N2 Beaches

Saddle up for a leisurely beach stroll on horseback or be thrilled by a fast gallop if you have more experience and confidence. The 12 km bridle trail meanders through some lovely bush paths and onto a peaceful beach. Fascinating and colourful birds can be spotted along the way. You may choose to ride the full distance without stopping or you could opt to dismount for a welcome half way rest with light refreshments. If the weather is good you will be able to take your horse for a swim or roll in the shallows.

Amanzimtoti Main Beach is very popular for swimming and family beach holidays. The sandy beach offers life guards all year round, lots of parking, pubs, restaurants and shops. Holiday beach activites for kids are offered during peak seasons.

If you’re looking for a great family friendly beach to soak up the solar rays look no further than Knysna. Of all the Garden Route beaches, sandy Bollard Bay Beach on Leisure Isle is the perfect spot to chill with your tot. This safe swimming beach has no crashing dumpers and plenty of shallow water for little folk to splash around in. So settle down on your sandy spot and take in the magnificent views of Knysna Heads with no fear of your pipsqueak being swept off to Antartica. And it's not just for small fry! The main beach on Leisure Island, Bollard Bay beach offers plenty to do for young and old. When the tide is high you can swim, fish, canoe or sail. At low tide, pump for prawns to use as bait or walk across the sand as far as The Heads.

Not only is Bonza Bay Beach pristine and stunningly beautiful, it has really great rock and surf fishing spots. A tidal river runs to it!

Locals claim that one of the most wonderful beaches in the world lies right on the other side of the Knysna Western Heads, in Brenton-on-Sea. There are rocks to clamber on, little pools to cool off in and a long bay for beach walks and shell seeking. Hot Tip: walk to Buffels Bay, have lunch or an icecream, take a shower, and stroll back.

Cola Beach is one of Sedgefield’s five beautiful beaches, all running into each other starting at Swartvlei Beach in the west to Platbank in the east. It never gets crowded, even in peak season. At low tide, it’s easy to walk the 6 km stretch. Access to Cola Beach is via a long boardwalk with a decent viewpoint and bench at the top. Rock and surf fishing is a popular activity, with a number of good spots at rocky points towards Platbank and Groenvlei.

Popular with locals and nature lovers, Gericke’s Point is one of the Garden Route’s best-kept secrets. You can easily spend an entire day in this stunning and fascinating place. This rocky landmark resembles a lion’s head and the top offers a great vantage point to watch Southern Right whales during their calving season. You might even see the resident pod of Humpback dolphins that frequent the Swartvlei bay. Shy of boats, they avoid harbour areas and that is probably why they keep returning to this lovely quiet bay. Gericke’s Point has impressive weathered sandstone cliffs that are actually fossilised dunes – some of the highest dunes in South Africa are right here. Colonies of Cape and White Breasted Cormorants nest on the cliffs. Seagulls, herons and oystercatchers can often be seen from the shore. At low tide the exposed rock pools are fascinating to explore – take along the excellent Two Oceans - field guide to South Africa's marine life. The deeper pools are great for snorkeling and swimming. Keen for a nocturnal beach adventure? Do a guided ‘Moonlight Meander’ from Swartvlei Beach to Gericke’s Point with local expert, Judy Dixon and witness the nocturnal antics of rocky coastline creatures. Moonlight Meander & Starlight Stroll – contact Judy Dixon +27 (0) 44 883 1015

One of South Africa's Blue Flag beaches, Gonubie Beach is one of the best secrets of the Sunshine Coast. Access to this beach is along a 500 meter long raised boardwalk leading down to a beautiful tidal pool. The boardwalk is a fantastic lookout spot for watching dolphins and whales as well as surfers and windsurfers. Gonubie lagoon is popular with families, providing kids with many hours of fascinating exploration as they discover small fish, shells and other marine creatures. Situated only eight kilometers from East London, the coastal village of Gonubie is often considered to be a suburb of the city. But the chilled vibe and awesome scenery of Gonubie belies this. Lying on the estuary of the Gonubie River and enjoying a wonderful climate, Gonubie is a small piece of paradise on the Eastern Cape Coast.

