Surfing and kitesurfing facts
- Surfing and kitesurfing spots within 50 km
25 (kitesurfing), 10 (surfing)
- Best time to travel - kitesurfing
November to March
- Best time to travel - surfing
March through November
- Recommended apparel
Full wetsuit (year-round)
- Flight connection
Edelweiss recommendation
Kitesurfers who are keen to be near some great surf spots, and close to where the action is, will opt for accommodation in the Blouberg Beach neighbourhood. Irrespective of one’s place of stay: a rental car is basically a must in Cape Town - in the event that the wind turns or there is no wind at all. Fortunately, with activities ranging from one-day safari trips, through climbing and skydiving, to savouring delicious food on offer, Cape Town has a wealth of other pastimes to indulge in besides surfing. The wind is generally at its strongest from 4 pm, leaving plenty of time in the morning to explore the city.
Kitesurfing in South Africa
Whether surfing, kiteboarding or windsurfing: South Africa boasts perfect conditions for all kinds of water sports. The wind is omnipresent thanks to the phenomenon referred to by the locals as “Cape Doctor”: a forceful south-easterly trade wind of up to 8 on the Beaufort scale in Table Bay. A dream come true for kiteboarders! Be it freestyle, freeride or wave riding, Cape Town has a kite spot for everyone – which is why the elite opts to train on the beaches of Cape Town in winter.
Top surf and kite spots around Cape Town
Blouberg Beach – a downwinder dream
Stretching several miles north up to Big Bay, the Blouberg Beach area includes kitesurfing spots at Sunset Beach, Dolphin Beach, Kite Beach and Doodles Beach. Sunset Beach is the southernmost kiteboarding spot of Blouberg Beach. Sunset Beach is a dream come true for wave-kiters, but also popular with windsurfers. Though there are no sanitary facilities or shops, it is the perfect starting point for a downwinder north. This tour is not recommended for beginners as it includes some very rocky sections and different wave conditions at the various spots. But there are a host of kiteboarding shops and schools along Blouberg Beach, including Coastline Kitesurfing or Kitekahunas that also offer intensive courses for beginners. Big Bay is a cool location and very popular not least because of its restaurants and bars. This spot always has swells, partly with gusty winds, which is why it is not suitable for kitesurfing beginners. In contrast, Big Bay provides good conditions for surf beginners when the waves are small. The kiteboarding school High Five also offers surf lessons.
Hunting for waves: Haakgat and Melkbos
When the winds on Blouberg Beach are too strong, the kitesurfing community meets up north. In Haakgat, for instance, situated a few miles north of Big Bay. This wave breaks over a small reef on the right side and then runs smoothly to the left towards the beach. With swells of up to five metres high, Haakgat is also very popular with windsurfers and surfers. Melkbos Beach is another *must-do” for wave riders: though generally a little calmer, up to four-metre high swells are not unusual.
Kitesurfing spot in shallow waters: Langebaan
Langebaan Lagoon is a large shallow water area and an excellent spot to learn how to kitesurf. When winds are light, the lagoon is also an ideal place for kite foiling. A further advantage: the water is always slightly warmer than around Cape Town. Langebaan is 90-minute drive north of Cape Town and offers places to stay, such as the charming Windtown Lagoon Hotel located right by the beach and with its own kitesurfing school that covers all of the standard kitesurfing courses. The kitesurfing and surfing station Cape Sports Center Langebaan is run by the Swiss/South African couple Antony and Esti. Given its location near the mouth of the Langebaan Lagoon, the Sports Center also rents out surfboards to surfers who want to surf in Langebaan.
Surfing south of Cape Town
Situated a 30-minute drive south of Cape Town, Muizenberg is world-famous for its colourful bathing huts. There is a surf shop on the main beach where surf lessons can be booked and equipment rented. The mobile surf school Stoked offers a special experience, with lessons always given at the spots with the best conditions and the option of a three-day surf road trip adventure. Muizenberg Beach also offers sufficient space for kitesurfing. Note should be taken that white sharks have been spotted in Muizenberg and attention should be paid to the flag alert system – if the flag is white, a shark has been spotted and anyone in the water must leave it immediately. Situated within the seaside village of Kommetjie towards the Western Cape, Long Beach is another hotspot for passionate surfers. The swells break on both sides, creating ideal conditions for regular as well as goofy surfers. Located just a few minutes’ drive from Long Beach, Scarborough Beach is another great location for surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. Given that the wind can be very gusty, beginners are advised not to surf here. When there are big swells, the left reef break allows for long surf rides.
Surfing in Cape Town
Recommended surf schools
The following schools are excellent schools to learn how to surf:
