Top Cape coastal holiday home hotspots for 2023

Are you heading to the coast for the summer holidays and looking to invest in a holiday home or an Airbnb rental investment? Seeff looks at some of the top hotspots this year.

With tourism back in full swing and demand for holiday rentals on Airbnb and Booking.com back to pre-pandemic levels, the Seeff Property Group says demand for the Western Cape coastal towns has grown enormously over the last two years. Despite a slower sales market, homes in holiday towns have, for example, still sold for over R10 million up to R33 million (sold by Seeff) in Plettenberg Bay.

Aside from the semigration trend to the coast boosting demand for coastal homes, there is a strong desire to own a second home for those who want to remain in other economic centres, such as Gauteng, to at least invest in this market. There has also been growing demand for Eastern Cape coastal hotspots, which often offer more accessible pricing compared to that of the Western Cape.

Seeff’s agents highlight their choice of holiday home hotspot, and what can you expect to pay?

Cape coastal market options

Clifton and Camps Bay on Cape Towns’ Atlantic Seaboard

According to Ross Levin, licensee for Seeff Atlantic Seaboard, these are the two hottest holiday home hotspots for wealthy buyers. Based on this year’s sales, Clifton boasts an average house price of over R50 million and over R22 million for apartments. Camps Bay boasts the highest volume of sales above R20 million this year.

With the fabulous cosmopolitan lifestyle, scenic setting between the mountains and white, sandy, beautiful blue flag beaches, these areas are the top holiday home hotspots attracting wealthy buyers along with visitors, celebrities and Instagrammers. Levin says you are not only investing in a quality lifestyle but the top real estate belt with some of the best property growth over the last decade, attracting buyers from all over including international buyers, primarily from the UK and Germany.

Plettenberg Bay and Knysna on the Garden Route

Despite a challenging year, Seeff Plettenberg Bay still achieved sales ranging from R17.3 million to R33 million for a Beachy Head home, some of the highest prices paid outside of the Atlantic Seaboard. Alet Ollemans, licensee for Seeff, says the fabulous climate and cosmopolitan beach lifestyle are big drawcards.

You can still find well-priced apartments in Plett from around R1.4 million, but luxury units range between R6.5 million and R12.75 million. Houses range from R2 million to R4 million on average, but luxury homes can reach as much as R60 million. Knysna waterfront properties in Thesen Islands have enjoyed fabulous sales over the last few years as buyers look to enter the market. Houses range from around R5 million to R15 million. Other popular areas include the Brenton areas, Simola and Pezula Estates, as well as nearby Sedgefield which still offers excellent coastal affordability.

Langebaan and Yzerfontein on the West Coast

The quintessential West Coast lifestyle of seafood, stories and beautiful holiday homes is part of the attraction of the West Coast. The close proximity to Cape Town makes them easy weekend getaways and home to many holiday homes, which are also very popular with Airbnb and Bookings.com. Beachfront homes in Langebaan sold this year in Calypso Beach Estate for R8.25m and R8.8m by Jaco and Tracey Coetzee from Seeff, the latter at the full asking price says something on just how popular it is becoming, say the agents.

Yzerfontein, closer to Cape Town, is a real gem with no commercialisation. According to Michelle Livingstone-Louw and Nelia Retief, agents for Seeff, it is becoming increasingly popular with those who want a quieter lifestyle. Seeff achieved prices of up to R6.5 million in Pearl Bay and R6.785 million in nearby Jakkalsfontein Private Nature Reserve this year.

Pringle Bay and Rooi Els in the Overberg/Overstrand Region

Under a two-hour drive from Cape via Clarens Drive, one of the most beautiful coastal drives, these quaint villages are located among the natural fynbos of the Kogelberg Biosphere with mountains as a backdrop. Home to a variety of bird and animal species as well as sea life and a great area for whale spotting, the villages are characterised by a rocky coastline and beautiful white beaches.

Both offer good security with CCTV cameras. Pringle Bay has necessities and eateries, while nearby Rooi Els is devoid of commercialisation. Pringle Bay property options range from small to large homes, ranging upwards from around R2 million, with several sales recorded this year in the R3 million to R5 million range. Rooi Els is a bit more expensive, with listings around the R3.6 million range.

Jeffreys Bay and St Francis Bay, great surfing hotspots in the Eastern Cape

The picturesque resort towns of Jeffreys Bay and St Francis Bay, both areas just over an hour’s drive from Gqeberha, are renowned as surfing hotspots. Jeffreys Bay, for example, is renowned for one of the best right pointbreaks. The town offers excellent amenities and very accessible property prices, according to Seeff.

St Francis Bay offers an excellent selection of holiday properties to rent or to buy, with a choice of waterfront and golf estate homes, generally ranging from around R2 million to R8 million.

Big Bay and Bloubergstrand in Blouberg

Blouberg is renowned as one of the top kitesurfing destinations in the world, with the Red Bull King of the Air 2023 just completed, which included three South African participants. The area has become a haven for holiday home buyers and property investors looking to capitalise on the lucrative Airbnb market.

There has also been an increase in foreign buyers investing in properties in this coastal market, including, for example, those interested in kite surfing and buyers from the UK, Germany and Europe looking to retire around the coast. Both areas are located right on the coast within walking distance of the beaches and amenities, including restaurants, shopping centres and more. Big Bay offers a choice of apartments, townhouses and estates, priced from around R2 million to R8 million on average. Bloubergstrand also offers apartments from around R2 million and luxury houses, many of which have been removed; with the area looking a bit like Clifton these days, prices can range into the upper millions.

When considering the Cape Coast for holiday home purchase, the areas mentioned above are worth considering.

Writer: Gina Meintjes