by Travel Writer Sasha Arms

Camps Bay embraces beach life, braais (barbeques) and café culture by day, and by night transforms into its other persona of being the epitome of the trendy bar scene and the place to be seen, especially for wealthy South Africans and foreign visitors. It’s Cape Town’s suburb of affluence and arrogance. Embrace it by staying in the area, or visit if you’d prefer to dip your toe into the Camps Bay lifestyle for a day.

Camps Bay has been the place that people have flocked to for recreation for decades now. It began when Victoria Road was constructed more than a century ago, linking Sea Point to Camps Bay. Camps Bay became the place to go to for picnics, and the development of the tram service only increased its popularity. Soon there was a pavilion hosting entertainment shows, the Rotunda (which has now transformed into the Bay Hotel) and tidal pools were built. Camps Bay was officially incorporated into Cape Town in the early 1900s, but even today it’s seen as being a world away from the city – even though it’s only a ten minute drive.

The bars, restaurants and cafés lining the streets today, together with the jam-packed beach during peak season and street entertainers dotted around, demonstrate how Camps Bay is staying true to its roots in recent history. 

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Activities in and around Camps Bay

For a bit of beach time during your Cape Town stay, Camps Bay is the place to find it, even though it can be a bit windy. There’s a very respectable stretch of white sand, where you can lay down your towels and other beach paraphernalia, or hire sunbeds and umbrellas. Surfers head to the northern end to catch some waves, while the tidal pools are at the southern end. The current is strong if you fancy a swim so take care, although a lot of Camps Bay’s fashionista visitors tend to stay put on the sand anyway, to see and be seen. The lifeguard station is manned during peak season and there are toilet facilities towards to west side of the beach.

For the more energetic, there are some beautiful walks and hikes to be done in the area too. The Pipe track is one of them – it follows a path that was originally used for maintaining and repairing pipes from some of Cape Town’s higher reservoirs. While down at Camps Bay you’re at the foot of the Twelve Apostles, taking the Pipe track takes you to the ridge of the mountains and offers stunning views of the bay below. The Pipe track walk actually begins at the bottom of Tafelberg Road, which is where the Table Mountain cable car leaves from further up the road. The walk is described as ‘easy’ and it takes about three hours to make the round trip.

Café culture

You can’t help but get caught up in the Camps Bay scene when you’re there. Why not do as Camps Bay regulars do and soak up your surroundings by stopping for a coffee? You’ll have seen the South African favourite coffee shop chain ‘Vida e Caffe’ around the city, and the Camps Bay branch is a decent one to stop off at. There are tables out the front overlooking the beach across the road, so is a good spot to take in the bustle of the street as well as watch the ocean beyond.

A more elite Camps Bay café is ‘Café Caprice’ a few doors down. It’s got something very Miami South Beach about it and naturally attracts beautiful people in their hordes. More than just a café, it’s also a bar that’s open late into the night. It must have some of the longest opening hours on the Cape too, open from 9am to 2am every day.

Eating and drinking in Camps Bay

Making a reservation at Camps Bay restaurants is absolutely essential during the peak season and on weekends. There are lots of really special choices as well.

The Azure restaurant in the Twelve Apostles Hotel is one of them. Decorated in trendy blues and silvers with balcony seats offering out-of-this-world views, the surroundings hint at what treats are in store on the menu. The restaurant has recently been awarded a blazon by the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs international gastronomic association, so you know it’s going to be good. Chef Roberto de Carvalho serves up a range of South African cuisine, such as Cape Malay picked fish and grilled kingklip. He uses the Cape’s indigenous vegetation, fynbos, in his cuisine for a really special twist.

In a secluded location on the edge of Camps Bay is ‘The Roundhouse’ – the intimate setting and outstanding views over the ocean make it a real treasure. First there’s the lunchtime ‘Rumbullion menu’ offering a tapas style experience – take your pick from meats, cheeses, breads and salads to complement the olive tapenade, jalapeno hummus, salmon pate and feta stuffed peppadew. Or come in the evening for the tasting menu to sample the likes of roasted cob with black mussels, chorizo and potato gnocchi and Peking duck breast with confit leg, hazelnuts and duck jus.

For a more relaxed option, try Sandbar which is right in the middle of things on Victoria Road. It serves burgers, salads, sandwiches and wraps. Try the Butternut Wrap or the Pear and Blue Cheese Salad.

For a few drinks in Camps Bay, there are plenty of options, particularly for lounge bars. Baraza is a Zanzibar-themed drinking hole with great views of the ocean from the balcony. Karma lounge bar is another Miami-style bar with white leather sofas and a sea view. La Med is actually in Clifton, but is a bit less pretentious than some Camps Bay bars and looks out across the Twelve Apostles and Camps Bay.

Staying in Camps Bay

If you’re planning on staying in and around Camps Bay, there is plenty of choice, depending on what type of holiday you’re looking for and what your budget is. For top quality upmarket hotels, try The Bay Hotel, Camps Bay Retreat or the Twelve Apostles Hotel – they are all superb.

There are also a number of villas and serviced apartments available if you want a bit more privacy and to cook-in sometimes. Try The Glen Apartments, Camps Bay Village or Camps Bay Resort.

Sasha Arms is a freelance writer, editor and web communications strategist. She has travelled extensively, particularly across South Africa, Europe and the Americas and has contributed to a number of notable publications, including the Lonely Planet Bluelist. Read more about Sasha Arms

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