All the rage for swimming, sunbathing and body surfing, Hobie Beach is the venue for the annual Splash Festival as well as the Beach Volleyball and World Boardsailing Championships. The calm seas, blissfully warm water (between 18 to 21 degrees in summer) and beaches patrolled by professional lifeguards provide the perfect combination for a family holiday. Hobie Beach is a good choice for swimming or simply sunbathing but if you’re a water sports junkie there’s no end to the thrills here - choose from scuba diving, windsurfing, kiting, surfing, jet skiing or surf skiing.At low tide the Shark Rock Pier side of Hobie Beach is a great place to explore, offering sheltered rock pools with interesting inter-tidal sea life. Kids love spending time here looking for creatures like starfish and octopus. Hobie Beach is situated in Summerstrand which is an ideal base from which to explore Port Elizabeth and its beautiful coastline.

Send your kids to Jonginenge Eco Adventures for an action-packed day while you take a much-needed break. The Jonginenge team will keep the children busy with exciting activities at Nahoon Beach. Trained lifeguards give surfing lessons and provide other beach-based action ranging from sand boarding to paddling, snorkeling to fishing and environmental appreciation. 083 305 2590 / 083 565 0514 www.jonginenge.co.za

At the mouth of the Maitland River lies a magnificent bathing beach backed by huge sand dunes stretching for about 5 km West from Beachview to beyond Blue Water Bay. Kids love the dunes for tobogganing and sand boarding. Maitland River Beach is ideal for leisurely strolls along the waters edge where you can collect sand mussels.

One of the Garden Route’s best-kept secrets, the golden sandy beach at Myoli has much to offer. The beach itself is conveniently situated near a restaurant, beach bar, parking and a good selection of holiday accommodation. Myoli Beach is one of the top wave-riding beaches along this coast, drawing surfers, kite surfers, wake boarders and stand-up paddlers. It’s also a great place to chill out, sip on cocktails at the PiliPili Beach Bar, spot dolphins or watch whales from the observation platform.

Nahoon Beach is part of the pristine Buffalo City coastline that encompasses secluded beaches and an estuary offering mild to wild experiences. Perfect for simply soaking up the sun or extreme big wave surfing, kite surfing, short hikes and fly fishing in the estuary. Join the team at Jonginenge Eco Education, or call a surf school and learn to catch the waves at this legendary spot.

Paradise Beach is a long sandy beach situated between Jeffreys Bay and St Francis Bay (7 km west of Jeffreys Bay and 7 km east of St Francis Bay). It’s actually a suburb of J-Bay but is relatively untouched by development. Surrounded by nature reserves and estuaries, you can often spot tiny buck, tortoises, numerous birds, rabbits, mongoose and otters – all much loved by locals. It’s an awesome place for windsurfers and kite boarders with good wind all year round. A not-yet-discovered windsurfing and kite surfing spot! Paradise Beach is one of the coastal towns where you are guaranteed to spend a relaxing day on a pristine white beach. The name explains it all – it really feels like paradise.

Pinnacle Point Beach and Golf Estate includes two secluded beaches along the Garden Route’s spectacular coastline. Here an abundance of birds, small animals and coastal vegetation have led to a diverse biosphere. Secluded and unspoiled, Pinnacle Point's main beach is protected from the wind and offers a lovely stretch of sand.

Pollock Beach is yet another beautiful Sunshine Coast beach that stretches from the Summerstrand lifesaving club to the beacon at the bottom of Admiralty Way. Beachcombers will find numerous shells walking along this wild shore. There are some good snorkelling spots close to the Humewood golf course - rated one of South Africa’s Top 10 Golf courses. Pollock Beach is favourite for swimming, sunbathing and body surfing. It also offers sheltered rock pools with interesting inter-tidal sea life. Known locally by surfers as the "Pipe" because of its excellent waves and surfing opportunities. It is the first place to pick up swell and the last place to loose it. Pipe is a sand covered reef that delivers a very descent left as well as a right. Along the beach you will find a cyclist path and new walkway stretching from within the dunes all the way to Hobie Beach and the Boardwalk. The Summerstrand Village Shopping Centre with a Pick ‘n Pay family supermarket, several restaurants, banks and gift shops is close by.

