Winding up and over the low ridge between the R27 and Blouberg Beach, the looping residential streets of West Beach don’t quite lay claim to the beachfront itself, which is prime Bloubergstrand property, but still enjoy fabulous views of Table Mountain and Robben Island, with sea breezes and beach living on the doorstep. Almost purely residential with a scattering of shops on Sandown Road, it’s a quiet but conveniently located suburb, within easy reach of the CBD by car or the MyCiTi bus, but equally easy to escape up the West Coast without sitting in traffic.
Property:
Made up mostly of spacious freestanding homes with gardens, plenty of palm trees and a few townhouse complexes, West Beach is a relatively affordable family suburb by Cape Town standards. It’s popular with people relocating from around the country, beach lovers who can’t quite afford beachfront property prices and property investors, providing plenty of rental homes in the area. The proximity to the beach attracts overseas tourists and visiting kite-surfers, so there’s a scattering of B&Bs and hostels, but it’s also a close-knit neighbourhood. “There’s a good community, everybody knows each other on our street and introduces themselves to new neighbours,” says Mrs Krige, resident. “We have a network of trustworthy handymen that we all use, a new camera system in the roads has increased security and the armed response teams patrol regularly. So, for us, safety isn’t a concern.”
Play/Wander
“Kids in our road play in the street on their skateboards and ride bikes, and the field across from us is a very popular dog-walking area,” says Toni-Natanya Bosson, resident. The wetland area is West Beach’s best-kept secret, she says, and is home to Egyptian geese, freshwater crabs and frogs. “A rare species of frog was discovered in the wetlands years ago which helped us to stop the development of low-cost housing and a shopping centre, so it remains a greenbelt.” And the beach is practically on the doorstep, whether you’re a kite-surfer waiting for the wind to pump, which it does regularly in summer, or a dog-walker or runner enjoying the kilometres of beachfront all with the postcard-picture view of the mountain. A more sheltered local favourite for sundowners and bucket and spade play is Kleinbaai, with rock pools and a curve of sand, and Big Bay just beyond is vibrant surf spot.
West Beach itself has little in the way of restaurants but you only have to head to the Blouberg beachfront for a choice of cafes and eateries. For shopping, you can walk or cycle to friendly local shopping centre West Coast Village, or drive for five minutes to Bayside, or the new Table Bay Mall which has all the main high street stores, a Virgin Active gym and a trampoline park.
Schooling:
Families don’t have to look far for a choice of schools. Blouberg Ridge Primary school adjoins the suburb and Elkanah House has a pre-primary and a primary school campus in the area, with its other primary and high school campuses close by in Sunningdale. Other well-regarded schools in neighbouring suburbs include Parklands College, CBC St Johns Parklands and Blouberg International School, among others. The Sunningdale Sports complex has a wide variety of sports clubs, from roller derby to football and cricket, and water babies have everything close by from surf lessons and sea scouts, to life-saving, sailing and canoeing. As far as family health goes, the new medical centre at Westport is a handy alternative to large hospitals, and Blaauwberg Netcare Hospital is just across the road in Sunningdale should you require a specialist. West Beach is a family-oriented suburb close to everything you need.
“The views of Table Mountain are coveted and West Beach is close enough to walk to the beach and to smell and hear the waves crashing on the beach when there’s a slight westerly onshore breeze. We have a very tight security community network and look out for one another.”
-Toni-Natanya Bosson, resident
Places to eat:
- Doodles: for beachfront sundowners
- Homespun: for creative and elegant dining
- Indian Chapter: for excellent Indian food
- All in the Kitchen: for lunch and family-style take-home dinners
- Petits Fours: for cakes and coffee
- On the Rocks: for elegant seafood with amazing views
- PRIMI Piatti: for delicious Italian-inspired meals
Shop:
- West Coast Village for small neighbourhood stores such as Books Galore for second-hand books
- The new Table Bay Mall for a stress-free shopping experience with all the main high street stores
- Bayside for movies, high street stores and individual shops such as Ska Clothing
- Builders Warehouse in Sandown Road
- Sandown Retail Crossing for cake and coffee gem Bread and Butter
Things to do:
- West Beach’s own hidden wetlands for dog-walking and to hear the singing frogs
- Iconic views of Table Mountain
- The long Blouberg Beach promenade for runs, walks and kite-surfing
- Big Bay for surfing, sundowners and the monthly I Love Big Bay evening market
- Rietvlei for flat-water sports and bird-watching
- Golf at Atlantic Beach or Milnerton golf clubs
