Oudekraal, Atlantic Seaboard

Oudekraal is possibly one of Cape Town’s best kept secrets. Do a quick Internet search and there’s virtually no information on this beautiful boulder-enclosed bay with its very own seal colony, carefully sandwiched between Bakoven and Llandudno.

Set against the backdrop of the Twelve Apostles, with a number of sheltered coves and small sandy beaches between the massive granite boulders, this scenic area forms part of the Table Mountain National Park, and has a number of carefully maintained braai (barbecue) sites sheltered beneath Milkwood trees, whilst others offer fantastic views of mountain and sea. There’s also a boma that can be booked for functions, although strictly speaking, like all beaches, Oudekraal runs according to a ‘no alcohol’ policy.

Oudekraal is popular with divers and a number of sea diving courses take advantage of the protected coves for their rich marine life and the oldest known wreck in the country - Het Huis te Kraaiensteing (1670). It was also the venue for Vodacom’s most recent ‘Jazz on the Rocks’ - a refreshing new concept of music in open spaces.

This valuable mountain slope and ecologically sensitive area was recently the site of a battle in court as the owner, and would-be developer, received a fatal blow to his plans to build a residential area in Oudekraal. South Africans and visitors continue to enjoy this national heritage unimpeded by the thrust of development. Oudekraal is minutes away from the beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton and is an easy drive over Suikerbossie Hill to Hout Bay.