The beach with the world's best backdrop
Few city beaches anywhere can compete with this. Stand on the white sand of Camps Bay, look inland, and the Twelve Apostles — the majestic chain of buttresses running south from Table Mountain — fill the entire skyline. Palm trees line the beachfront, the Atlantic glitters behind you, and one of Cape Town's liveliest restaurant strips hums just across the road.
It's ten minutes from the city centre, yet it feels like a resort town. That combination — drama, glamour and ease — is why Camps Bay appears on virtually every Cape Town itinerary Cheryl builds.
About those "Twelve" Apostles
Here's a bit of local trivia to impress your travel companions: there aren't twelve of them. The range actually has seventeen or more distinct buttresses, depending on how you count. The name was bestowed in 1795 by British governor Sir George Grey — and it stuck, accuracy be damned. The Apostles form the spine of the Cape Peninsula, carrying the Table Mountain National Park all the way down towards Hout Bay.
The mountains do more than pose for photos. They shape Camps Bay's weather — sheltering the beach from the southeaster wind that can blast other parts of the city in summer — and they carry the famous "tablecloth" of cloud that spills over the peaks on certain afternoons, one of Cape Town's most beautiful sights.
What to do in Camps Bay
- The beach itself — wide, white and family-friendly. The Atlantic here is bracing (this is not warm water!), but the people-watching and mountain views are world class.
- The sunset strip — Camps Bay faces due west, which makes it Cape Town's premier sunset spot. Cocktails at a beachfront bar as the sun drops into the Atlantic is a Cape Town rite of passage.
- The restaurant mile — from relaxed cafés to white-tablecloth seafood, the strip across from the beach has something for every mood and budget.
- Maiden's Cove & Glen Beach — quieter corners at either end of the bay, loved by locals and photographers.
- The drive itself — the coastal road from Sea Point through Clifton to Camps Bay, and onward toward Hout Bay, is one of the most scenic urban drives on Earth.
When to visit
Summer (November–March) is prime beach season — expect a lively scene and book sunset tables ahead. Winter (June–August), like right now, has its own magic: dramatic skies over the Apostles, whales passing offshore, empty sand, and crisp golden light that photographers dream about. The photo above was taken on exactly this kind of day — big skies, moody mountains, and space to breathe.
How Camps Bay fits into your tour
Camps Bay is the grand finale of Cheryl's Cape Point & Peninsula day tour — and the routing is deliberate. The classic day starts on the False Bay side of the peninsula, working through Muizenberg, Simon's Town and the Boulders Beach penguins to the Cape of Good Hope, then returns up the Atlantic side over Chapman's Peak Drive and through Hout Bay — arriving at Camps Bay just as the light turns golden.
Why? Because Camps Bay faces due west, and there is no better place in Cape Town to end a day. Sunset drinks on the strip, the Apostles glowing behind you, the sun dropping into the Atlantic — it's the kind of finish guests remember for years. Cheryl has been timing this route for over two decades, and the sunset finale is the part nobody forgets.
