Frequently Asked Questions

Not for day to day life in Camps Bay. The beach, the tidal pool and the restaurant strip are all within walking distance of each other, and Uber and Bolt are widely used. The MyCiTi bus routes 106 and 107 connect Camps Bay to the city centre.

A car is useful for day trips further afield, such as Cape Point, Chapman’s Peak or the Constantia winelands. Street parking near the beach is free but fills quickly on summer days.

Yes, but be prepared for cold water. The Atlantic here is cooled by the Benguela Current and typically sits somewhere between 12 and 18 degrees Celsius, touching around 20 degrees at the height of summer. The shore break can also be strong.

Lifeguards are on duty at Camps Bay Beach during the summer season. For calm water, the Camps Bay tidal pool and the pools at Maiden’s Cove are sheltered and well suited to children.

The South Easter, known locally as the Cape Doctor, is a strong wind that blows through the summer months, usually building in the afternoon. Mornings are generally calmer, so plan beach time early.

When it is blowing, the boulder sheltered coves at Bakoven are often the most comfortable option, and Theatre on the Bay makes a good evening plan that does not depend on the weather.

Southern Right and Humpback whales migrate along the Western Cape coast between June and November, and they are occasionally spotted from the Atlantic Seaboard, including from the headland at Maiden’s Cove.

Sightings here are a bonus rather than a certainty. For reliable whale watching, Hermanus is around two hours away and is widely considered one of the best land based whale watching spots in the world, with peak sightings in September and October.