Kommetjie

Kommetjie is a laid-back seaside village on the Atlantic side of the Cape Peninsula, southwest of Cape Town near the road to Cape Point. Cold, powerful and scenic, it is one of the peninsula's premier surf zones, watched over by the tall Slangkop lighthouse.

The signature wave is a long left-hand reef break at Outer Kom, plus the peaks at Long Beach, which peel over rock and reef to produce fast, powerful walls. These are demanding cold-water waves best suited to intermediate and advanced surfers, while more sheltered corners offer gentler options for the less experienced.

Big southwest groundswells with southeast offshore winds create the classic conditions, most reliable in the southern winter around May to September. The Atlantic here is bitterly cold, chilled by the Benguela current, so a thick wetsuit with hood and booties is standard equipment.

Kommetjie retains a quiet, natural feel, its shoreline a mix of rocky points, kelp beds and a long sandy beach, with a small crayfishing heritage and abundant birdlife. The lighthouse, tidal pools and views toward the mountains of the peninsula add to its rugged appeal, and Cape Town's city bustle feels far away. For surfers seeking serious cold-water waves within reach of the city, Kommetjie is a Cape Peninsula essential.

The peninsula surrounds it with options. When Kommetjie is too big or wind-blown, the many breaks of the Cape Peninsula, from gentle beaches on the False Bay side to Long Beach's peaks, lie within a short drive. Great white sharks inhabit these waters, and local shark-spotting programmes operate at some beaches. The village's lighthouse, kelp-fringed rocks and mountain backdrop make it scenic even on flat days. Thick wetsuits, booties and a hood are standard for the frigid Atlantic.