Camps Bay & Oudekraal

Camps Bay sits directly below the Twelve Apostles at the top of the Atlantic coast road, and Oudekraal continues south from it along a wilder, largely undeveloped stretch of the same coastline. Almost all of the accommodation here faces the sea. The strip behind the beach holds hotels and apartments within walking distance of the restaurants; above and behind it the residential streets climb the mountainside in terraces, and that is where most of the villas, guesthouses and self-catering apartments sit, usually with a wider view and a steeper walk.

Camps Bay works well as a base if the trip is centred on the mountain and the Atlantic coast, if you are happy to drive, and if you want to end most days with the sea in front of you. It is close to the Table Mountain lower cableway and Lion's Head and sits at the top of the road south to Hout Bay and Chapman's Peak. It works less well without a car, or if you want more evening choice than the beachfront strip offers.

Two practical points shape the choice. The summer south-easter can make the beach uncomfortable on some afternoons even when the city side is calm, and properties above the road often mean a climb, so it is worth checking how a place actually sits on the slope before booking.