The Best Beaches in South Africa

South Africa has more than 1770 miles of coastline, and there’s lots of variety to choose, from whale watching, surfing, sunbathing or just a quick swim in a tidal swimming pool. We’ve rounded up 3 of the best beaches for your next trip.

June 5, 2025

Edited By CSL Staff

City Style and Living Magazine Summer 2025 The Best Beaches in South Africa table mountain Hermanus — Hermanus / Courtesy South Africa Tourism

Best for the Sardine Run

City Style and Living Magazine Summer 2025 The Best Beaches in South Africa sardine run dolphins — Dolphins on East Cape/ Courtesy Tourism South Africa

Port St Johns

Eastern Cape

The Sardine Run in South Africa is an annual spectacle where thousands of marine predators feast on mega-shoals (often more than four miles long) of smaller fish, taking place over more than one thousand kilometres of ocean.

Best for getting in a lengthy lap-swim

City Style and Living Magazine Summer 2025 The Best Beaches in South Africa thompson beach durban — Thompson Beach Durban/ Courtesy South Africa Tourism

Thompson’s Beach

Near Durban

On Durban’s Dolphin Coast, is Thompson’s Bay, a beautiful rocky beach protected by shark nets and lifeguards. This beach is adjacent to an Olympic-sized tidal pool, an ideal spot for morning lengths as the sun rises over the waves. It’s also well known in the area for snorkelling and marine life.

Best for swimming in warmer waters

Plettenberg Bay

Western Cape

Robberg 5 is known as the finest beach in Plettenberg Bay for its warm, calm waters and the flower shaped seashell, the pansy shell, endemic to the area. The beach is also popular for onshore whale watching in the winter.

This original article first appeared in the SUMMEr 2025 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.