Planning a South African coast holiday? Read this before you book.

Oct 31

You’re looking at Struisbaai, Agulhas and Suiderstrand, the villages wrapped around Cape Agulhas, the true southernmost point of Africa where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Base yourself here and you’ll swap box-ticking road trips for slow, golden hour living: long beaches, a working harbour with friendly stingrays, fynbos walks, a climbable 1848 lighthouse, and cool climate wine a short country drive away.

Where exactly is the Southernmost Tip and how far is it from Cape Town?

Cape Agulhas sits about 210–230 km from Cape Town; it’s a scenic 2.5–3 hour drive depending on route and stops (Caledon and Bredasdorp are your last larger towns). SANParks lists Cape Town → Agulhas at ~210–230 km.

When to come: seasons, whales & water

• Whales: Peak southern right whale season runs June to late October along the Whale Coast (Hermanus–Agulhas). Bring binoculars.

• Beach & water: Struisbaai’s bay is famously gentle, with summer sea temps averaging ~20–21 °C (Dec–Mar); coldest in Aug (~15 °C). Surfers/swimmers use 3/2–4/3 wetsuits outside midsummer.

• Blue Flag beach: Struisbaai Main Beach is Blue Flag (2024/25)—clean, safe, well-managed.

What to do (beyond the selfie at the Tip)

• Climb the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse & visit the museum (generally 09:00–16:00; weather may affect access).

• Walk the Two Oceans Trail (10.5 km loop; Atlantic/Indian lookout over wild fynbos).

• See the ancient Rasperpunt fish traps at low tide.

• Meet the resident stingrays at Struisbaai Harbour (often visible when boats return).

• Taste cool-climate wines on the Elim/Agulhas Wine Triangle (Strandveld / First Sighting).

From the wrap-around deck of your luxury self-catering villa in Struisbaai, you catch the first glimmer of day while sipping locally roasted coffee. Today’s agenda? A private Southern Right Whale watching boat trip followed by an indulgent in-villa fish braai prepared by a private chef. It’s the kind of seamless, experience-rich itinerary that puts Boutique Southern Tip Escapes on every travel wish list.

Tucked inside the Agulhas National Park buffer zone, Suiderstrand is a pocket of untouched coastline where dune fynbos tumbles straight into crystalline rock pools.

Book through Boutique Southern Tip Escapes and a travel concierge arranges everything from a private chef to a sunset champagne cruise around the tidal pools. If the notion of “self-catering” ever felt ordinary, Agulhas will change your mind—here, it means carving your own itinerary in a home that feels like it was designed just for you.

For style-hunters, our curated collection includes architect-designed homes with heated plunge pools, indoor-outdoor braai pavilions and solar-powered peace of mind.