Glen Beach, Cape Town
The verdict
- Best for: Surfers and anyone who wants the Camps Bay setting without the crowd, in a small cove where the waves and the locals set the tone.
- Best spot: The northern corner against the rocks, where the beach break is most reliable and the surfers gather.
- Know this: This is a cold Atlantic surf beach with rips and rocks, so it is for riding waves and watching them more than for a gentle family swim.
Published 17 January 2026. Last reviewed 7 May 2026
Glen Beach is the surfers' corner of Camps Bay. It is a small pocket of white sand tucked between the famous Camps Bay strand and the boulders of Bakoven, framed by granite and backed by apartments climbing the slope below Lion's Head. Where Camps Bay proper is all promenade and palm trees, Glen is smaller, scruffier in the best way, and given over to the beach break that rolls in off the cold Atlantic.
This is the place local surfers come for a quick session with one of the best urban backdrops anywhere, Table Mountain's Twelve Apostles rising straight behind. On the right swell the corner against the rocks works nicely, and the lineup has a settled, local feel. For everyone else, Glen is a fine spot to lay out a towel away from the Camps Bay crowds and watch the surf, with the whole strip of bars and restaurants a two minute walk along the sand when you want a drink.
The honest read is that Glen is for waves and watching, not for swimming. The water is cold open Atlantic, there are rips and rocks, and lifeguard cover is thin, so casual swimmers are far better off on the warmer False Bay side. Parking in Camps Bay is its own challenge, so come early or walk down. Take Glen for what it is, a small, characterful surf beach with a knockout backdrop and the Camps Bay strip on tap, and it is one of the more likeable corners of the Atlantic seaboard.
Clubs near this beach
Glen Beach has no club of its own, but it sits at the quiet end of the Camps Bay strip, one of the liveliest beachfront food and drink scenes in Cape Town, a short walk north along the sand.
The Camps Bay strip
A short walk north brings you to the Camps Bay beachfront, a strip of cafes, cocktail bars and restaurants facing the sea below the Twelve Apostles. It is the closest thing the Atlantic seaboard has to a beach club scene, though venues and hours are to be confirmed.
No beach club on the sand
There is no sunbed and bottle service club on Glen Beach itself; it is a public surf beach. The Camps Bay strip is where the beachfront bars and tables are. Details are to be confirmed.
Glen Beach sits at the southern end of Camps Bay on the Atlantic seaboard, about fifteen minutes by car from the city centre over Kloof Nek between Table Mountain and Lion's Head. It is an easy add on to a Camps Bay day, as the two beaches share the same stretch of sand.
Parking is the catch, as Camps Bay fills quickly on warm days, so arrive early or be ready to walk down from the strip. There are few facilities on Glen itself, but the cafes, bars and restaurants of Camps Bay are a short walk north, and a wind layer is worth having, since the southeaster can sweep this coast. Conditions are never guaranteed.
Reserve a day at Glen Beach
Glen Beach is a surf beach with the Camps Bay strip alongside it. Tell us your date and party and we will point you to club style beds and bars on the Cape. No charge to enquire.
Common questions
Is Glen Beach good for surfing?
Yes, it is a well known local surf spot, a beach break tucked against the rocks at the southern end of Camps Bay. It works best on the right swell and has a settled local lineup. Conditions vary day to day, so check the swell and wind before you go.
Can you swim at Glen Beach?
It is a cold open Atlantic surf beach with rips and rocks and limited lifeguard cover, so it is not a casual swimming beach. Confident water users surf here; for an easier swim, the warmer False Bay beaches are a far better choice. Conditions are never guaranteed.
Is Glen Beach the same as Camps Bay beach?
They sit on the same stretch of sand, but Glen is the smaller surf corner at the southern end, beside the rocks toward Bakoven, while Camps Bay proper is the wide promenade beach to the north. Glen is quieter and given over to surfers.
Where do you park for Glen Beach?
Parking is shared with Camps Bay and fills fast on warm days, so arrive early or be ready to walk down from the strip. A car is the easiest way to reach it, about fifteen minutes from the city over Kloof Nek.
When is the best time to visit Glen Beach?
Late summer and autumn from February to April bring the lightest wind and cleanest mornings, the best window for surfing and for sitting out. The southeaster can blow hard in midsummer, so still mornings are the sweet spot.
