While South Africa is completely bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean from Namibia south to Cape Agulhas, only the small, albeit impressive 3 km stretch between the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, along the coastline of Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles and Lion’s Head to Hout Bay is considered the ‘Atlantic Seaboard’. It’s bizarre, but then South Africa’s ‘South Coast’ is south of Durban and physically located on the east coast of the country rather than the south of the country, and the East Coast lies south of the South Coast rather than north of it, so one shouldn’t be too surprised.  Historically, this area is directly tied to the Atlantic Ocean and the influx of European settlements. The small Atlantic Seaboard has some of the most expensive real estate in South Africa and is characterised by its beaches, cliffs, promenade, and hillside communities. One of these is Camps Bay, home to the highest concentration of multimillionaires in Cape Town. It has the highest number of mansions in South Africa exceeding R20 million.

As the Atlantic Seaboard, known as Cape Town’s Riviera, is close to both the ocean and Cape Town’s inner city it’s a destination enjoyed by both locals and visitors. One of the suburbs, Green Point is nearest to Cape Town’s city center. It’s home to a world class sports stadium built when South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a century-old golf course - the Royal Cape Golf Club which was established in 1885, and a huge public park. Built in 1823, the eye-catching lighthouse is the oldest operational lighthouse in South Africa. Casual walkers, joggers, skaters, cyclists and dog-walkers all take advantage of the wide walkway and sprawling lawns of the Sea Point promenade that starts at the lighthouse and runs along the coast leading to Sea Point.

The Atlantic Seaboard is renowned for its varied beauty. Sheltered beaches, steep cliff sides, famous surfing spots with white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, as well as restaurants offering exceptional sea food dishes and seaside charm. At the southernmost end of the Atlantic Seaboard is a sharp mountain peak jutting into the air like a rhino horn. This is The Sentinel and guards the historic fishing village of Hout Bay.  

Starting on the southern edge of Hout Bay and ending at Noordhoek, is Chapman’s Peak Drive, a startling engineering achievement as it was carved out of the face of the sheer cliffs. It is one of the most spectacular marine drives in the world. Locals call the road ‘Chappies’. Noordhoek, although small, has a large artistic population and a large horse population as well as riding on the long Kommetjie Beach is a favourite pastime.