These are some of Cape Town’s best secluded beaches - and the best part about them? You don’t even have to wait until summertime to be able to visit them!  Photo credit: Andrew Cooper via cooperart.co.za

1 - Stunning Diaz Beach

Possibly one of the city’s most glorious beaches is found near Cape Point, within the Table Mountain National Park. Diaz Beach is surrounded by fearsome cliff faces and dancing waters. It looks like something straight out of a travel brochure: it’s a spotless, pristine beach with crashing waves and bone-white sand. Diaz Beach is accessible via a long wooden walkway, which eventually gives way to stairs. It’s quite a tiring walk up and down - but it’s so, so worth it!  Photo credit: wikimapia.org So, after you’ve spent some time exploring Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve as a whole, be sure to make your way down to this beautiful beach. If you’re lucky, you might even be the only one there, as it’s often quite deserted. However, please note: swimming is not advisable at Diaz Beach due to fierce waves and strong rip currents, and you will have to pay the Cape Point entry fee to visit this beach. For more information on Diaz Beach and how to access it, contact (021) 780 9010.  

2 - Awesome Oudekraal

Although Oudekraal is yet another paid beach (so to speak), it’s definitely worth paying a pretty penny to experience this beach! Oudekraal lies tucked away along the Atlantic coastline, below the majestic Twelve Apostles mountain range and it’s one of the city’s most secluded immediate beaches. Here, not only can you enjoy safe swimming amid massive granite boulders - in waters as clear as they are turquoise - and sunbathing on white patches of sand (or grass) - but you can also braai up a storm, thanks to the excellent, clean braai facilities found on-site.  Photo credit: panoramio.com Also, because Oudekraal falls within the Table Mountain National Park, it’s technically a protected beach, so it’s kept nice and clean. It’s usually not too full, even on hot summer days when the other beaches along the Camps Bay strip are bursting at the seams. Take your friends and family along for a lovely day out (even if you visit during winter, you can enjoy sitting on the boulders overlooking the ocean and mountains) and enjoy a delicious braai. For more information on Oudekraal and how to access it, contact (021) 438 9555.  

3 - Secret Scarborough Beach

Okay, so Scarborough is not an out-and-out secret beach… but it is one of the city’s lesser-known gems. It offers peace and seclusion in the Deep South, even as nearby beaches at Noordhoek, Kommetjie and Simon’s Town fill up with beachgoers. This beach is perfect for relaxed picnics, sunset strolls and some fun with your kids (and dogs) too. It’s also popular among surfers, kite surfers and bodyboarders but swimming isn’t advisable. For more information on Scarborough Beach and how to access it, contact (021) 780 1122. Conclusion: These are three of Cape Town’s most beautiful secluded beaches but other contenders include: Queens Beach, Sunset Beach, Preekstoel (West Coast National Park) and Platboom (Cape Point). So, if you’re after some quiet moments at the beach or a more little privacy, be sure to hit these lovely beaches!