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Places

Atlantic Seaboard: Camps Bay, Clifton & Sea Point

The stretch of coastline running north from the City Bowl to Hout Bay is Cape Town at its most photogenic — white sand beaches set against the Twelve Apostles mountain range.

Updated 8 August 2026 · Part of the Places guide

In this guide

  1. Camps Bay
  2. Clifton
  3. Sea Point
  4. Getting there

Camps Bay

Camps Bay is the postcard shot: a wide white beach backed by palm trees and the jagged Twelve Apostles range, lined with a strip of restaurants and bars that fill up for sunset. It's lively, a little see-and-be-seen, and gets genuinely crowded on hot summer weekends. The Atlantic here is bracingly cold year-round, so most visitors treat it as a beach for sunbathing and paddling rather than long swims.

Clifton

Just around the headland from Camps Bay, Clifton is actually four numbered beaches (1st to 4th) tucked between granite boulders, each with a slightly different character — 4th Beach is the most family-friendly and accessible, while the others are quieter and more sheltered from wind depending on the day. Clifton has less in the way of restaurants right on the beach, which keeps it calmer than Camps Bay.

Sea Point

South of Camps Bay, Sea Point trades a bit of glamour for value and everyday liveability. Its standout feature is the Sea Point Promenade — a long paved walkway along the coast, popular for running, cycling and evening strolls, dotted with the Sea Point Pavilion tidal pool. It has a wider spread of restaurants and accommodation prices than Camps Bay or Clifton, and puts you within easy reach of both the City Bowl and the rest of the Atlantic Seaboard.

Getting there

The Atlantic Seaboard is a 10–15 minute drive from the City Bowl, longer in peak traffic. Rideshare apps work well for evening trips when parking gets tight, especially around Camps Bay at sunset. If you're staying elsewhere and visiting for the day, aim to arrive by mid-afternoon in summer to find parking near the beach.

Local tip: If Camps Bay is windy (a common issue with the south-easter), Clifton's coves are often noticeably more sheltered thanks to the surrounding rocks — worth the short drive around the headland.