Blaauwberg Beach and Kite Surfing

Kite surfer. Photo courtesy Leif Sobremonte

Blouberg beach, also known as Bloubergstrand and Blaauwberg Beach, is the place to take picture-postcard shots of Cape Town and Table Mountain and it’s also a great place to go kite surfing.

Just 20 minutes' drive from Cape Town's city centre you’ll find beautiful Bloubergstrand which lies on the West Coast of Table Bay.

Bloubergstrand (meaning “blue mountain beach” in Afrikaans) is just what the name suggests – a long, beautiful beach with a mountain view, just perfect for outdoor activities.

The beach is known as a surfing and windsurfing hotspot because of the large waves driven by the Cape’s south-easter winds.

The main beach, Big Bay, hosts highly rated surfing contests every year.

The wind factor also has a lot to do with Bloubergstrand’s most popular pastime: kite surfing. With a wide, spacious beach (Dolphin Beach, a perfect launch pad), 10 - 30 knot winds and unbelievable views of Table Mountain it’s not surprising that this place attracts foreign visitors to enjoy a kite surfing safari.

Contact Cape Town Tourism's Blaauwberg Visitor Information Centre for recommendations on accredited kite surfing operators, guides and local accommodation suggestions.

Not far away, Little Bay offers more of a venue for families wanting to spend a day relaxing in the sun.

If you’re not out there defying gravity, or trying to perfect a forward loop grab as they say in kite surfing speak, then there’s a lot going on in the neighbourhood. The beachfront promenade has a wide variety of restaurants and cocktail bars.

Enjoy a cold beer as you watch the surf roll in at the Lower Deck Bistro at the Blue Peter Hotel, +27 (0)21 554 1956; the place is an institution locally. Another notable eatery is the On The Rocks restaurant, +27 (0)21 554 1988, situated at the water’s edge. Feast on enormous seafood platters as you sip on the Cape’s finest chilled Chardonnays or Sauvignon Blancs and enjoy the views of Table Mountain and Robben Island in the distance.

The video below provides an idea of the conditions kite surfers can enjoy at Blaauwberg Beach.

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