Noordhoek Beach, Cape Town

Noordhoek Long Beach is where Cape Town goes to feel small. It is a single unbroken sweep of white sand running roughly eight kilometres from the foot of Chapman's Peak south to Kommetjie, backed by dunes and wetland, with the mountains rising behind and nothing but ocean ahead. On a clear day it is one of the most beautiful beaches in the country, and because it is so vast it never feels crowded even when the car park is full.

People come here to move. Horse riding along the surf line is a Noordhoek tradition, walkers cover miles of firm sand at low tide, and surfers and kitesurfers work the breaks toward the southern end. After big storms the ribs of an old shipwreck sometimes surface near the northern end, a favourite turnaround point for a walk. The Noordhoek Farm Village near the car park gives you cafes and shade for afterwards, so the wildness comes with a soft landing.

Be honest with yourself about the water. This is exposed open Atlantic with strong currents, cold temperatures and real surf, and lifeguard cover is thin, so it is not a beach for a casual swim. The same exposure that makes it wild and beautiful makes it demanding, and the wind can howl across it in summer. Come for the space, the riding and the long walk below the mountains, time it for a still late summer morning, and Noordhoek gives you something the manicured city beaches cannot.