Sun, surf and whale watching
From the West Coast's wild stretches of sand to the sub-tropical shores of Maputaland, there's a beach for every reason. Watch the sun rise over the Atlantic or Indian Ocean, work up that perfect tan, or get more active - South Africa offers some of the world's best surfing, windsurfing and diving. And then there's the whales ...
Watersport playground
Our diving ranges from kelp forests to coral reefs, our surf includes fun beach breaks, hollow tubes and some real monsters, and we have great surfskiing, sea kayaking and sailing.
Surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, sea kayaking
"South Africa is one of the top surfing countries in the world, with sublime coastal scenery, consistent high-quality surf, a cheap but high standard of living and a unique culture to be proud of," says Steve Pike, editor of Wavescape.
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These range from safe swells for infants and beginners to epic breaks that scare even hardened competitors in the international contests held in the country in June and July.
The area of the Eastern Cape around Cape St Francis, Jeffreys Bay and Port Elizabeth - collectively known as Jay Bay by local surfers - is world-famous for the quality of its waves.
The many backpackers hostels around the country are geared up for board rental, escorted surfaris and surfing lessons, and there are dedicated surf schools in Durban and Cape Town.
South Africa has awesome windsurfing and kitesurfing spots. Langebaan near Cape Town is internationally recognised as one of the top boardsailing venues in the world - and there are others.
A more accessible way to experience the sea is in a specially designed sea kayak. There are escorted trips around Cape Town, Hermanus, Knysna, Plett and Durban.
Sailing
South Africa's coastline is one of the most challenging in the world to sail, with few harbours, stormy conditions and, often, very rough seas. So it's not a good bareboat option.
However, it's a great place to learn to sail - there are sailing schools in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban - and we feature on all the major round-the-world races. There are loads of local races, too, and the Cape to Rio is one of the most accessible ocean crossing races in the world, attracting a large cruising contingent.
Diving
If you need convincing about the seriousness of South Africa's coast, look no further than the many historical and recent shipwrecks - all tragedies, but still good news for divers. We have more to offer than these poignant sites, though. Our underwater environment is varied and beautiful, with lots of stunning diving sites.
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Here you'll find the full complement of pretty colourful fish and some great nudibranchs, including the outrageous Spanish dancer. Whale sharks, turtles, dolphins and ragged tooth sharks are often seen in specific areas.
As you head down the coast the underwater environment changes gradually until, once you reach Cape Town, you're diving in chilly but beautiful kelp forests. These too are unique: there are three major types of kelp, and it is only off a short portion of the Western Cape coast that they all grow together.
Diving in kelp is like walking in a forest. You float beneath the canopy and admire the surprisingly colourful reef life. Off Cape Town, divers regularly see anemones in colours ranging from electric blue or deep red to pale pink, nudibranchs of almost every colour you can imagine, and a range of small creatures in and around the bright orange and sulphur yellow sponges.
There are dive schools in almost every centre, with a surprising number in landlocked Johannesburg, where people do their training before heading down to Sodwana Bay for their qualifying dives.
If you do dive our reefs, take careful note of your no-fly limits. A flight from sea level to Johannesburg can take only an hour, but you gain about 2 000 metres (7 000 feet) in altitude - that's without even considering the flight. This represents a major risk, so adjust your itinerary to include a day of sightseeing, shopping or beach lounging between diving and flying, or even driving, to Johannesburg.
Whale capital(s) of the world
South Africa is one of the best destinations worldwide for watching marine mammals. In early June, southern right whales leave their Antarctic feeding ground to frolic in the (relatively) warm waters of the
Cape coast.
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In Cape Town, you can see them from the road anywhere along the False Bay coast, and they're distinctly visible on the western seaboard if you get high enough.
The town of Hermanus has proclaimed itself the whale capital of the world - and it's not far off. These huge beasts sometimes loll around mere metres from the shore, and are clearly visible from the scenic cliff-top walk.
Further east, the town of Plettenberg Bay also lays claim to the title of whale capital - with equally good reason. Southern right whales are in the bay from about June to November, and migratory humpback whales are here briefly around May or June and then, on their return trip, from about November to January.
Brydes whales or orcas are occasionally seen, and bottlenose and humpback dolphins are in residence all year. A breeding colony of Cape fur seals completes Plettenberg Bays' impressive array of marine mammals.
It is in Plett that the dolphin and whale-watching industry is most organised, with trips in boats, kayaks and aircraft on offer. Viewing, distances and time spent with each animal are strictly monitored so that there is minimal interference.
Further up the coast in KwaZulu-Natal, humpback and bottlenose dolphins are also often seen from boats.
SouthAfrica.info reporter, incorporating material from South African Tourism
