Llandudno Beach - Cape Town

You'll need transport: Llandudno is about 20km from Cape Town along Victoria Road, the south-bound twisting line of tar that snakes out of Sea Point.

There is no public transport to Llandudno but you could take a taxi or local mini bus on its way to Hout Bay but getting back to town in the evening would be a bit difficult.

If you're driving, leave the rich and nearly famous behind at Camps Bay and head out along the scenic stretch of fynbos-covered (Cape's unique, shrubby vegetation) mountains until a sign indicates a turn into the villa-strewn slopes of Llandudno.

Enormous granite boulders dot the area (the beach itself is corked at both ends by them) and a winding road ends in a small car park; you'll probably have to find parking before that.

Make your way down to the beach through a shady milkwood forest and suddenly the dazzling sand is in front of you. It's a small, relaxed and intimate beach (many locals rate it as Cape Town's best) with an eclectic mix of people.

The water is gaspingly cold – a tight-fisted average of around 13º C – but it's calm and shallow close to shore and you can even get a free show: Llandudno is a popular surf spot.

There are no shops here at all, though a series of beach vendors find new and creative ways to sale their icy products – you can buy cold drinks, ice creams and snacks. There are freshwater showers and public toilets, and life guards are always on duty.