Smitswinkel Bay hideaways

Smitswinkel Bay is a small cove on the False Bay coast of Cape Town's Southern Peninsula, tucked below the road between Simon's Town and Cape Point, just before the entrance to the Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park. It's about 20 minutes' drive south of Simon's Town, which is itself about 40 minutes to an hour from the city centre outside peak traffic. Its Afrikaans name, Smitswinkelbaai, means "blacksmith's shop".

No. The houses at Smitswinkel Bay are reached only on foot. Leave your car at the small parking area beside the road above the bay, then follow the steep, zigzagging footpath down past the beach houses to the shore, knowing the walk back is uphill. Pack lightly, as everything you bring is carried down the path. There are no shops, amenities or lifeguards at the beach, so arrive with all your supplies.

Yes, if you're an experienced, qualified diver. The South African Navy scuttled five vessels in Smitswinkel Bay to form an artificial reef, among them the former navy frigates SAS Good Hope and SAS Transvaal, the trawler Princess Elizabeth and the diamond dredger Rockeater. The wrecks lie at about 30–35m and are reached by boat, so they suit advanced divers. Smitswinkel Bay falls within the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area, where every scuba diver needs a permit. Our concierge team can help arrange a dive.

Smitswinkel Bay isn't really a swimming beach, but its granite boulders and rock pools make a fine place to while away a day by the sea. Clamber over the rocks, take a dip in the rock pools or settle on the shore and watch False Bay. At high tide there's little sand left, so plan beach time around low tide. There are no lifeguards, so supervise children closely. For a calmer swim, head to Boulders Beach in Simon's Town, sheltered by huge granite boulders, about 20 minutes' drive north.

Smitswinkel Bay suits families who are happy to walk. The houses are reached only on foot, down a steep path from the parking area, and the return is uphill, so be ready to carry small children as well as your luggage. Once you're down, the rock pools and boulders keep young explorers busy, though the bay has no lifeguards and isn't really a swimming beach. For a day out, the Boulders penguins in Simon's Town and the Flying Dutchman funicular at Cape Point are both a short drive away.

Very close. Smitswinkel Bay lies just before the entrance to the Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park, so Cape Point is a short drive away. Ride the Flying Dutchman funicular or walk up to the lighthouse, and look out for eland, bontebok, red hartebeest and zebra; swimming isn't allowed at Diaz Beach because of strong rip currents. About 20 minutes north, in Simon's Town, watch African penguins from the Boulders boardwalks; the IUCN listed them as Critically Endangered in 2024. Conservation fees apply at both.

Leave the car at the top of the path and Smitswinkel Bay becomes a retreat measured in tides and rock pools. Our hideaway here, Lantern Tides, sleeps eight guests in three bedrooms with three bathrooms, in a bay with no road to the door. Summer, from about November to February, brings long, warm days, and January is peak season, so book well ahead. From about June to November, southern right whales visit False Bay.

To book a hideaway at Smitswinkel Bay, send an enquiry or call the Perfect Hideaways team on +27 21 790 0972 (Monday–Thursday 8.30am–5pm, Friday 8.30am–4pm SAST). Book early for December and January, the busiest months on the coast. Our reservations consultants can match you with the perfect hideaway. Through our bespoke travel service, we also craft custom itineraries for our guests, shaped around their own dreams and desires.