Muizenberg

Surf, Mountains, Markets & More, a short 30-minute drive from the city centre of Cape Town lies a beautiful and quaint seaside suburb called Muizenberg. Most famous for surfing and sharks, Muizenberg is an interesting place to visit.

The long rolling waves here are perfect for new surfers, so most of the visitors to Cape Town in need of some surfing lessons come to stay in Muizenberg. Shark sightings have decreased in recent years, but a visit to the shark spotter on Boyes drive is always fun and interesting to see how they spot a shark from the shore to be able to warn surfers and swimmers on Muizenberg Beach.

Muizenberg’s History – The Battle of Muizenberg

In 1795 while under Dutch rule, the British fought off the coast of Muizenberg to take the Southern tip of Africa from the Dutch East India company. So began a long Colonial period for Cape Town and South Africa and this is evident in the architecture when walking around this suburb. Some of the most beautiful examples of British homes are found along the main road in Muizenberg, and the Casa Labia stand out as a beautiful building overlooking False bay. We recommend a visit to the historical Casa Labia, which is a wonderful spot for breakfast or lunch, and even host various activities such as yoga lessons, music concerts and more throughout the year.

Surfing in Cape Town

Said to be home of South African surfing, Muizenberg’s beach calls home to quite a few interesting records in its time. Agatha Christie, the author, was known to surf for her first time in Muizenberg. Also, the first recorded image of a woman on a surfboard was taken in Muizenberg in the 1920s. Surfers Corner celebrates over 100 years of people surfing in Cape Town and is an institution for the city. Don’t worry about any equipment for your surf lesson in Muizenberg, everything is available for hire from multiple shops on the beachfront. Muizenberg also holds the World Record for most surfers on a single wave, over 100 humans!

Blue Bird Garage Muizenberg

The Muizenberg Market on a Thursday and Friday has to be a favourite thing to do for local residents in Muizenberg. Mostly food and drinks, this casual market offers interesting choices to eat and a laid back atmosphere with live music. Just down the road are great bars too, the Striped Horse by Surfers corner always seems to offer a great vibe for any visitor.

The Story of the Muizenberg Beach Huts

These huts are of a bygone era. Dating back to the 1800s, these “bathing boxes” were used by families who hired them at the beach. Women would not want to be seen without their elaborate chin-to-ankle bathing suits, so a special “cart” would wheel them down to the beach to play in the sand and the shoreline, and they would be carted back to their “bathing box” to change. The huts were almost removed in 2017 due to an outcry from local residents as they had gone into disrepair, but they were saved and are now an iconic part of any visitors journey to Muizenberg.