Muizenberg, South Africa: Travel Guide + Tips
Situated only 30 minutes outside of Cape Town, it’s easy to add a stopover in Muizenberg, South Africa for a different taste of life on the coast. Without the hustle and bustle of big city life, it’s a perfect getaway to access many other cool towns further south, like Kalk Bay, Simon’s Town, and the picturesque Cape Point Lighthouse.
If you’re planning a day trip or overnight stay in Muizenberg, South Africa, then head to ‘Surfers Corner” to stay well-connected to a wide variety of shops, restaurants, surf schools, groceries, beach walks and the train station.
Best Time to Visit
Things to Consider
Weather
Contrary to the north of South Africa, Muizenberg experiences its ‘dry season’ during the spring and summer months. The best time to visit is between October to March for sunny weather almost every day.
Surfing Conditions
If your plan is to surf in Muizenberg, then the best time is in the winter months from March to September when the strong winds calm down and the temperatures drop.
Where We Stayed
TaphelCo
Nightly Cost: R 1016 ($80 CAD)
TaphelCo is an affordable 2-bedroom apartment on the top floor of a gated building complex. It has a 5 night minimum, but there is an extra monthly discount for longer stays.
The apartment includes a free parking spot, two deep cleans per month, and access to on-site coin laundry. The beautiful sunsets and mountain views off of the balcony never got old. We stayed here for an entire in February, so it gave us a real sense of the community. The complex is family-friendly, and we never had any concerns about safety.
It’s within walking distance of the beach and a short distance from local shops and restaurants, so it was nice to explore without a car some days.
How to Get Around
1. Rent a Car
We rented from Avis at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg for our three-month trip. Bonus: Their rewards program allows you to collect points—with the option to convert into Aeroplan points—for future savings.
2. Take a scenic train ride
Although we didn’t personally try the rail system, there’s a train station right in Muizenberg, which has frequent connections to Cape Town and the nearby regions.
3. Uber/Taxi
Let someone else do the driving as you tour around! It might even save some money if a daily car rental isn’t needed.
Places to Eat
1. The Hans and Lloyd Coffee Co.
Stop by The Hans and Lloyd Coffee Co.! Located in a bustling area near the water, this amazing all-day breakfast and lunch spot has quality food, top-notch service, and an ideal vantage point for people-watching as you enjoy your morning coffee. There’s everything from hearty breakfasts to sandwiches, as well as fresh juice, hot drinks and smoothies. An added bonus—it’s also dog-friendly.
2. The Commons Restaurant
For a change of scenery, head upstairs to “The Commons”, for a mix of ‘Work, Eat, Play’. There’s a remote work space with very fast internet, a restaurant to grab a bite to eat or one of their drink concoctions, and live music nights from Thursday to Saturday.
3. Mugg & Bean
If you love coffee and/or you have a sweet tooth, then Mugg & Bean is the place to go. They have bottomless coffee, very reasonable prices, giant muffins with a side of extra toppings (butter, jam, and cheese!), and daily flavours of delicious pies and cakes — their super-sized slices are more than enough for 1 or 2 people. A full menu is available, but we only stopped by for coffee and dessert a couple of times.
With free WIFI available, we were happy to have a “remote office” once in a while. The staff was always very friendly, and we always felt welcome to stay as long as we like.
Mugg & Bean is an established South African chain, and their locations can be found throughout the country. The closest one to Muizenberg is 15 minutes out of town at the same mall as the movie theater, Blue Route Mall.
Things to Do
1. Learn to Surf
We spent a month living in town, and the wild wind storms make it easy to understand why this town is known for its surfing. Surfer’s Corner is lined with surf schools and surf shops with everything you could possibly need. The area is known for having some of the best surfing conditions in the world for all skill levels from beginner to expert.
At sunset, I enjoyed watching the windsurfers gracefully gliding across the water while the sun dipped behind the mountains. It reminded me of fond memories in Victoria, Canada.
2. Spend the Day at the Beach
Muizenberg has a very long stretch of sandy beach with a gorgeous mountain backdrop. The best time to swim here is from December to February when the ocean temperature is the warmest, averaging around 18-19C.
3. Movie Night at the Cinema
Since we travel full-time, we still enjoy having a movie date night once in a while. The Ster-Kinekor movie theater at Blue Route Mall is only 15 minutes outside Muizenberg and it has two major supermarkets (Checkers & Woolworths), so it was a convenient spot to grab some snacks before our movie started.
4. Muizenberg Huts
Be sure to snag some photos of the iconic Muizenberg huts, also known as beach boxes, along the main beach. Sunrise and sunset are the best times for photos to capture their vibrant colours.
The history of the Muizenberg huts dates back to the 1900’s. It was a time when there were more conservative ideas about what clothing was considered ‘proper’. The huts were most commonly used for protection from the sun/wind and as a changing room.
Their intended use evolved through history as they were previously used as bathing machines, where they were wheeled out to sea to provide privacy from onlookers. Thankfully, times have changed and everyone can freely frolic in whatever they like whether it’s a onesie, a speedo, or nothing at all.
Final Thoughts
Our time in Muizenberg was a nice city break with a chill vibe. It was a perfect base to explore as much of the Greater Cape Town area as possible. Stay tuned for my upcoming post on Simon’s Town, where we have close encounters with South African penguins.
To see what we’re up to, follow along on our timeline!
