along winding Victoria Road from Bantry Bay through Clifton, Camps Bay and Bakoven to distant Llandudno, this strip is considerably longer than a mile, but it is clearly the playground of the wealthy.

The wind-free, sun-blessed beaches provide an idyllic setting in which to relax.

Beyond exclusive Bantry Bay, which nestles along the western slopes of Signal Hill and Lion’s Head, lies sought-after Clifton, with its four immaculate beaches. Simply named First, Second, Third and Fourth, the Clifton beaches are famed the world over for their consummate splendour. The beaches are separated by granite outcrops which also act as a shelter from the south-easterly wind, which the locals fondly call ‘the Cape doctor’. Clifton is ideal for sunbathing and, in summer (December to February), the white sands are usually draped with scantily-clad bodies soaking up the Cape sun. First Beach is renowned for its sun-worshiping trendy set, while Third is a favourite of the teens, and Fourth Beach, with its nearby parking and refreshment facilities, caters mostly for family outings. The sun drenches these relatively secluded stretches virtually from sunrise to sunset, and revellers often party on into the night with picnic suppers. Clifton’s beaches are the place to be if you want to experience the very best the Cape has to offer.

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