HelenOnline, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Camps Bay
Glamorous beachfront
At a glance
One of Cape Town's most iconic beaches backed by the Twelve Apostles mountain range. World-class restaurants, sundowner bars, and palm-lined streets make it a top destination.
Strengths
- Stunning beach and mountain views
- World-class restaurants
- Very safe area
Trade-offs
- Expensive accommodation
- Windy in summer
- Limited nightlife variety
- LocationAtlantic Seaboard · on the map
- Without a carPossible without a car
- AtmosphereBeach and glamour
- Page reviewed6 Sep 2026
- Rent and price dataFeb 2026
Staying or living here
Visiting
Camps Bay is the resort choice: beachfront hotels, boutique guesthouses on the slopes and self-catering villas with sea views. Prices are the highest of any suburb on this site and peak from December to February, when the strip is at its busiest. Properties on the upper streets above Victoria Road are quieter and often cheaper, with a steep walk down to the beach. Ask about 24-hour security, alarm systems, backup power and parking; free street parking near the beach is scarce in summer.
Living here
Safety and walking
The beach, the promenade and the Victoria Road restaurant strip are busy and well patrolled in daylight, with lifeguards on duty in summer. After sunset Victoria Road quietens quickly, so take an Uber or Bolt back to your accommodation rather than walking, particularly up the residential streets. Theft from parked cars is the most common problem, especially at the Pipe Track and other trailhead car parks, and burglary of unoccupied villas is the main residential risk. Keep cameras and phones out of sight on the beach and take turns watching belongings. Walk the Pipe Track and Lion's Head in company and in daylight.
Incident map, official SAPS statistics, safety zones and trends for the whole district.
View Crime ReportStreet-by-street zones, walking routes, recent incidents and what locals say.
Read GuideGetting around
Camps Bay has no train and only a thin bus service: MyCiTi buses along Victoria Road connect the strip with Sea Point, the city centre and Hout Bay, but they run less often than the Sea Point routes and you need a MyCiTi card. Uber and Bolt are the practical option and reach the CBD in about 15 minutes over Kloof Nek. Most visitors hire a car; parking on Victoria Road is free but full by late morning in summer. The suburb is steep away from the beach, and the airport is 35 to 50 minutes by car.
Everyday life
Daily shopping is limited to a small supermarket and a pharmacy on Victoria Road; residents drive to Sea Point or the CBD for a bigger shop. The beach, Glen Beach for surfing and the tidal pools at Maiden's Cove are the park. Camps Bay Primary and Camps Bay High are well-regarded state schools, and the nearest hospitals are in the city centre. The trade-offs are restaurant and holiday traffic noise in season and a real dependence on a car. The Twelve Apostles shelter the bay from the south-easter, so Camps Bay is calmer than the City Bowl on windy days.
Map of the area
Compare alternatives
Updates and sources
- Page reviewed 6 September 2026
- Data period Rent and price figures: February 2026
- Data period Short-let figures (Inside Airbnb, council ward 54): 23 September 2026
- Data period Ward Safety Index evidence: Jan-Jun 2026 (SAPS Q1 2026/2027)
- Data period Guide rating: 2024/25
- Method How the Ward Safety Index is built
- Evidence District crime report · official SAPS statistics, incident map, quarterly trends
- Guide Camps Bay, Cape Town: Crime, Community and Real Estate, a Safety Evaluation for 2026
- Article Cape Town restaurants with a view, from Camps Bay to Kalk Bay
- Article Finding Your Atlantic Seaboard Sweet Spot - Sea Point or Green Point or Camps Bay?
Safety scores and property data are estimates based on publicly available sources and may not reflect current conditions. Always exercise personal judgement and conduct your own research before making housing or travel decisions.