Popular for shore based dolphin and whale watching, striking views of Robberg Peninsula as well as lengthy strolls, Robberg Beach is a knock out! This snow white sandy beach stretches for kilometres between the Robberg Peninsula and Beacon Island. The beach has lifesavers in season, ablution facilities, a deck, boardwalks and benches as well as chair and umbrella rentals and various parking spots. The closest parking area is roughly 2 km from Plett Central.

The palm-fringed Salt Rock Beach has great surf, beautiful off-shore reefs for diving and some good fishing spots. It's a popular family beach with picnic areas, showers and a massive tidal pool. Salt Rock Beach is protected by shark nets and fully trained lifeguards are on duty seven days a week from 6am until 5:30pm.

Scottburgh Beach is a hub of activity throughout the year. With shark nets in place and lifeguards on duty all year round, it is a safe bathing beach with a host of fun things to do for the whole family. Activities on the beach include a super tube waterslide, mini-golf, canoe hire (fabulous for leisurely trips up the lagoon), fishing, body board and surfboard hire. During peak season orbing and abseiling is also on offer. Scottburgh Beach is close to numerous restaurants, bars, curio shops, surf shops and takeaway outlets.

Sedgefield Beach is an easy stroll down a boardwalk from the parking area. This family-friendly beach offers great swimming in the lagoon mouth and has spectacular views. Also known as Kingfisher Creek, the lagoon is a fun spot for little kids to paddle about. Picnic alongside the estuary – there is shelter from prevailing wind and you can easily spend the entire day here. Ablution and shower facilities are easily accessible.

The estuary of the incredibly scenic Sundays River with its spectacular sand dunes and views of Algoa Bay is a knock out! Situated at the southern boundary of the Addo Elephant National Park, the Sundays River Mouth is calm and peaceful and offers a relaxing and memorable experience. The beach is exquisite - totally pristine with some of the highest dunefields in South Africa.If you're visiting this area a wonderful thing to do is go cruising on The Sundays River Ferry. The double decker ferry features a raised viewing deck which is a great place from which to watch the bird life along the river banks and game in the bush. Contact Les Kingma to book a cruise on 041 4680945 or 082 4654391.

Swartvlei Beach is an amazing sandy beach for walking or horse riding – make sure you go all the way to Gericke’s Point. The walk to the point offers great opportunities for whale and dolphin watching. Look out for pods of common, bottlenose and humpback dolphins surfing the waves. Southern Right whales can be seen from July to October. This spectacular beach is also the breeding ground for the rare African Black Oyster Catcher. There are some lovely safe swimming spots but exercise caution – there can be riptides and dangerous currents.

The Point is a happening, vibey beach and dramatic rocky point within central Mossel Bay. Here you can stroll for 3 kilometers along a walkway across the rocky coastline or venture on the 15 kilometer long St Blaize hiking trail to Dana Bay. Kids enjoy the sandy play areas and small tidal pool on the beach. There's also a long, natural tidal pool great for swimming in front of the Point Hotel. Home to numerous restaurants, bars, an aquarium, the Khoi-San Cave and St Blaize Lighthouse, The Point also has some great waves. Two popular restaurants look right onto the spectacular surfing spots. So after shredding the waves you can kick back and grab some grub while watching the action!

Wilderness Beach is unspoilt, safe and breathtakingly beautiful. Warm Indian Ocean waves break onto this golden sandy beach that stretches for seemingly endless kilometres. Time almost stands still as the hours slip by while you wander and enjoy this coastal Eden and its creatures. It's a good spot for whale and dolphin watching.

Willard Beach is the main attraction for visitors to Ballito. Part of the Dolphin Coast's magnificent stretch of golden beaches and sheltered coves, Willard Beach is perfect for a day of fun in the sun. From swimming beaches that are protected by shark nets and attended by professional life savers, to popular surfing spots and tidal pools, the Dolphin Coast has it all.One of KwaZulu-Natal's top beaches, Willard Beach is set against a backdrop of holiday accommodation and tourist facilities. The long sandy beach is great for leisurely strolls and family beach fun. The sea is warm and the surf is good. Plenty of entertainment options include scuba diving, microlite flips and a selection of great seafood restaurants.