South African Hotels

Strand Tourism Information

Quick Facts: Strand

  • Long white sandy beach
  • Situated next to Gordon's Bay
  • Swimming, sun bathing, walking, watersports
  • The promenade lines the beach and features restaurants, cafés and shops
  • Dune Park has a super tube and mini-golf
  • Harmony Park in Strand features a large tidal pool
  • Strand Golf Course
  • Olympic-sized, heated pool
  • Popular surf spots include AECI, Blinkklip, Pipe, Duckies, Reef, Silkies, Die Poort and Greenways

Distance to Airport: 33 km

Introducing Strand

Strand, which is the Afrikaans word for 'beach', is a seaside resort located on the eastern edge of False Bay and at the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountains in South Africa's Western Province. Its geographical position is between Macassar and Gordon's Bay, and is about 50 km southeast of Cape Town. Strand has a population of approximately 50 000.  Strand's main attraction is the beach, five kilometers of white sandy beach lapped by the waters of False Bay.

With its beautiful 5km long beach, the oceanfront town of Strand is an ideal family destination for swimming, sunbathing and a variety of watersports.  A promenade lines the beach and showcases a mix of restaurants, cafés and shops.

The main beach in Strand is Melkbaai, reputedly one of the safest bathing areas in South Africa. Nearby Dune Park has a super tube and mini-golf, and the adjacent Harmony Park features a large tidal pool.

A wide variety of sport is available in Strand including an internationally rated golf course, tennis courts, rugby fields, squash clubs and water sports including board sailing, surfing, power-boating and paddle-skiing.

Surfing have influenced this seaside region to have a laid-back culture. The Pipe is a specially designated surfing area in Strand which is famous for its good waves.  Apart from swimming in the ocean, Strand also has an Olympic-sized, heated pool which is open to the public throughout the year. Between the Lourens River mouth and Rooi Els there are numerous fishing spots, and the clear waters attract many diving enthusiasts.

The waves are safe for beginners, which attracts many young surfers to Strand, particularly when the surf is good. Many of the surfing spots are quite far from shore, yet they remain extremely popular despite the risk of sharks. For those serious about the sport, popular surf spots include AECI, Blinkklip, Pipe, Duckies, Reef, Silkies, Die Poort and Greenways.

Strand originated a few hundred years ago as a holiday and fishing resort and was founded in 1714.  In 1970, all non-whites were forcefully resettled when the town was classified as a white-only resort.  Today Strand is recognised as part of the greater city of Cape Town itself, because the City Cape Town took over Strand's municipal powers. It is 10 km away from the inland town of Somerset West, however recent expansion of both towns have resulted in the two towns to be adjacent to each other, with shopping malls and residential complexes creating the connections. Strand forms part of the Helderberg Basin, together with Somerset West and Gordon's Bay.

Strand provides great views of the Cape Peninsula and fine beaches. During the summer, tourists flock to this area of South Africa. Strand is a popular venue for plenty of local surfing clubs' surfing competitions. Although it has been argued that the waves are deteriorating from the fact that less beach dune sand are swept into the water because of the changes the growing number of high-rise luxury apartment blocks make to the local wind patterns, surfing in Strand will most likely be one of the most important local sports and contributor of local beach culture for many years to come.