Perfect Hideaways: Take A Break At Clifton Sands

In need of a much-needed breakaway? Only a short drive from the city centre of Cape Town, you’ll find Clifton Sands – a magical oasis for those looking for a blissful stay.

It’s apparent why the beaches of Clifton and their clusters of bungalows cushioned around the ankles of Lion’s Head are revered as one of the most unique pockets of paradise in the world. Not only for their pearly white stretches of sand, marked by boulders and coves cocooned away from the Cape’s moody weather but for their immediate access to the shoreline and the active life that ensues beside the ocean, less than a ten-minute drive from the hub of the city.

Settled on Clifton 3rd beach, tiered into the cliffs and tucked away with resplendent ambiguity – like a rare jewel, discreetly resting in the sand – Clifton Sands reveals itself as a white haven of solace and distinction.

Set on multi-levels of living, dining, reclining and entertaining spaces, this hideaway pacifies and invigorates simultaneously with its neutral tones, refined lines and consciously considered layers of comfort.

It flows open-plan, over spacious decks with sun loungers, dining tables and low, lazy seating areas shaded by the milkwood and monkey puzzle trees, a plunge pool and braai area, an outdoor shower and a rope ladder leading you down into the sand.

The owners’ collection of local and international art is curated as such so that the ever-changing hues of natural light bounce from the canvas of white, over the wicker, the soft linens, the reed rugs, the timber, the glass, the foliage, and back into the blue. Much like being on a sailing yacht. You’re exposed to all of the elements of the ocean from the living spaces yet cradled in the cabins of each of the three en suite bedrooms.

Whatever’s on the cards for the day, you’ll rise with the reflective sunrise, as it pierces over the tip of the lion’s mane and marks itself on the waves. You’ll have the beach all to yourselves, as you make your way down after the first hot brew of the day, onto the sand and into the water. Perhaps a stroll or spot of yoga first to get the blood a little more prepared for the Atlantic. A leisurely brunch on one of the decks that goes on for hours, turning into early afternoon when it’s time for another dip. An evening cycle or run along the esplanade that meanders the curves of the Atlantic Seaboard. A quick steam in the main en suite shower before that evening tipple on the deck, with the sun beginning to set and the fish baking in butter, lemon and dill on the braai.

The beach becomes your own once more as the night sets in and the seals and seagulls settle themselves on the boulders. The yacht life ensues as you retreat to your cabins, listening to the sounds of the waves and continue that ever-constant conversation with the sea. You could be anywhere. And yet you’re harnessed to the sands of one of the most unique pockets of paradise in the world.