About Milnerton Lagoon Beach

When leaving the Cape Town City Centre, heading up the West Coast, Milnerton Lagoon Beach is the very first beach after Paarden Eiland. It is approximately 10Km from the City Bowl and accessible from the Traffic Light’s at the intersection of Otto Du Plessis (R27), where you turn towards the beach front into Lagoon Beach Drive (opposite Boundary Road).

The only way in or out of this enclosed area is via Lagoon Beach Drive which joins with Lagoon Gate Drive a little further in. There are public ablution facilities although not clearly visible. There is also free parking throughout the area, but it is limited as the parking areas are relatively small and much of the street parking is taken up by residents, and hotel/restaurant guests. The first parking area is located as you drive in on the right hand side, in front of the popular Thai restaurant, “Wang Thai“.

Following the road, which twists behind Wang Thai you will find the second small parking area, which is essentially adjacent to the ‘Lagoon Beach Hotel & Spa‘. Bottom line parking is a challenge when its a nice hot day, especially on weekends and in peak holiday season. If you’re really battling with parking, you could park at Woodbridge Island and walk back.

Milnerton Lagoon Beach is a long and relatively flat beach, with unpredictable waves and currents. While swimming can be safe on some days, its tricky/risky on others. Parents often encourage their kids to swim in or near the lagoon, but this isn’t recommended (at least, I don’t recommend it); the reason being that water quality here is affected by effluent that comes from further upstream, either from the Potsdam Waste Water Works, or from the many informal settlements established along the rivers banks further inland. It’s always advisable to keep an eye open for the warning or no swimming signs.

Personally, I come to Milnerton Lagoon Beach to go for a meal at Wang Thai, go for Happy Hour Cocktails at the Lagoon Beach Hotel or to go for long walks/runs along the shore (if you want to walk/run, head north, towards Woodbridge Island as the other way doesn’t go far). If I’m in the area and I really want to swim, I’d rather do it at the next beach up, which is Milnerton Beach, that is a little further away from the lagoon mouth and where there are lifeguards and a designated swimming area.

Additional Information

The estuary at Milnerton Lagoon Beach is home to many aquatic animals and a wide variety of bird life. I have on occasions enjoyed sitting and watching the birds do their thing. The Milnerton Canoe club is located a little upstream, by Woodbridge Island and sometimes, it’s entertaining watching the club members paddle the lagoon. There is a footpath that connects Milnerton Lagoon Beach with Woodbridge Island and this is sometimes a nice walk too, especially if its windy on the beach.

Other than the Hotel, there is a vast selection of guest houses, bed & breakfast venues, and self-catering accommodation establishments within the area. There is also a variety of restaurants nearby, which are within walking distance. For business travellers this is an ideal location to stay when visiting local businesses, or if they require quick and easy access to the Paarden Eiland Industrial area and/or the city business district.

Source: https://www.capetown.gov.za/