“Where are the best beaches in Africa“, on the other hand, is a subject we could happily rant on about for a few hours. So much so, that when we started trawling the archives for the ‘top 5 beaches’ we had very quickly amassed a list of a large multiple of that number!
Yip… we love beaches! Tim and Lurks approve in Northern Senegal…
The truth is that from Cape Town to Tangier, the west coast of Africa is brimming with countless spectacular, empty movie-set like sea-and-sand setups.
It’s easy to forget that a large part of central and west Africa falls within the tropics. The implications being one often encounters swarms of malaria-carrying mosquitos and other strange biting insects you may have had nightmares about before… but it also means one encounters some legitimate ‘tropical beaches’, along with a lot of really really good ‘beach weather’ to enjoy them in…
It’s obvious that the list below is hardly exhaustive, but it’s a hint at what’s out there. Given the questions we receive are often from non-surfers, this is a list of lie-in-the-sun-and-contemplate-your-navel kind of best beaches, as opposed to drop-in-and-smash-turns-on-your-board-in-baggies kind of best beaches…!
(highlights in chronological order…)
1. Cabo Ledo, Angola
The two sets of footprints – Lurks and Stone…
Crystal clear, warm water, soft white sand and fairly spectacular surrounding ‘nature reserve’ ensures Cabo Ledo is one of the more popular hangouts for Luandans on the weekends. A rare handful of accommodations (not cheap!) and seafood in the vicinity make it one of the more hospitable spots on the list.
If you’re lucky like us you may get to break your suspension on the tricky roads getting there from the south, and have to spend two weeks camping here enjoying the generous hospitality of a Angolan local Paullo while you try arrange for your car to be fixed…
The only catch? a really active local crab population and chilled drinking water that will set you back close to EUR3 a bottle!
P.S: there’s a decent wave here too… bonus!
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2. Phillipes’ pool, Pointe Noire, Congo
We always knew bodyboards had to be useful for SOMETHING!
OK it’s hardly a beach, but in terms of perfect places to lie and contemplate your navel, Phillipes’ inflatable pool deserves a special mention. Delicious Congolese specialities and cold Heinekens flow freely from the kitchen, and the host is one of the biggest legends we met on the trip.
Only catch? You have to know Phillipe. Try the surfspot out front of ‘La Pyramid’ around lunchtime, on any day, and you’re bound to meet him just like we did…
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3. Limbe, Cameroon
Just before it started raining again…
Unless you’re used to walking on black sand in the shadow of one of Africa’s tallest volcanoes, the beaches around Limbe are a fairly unique experience. Add some nice warm water, a very cool tight crew of local surfers who hang out here, and a helping of some delicious ‘aloko’ (fried plantain) from the nearby restaurant… it doesn’t get much better than this.
Only catch? Limbe is the third most rainy place in the world. Take a sturdy umbrella for cover inbetween tanning sessions!
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4. Niega Plage, Western Ivory Coast
The Niega Macdonalds is just around that corner…
For sheer isolated unspoilt tropical beauty, this place is hard to beat. A fairly tricky hour-long 4×4 access track to get there keeps it that way. If you’ve come with Jules like we did, he’ll probably keep you hydrated by chopping open some of the sweetest coconuts in the world that are lying around, with his machete.
Only catch? It’s isolated status also means there’s an abnormally high level of sealife around… maybe don’t wade toooo deep!
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5. Somewhere between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, Mauritania
Lurks takes a leisurely stroll after an unleisurely day of digging the car out of the sand…!
And finally, what better place to contemplate your navel than in the middle of biggest beach of the world, the Sahara desert. Take in some of the most mind-alteringly spectacular surrounds and watch flocks of migrating birds as your buddies pull in a little something to grill for lunch from the rich surrounding sea.
Only catch – you’re going to have to drive for about two days to get to this one. You’ll need a GPS, but you’ll still probably get lost as the live sand-dunes have crept across the mapped tracks, and you’re going to be digging a lot. Is it worth the mission? Like everything on this trip – without a doubt.
