Cape Town Atlantic Seaboard - Camps Bay and Bakoven

Equally exclusive and trendy, is Camps Bay, which lies at the foot of the Twelve Apostles, the mountain rampart that constitutes the western front of Table Mountain. Hedged in by granite boulders at each extreme, the enclave that is Camps Bay embraces a palm-fringed expanse of pristine white sand which looks as if it has come straight out of a Caribbean holiday brochure. Known in the late 1700’s as Die Baay van Von Kamptz after Frederick von Kamptz, the owner of the original farm, Ravenstyn, Camps Bay is a lively, stylish place, with many luxury self-catering houses, villas and apartments.

Paraglider touch down dramatically on sands that play host to an exciting annual beach volleyball season, and holidaymakers picnic on the grassy margins, while children cavort in the tidal pools. There is even a bowling green for the less adventurous.

The landward side of Victoria Road is lined with shops, bistro’s and a plethora of coffee shops. One of the Cape’s eternal favourites, Blues restaurant offers equally impressive vistas over Camps Bay beach. Having celebrated its tenth anniversary, it remains one of the city’s finest dining experiences.

For a taste of the lively arts, take in one of the current shows at Camps Bay’s intimate Theatre on the Bay, a local landmark.

Just beyond stylish Camps Bay is a small, rather isolated little beach seemingly hidden from the throng. Lying on Bakoven Bay, tiny Bakoven beach is an ideal are for soaking up the sun.

The road from Bakoven to Llandudno and beyond is a popular scenic drive. Just outside Bakoven, there is a substantial roadside market peppered with stalls, selling curios such as seashells, carvings, biltong, and indigenous crafts. About halfway between Camps Bay and Llandudno lies a picnic area with rockpools, and a string of tiny beaches popular with scuba divers who flock to this side of the coastline to investigate the shipwreck just off the coast. The reserve at Oudekraal is also a popular recreational site.

Further along is Sandy Bay, perhaps one of the Cape’s most famous beaches and Cape Town’s unofficial nudist hangout.

Atlantic Seaboard 1 - Atlantic Seaboard 2 - Atlantic Seaboard 3 - HOME