Book in advance online at or by telephone to 020-8772 3753.. WHY SHOULD I STICK TO THE COAST? Southern Africa's coastline is a melting pot of landscapes, cultures and imagery. The Atlantic and Indian Oceans etch their way into the continent's lower shelf. Vast arid deserts, punctuated by lonely massifs, dissolve into stretches of tropical coast. This visual spectacle is often interrupted by picture-postcard beaches and urban areas, catering to backpackers, sophisticates and everyone in between. Then there's the wildlife - gaping at the continent's furred, feathered and fierce inhabitants, is a must for all visitors. WHERE'S THE BEACH?The Atlantic Ocean's glacial temperatures keep all but the brave firmly ashore along Cape Town's Atlantic Coast, but the string of beaches here seduce water babies of all ages with the lion's share of the area's geographic beauty.
Bloubergstrand boasts the most dramatic vista, with an uninterrupted panorama of Table Mountain. Trendy young things flock to Clifton's four beaches, flaunting flesh and fashion, before heading for the strip of Camps Bay. A favourite haunt is the ambient Caf?aprice at 37 Victoria Road (00 27 214 438 3714).In stark contrast, the Wild Coast of South Africa's Eastern Cape is a smear of isolated shoreline. As the Atlantic melts into the temperate waters of the Indian Ocean, swimming tops the agenda at Port St Johns, where a spectacular beach is backed by a dramatic fold of hills.In Southern Mozambique, the holiday village of Vilankulo is peppered with appealing beaches and a healthy spread of accommodation options. But the real feast lies some 10km offshore in the Bazaruto Archipelago - an ethereal quilt of alabaster sand and crystalline sea.
On Benguerua Island, Marlin Lodge (00 27 12 543 2134; ), takes advantage of the utopian surrounds, pampering guests with a wellness centre, restaurant, secluded beaches and indulgent chalets (from US$189/£105 per person including meals).CAN I GET MORE THAN JUST MY FEET WET?Jeffreys Bay is the hub of South African surfing. But if "J-Bay" is the celebrity of Southern Africa's surfing spots, Mozambique's Tofinho is the budding starlet. Intrepid surfers trek to the less-frequented swell at this undeveloped spot to take advantage of the warmer water and breaks off the rocky shelf.Mozambique's coastline is littered with dive sites including the Bazaruto Archipelago, where some 2,000 species of fish reside. In northern Mozambique, marine life teems beneath the liquid canopy of the Quirimbas Archipelago, and its vivid fringe of reefs provide shelter to angel fish, morays, turtles and colossal reef fish.
