Map › South Africa › Cape Town - Cape Peninsula › Platboom Beach
Southern & East Africa + Indian Ocean Islands · Cape Town - Cape Peninsula · Simon's Town / Cape Town
Platboom Beach
also known as Platboom Bay
Nearby Misty Cliffs 13 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
Picks up in the morning and keeps building through the day.
The wind
locals call it Cape Doctor
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: Picks up in the morning and keeps building through the day.
Typical strength
20-45 knots through the October-March high season. SE days regularly run to 40 knots and above.
The quiver, in words
7 and 9 m carry most of the SE season for a 75-85 kg rider, and the 5-6 m end is the working one once the Cape Doctor is at the top of its 20-45 knot range. Lighter riders sit on 5 and 7 m. These are the Cape Peninsula wave sizes rather than a Platboom-specific measurement.
Direction to shore
SE is near sideshore; NW/cross-off gives clean down-the-line riding.
Dominant direction
S, SE in summer; NW can work for down-the-line riding
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month94
- Feb, riders' month94
- Mar, riders' month96
- Apr84
- May83
- Jun78
- Jul82
- Aug87
- Sep89
- Oct95
- Nov, riders' month96
- Dec, riders' month94
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec.
- 19Jan17°
- 18Feb18°
- 19Mar17°
- 17Apr16°
- 15May16°
- 17Jun15°
- 16Jul14°
- 18Aug15°
- 17Sep15°
- 19Oct16°
- 18Nov17°
- 19Dec19°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 94% | 19.1 kt | SE | 20°C | 16.6°C |
| Feb | 94% | 18.2 kt | SE | 20°C | 17.6°C |
| Mar | 96% | 19 kt | SE | 18.7°C | 17.1°C |
| Apr | 84% | 17.2 kt | SE | 16.3°C | 15.6°C |
| May | 83% | 15.3 kt | SE | 15.5°C | 16.3°C |
| Jun | 78% | 17.4 kt | NNW | 14.9°C | 14.7°C |
| Jul | 82% | 16.2 kt | NW | 13.3°C | 14.2°C |
| Aug | 87% | 18 kt | NW | 13.6°C | 14.5°C |
| Sep | 89% | 17.4 kt | NW | 14.2°C | 14.9°C |
| Oct | 95% | 19.1 kt | SE | 16.9°C | 15.5°C |
| Nov | 96% | 18.2 kt | SE | 17.9°C | 16.6°C |
| Dec | 94% | 18.5 kt | SE | 19.5°C | 18.8°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
waves
Standing depth
No sounded profile and no standing area to plan on. This is an exposed reef break off a narrow band of sand and rock, so past the shorebreak you are in moving water over reef rather than on a shelf you can walk in from.
Tides
Open ocean beach/bay inside Cape Point; no kite-specific tide window is published.
Temperature
18-19°C summer · 15-16°C winter
Wetsuit
Full wetsuit recommended; 4/3 with boots is sensible for cold, windy Cape Point sessions, though exact thickness varies by rider.
Currents
The rip at Diaz Beach is strong and no Cape Point beach has lifeguards. No Platboom-specific current measurement exists.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
1 school names this spot
On your own
Room to launch: tight
Somewhere else
Misty Cliffs, 13 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Rigging is on the beach, but the beach is a sliver of sand between sandstone and rock. Follow the reserve road toward Cape of Good Hope almost to its end and you pass the launch, at the point where the waves break best.In north-westerly wind the northern end of the bay at Diaz Beach is the reported alternative launch, though nothing confirms it is still used that way.
Space
tight
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Check the park gate times before you drive; getting out late inside Cape Point is its own problem.
- Do not ride alone. There is no lifeguard and no confirmed kite rescue anywhere near.
- Walk the shore first and pick your rocks, kelp and exit before you pump.
- Go smaller than you think when the Cape Doctor builds; SE days here get very strong.
- Shut the car, stash the food and keep gear together; the baboons in the reserve will help themselves.
- Have Witsands, Scarborough, Muizenberg or Blouberg in reserve if swell, wind angle or gate timing does not work out.
Getting there
Airport
Cape Town International Airport (CPT)
Route
Drive south from Cape Town toward Simon's Town and the Cape of Good Hope, enter the Cape Point section of Table Mountain National Park, then follow the reserve road toward Cape of Good Hope and Platboom. It is about 65 km from central Cape Town.
Cost level
high
Staying
No accommodation at Platboom itself is listed; stay in Cape Town, Simon's Town, Scarborough, Kommetjie or other Cape Peninsula bases and treat Platboom as a day mission within park gate hours.
No-wind days
Cape Point sightseeing, lighthouse/funicular, hiking, wildlife viewing, photography, Buffelsfontein Visitor Centre, Cape of Good Hope viewpoints, Simon's Town and Boulders Penguin Colony.
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at Platboom?
November to March is listed for Platboom, when summer S to SE wind can be very strong and works with the Cape Doctor when swell is big.
Is Platboom suitable for beginners?
No, all kite-specific sources classify Platboom as advanced or pro-level because of big waves, rocks, isolation and strong, gusty wind.
What is the wind like at Platboom?
SE is near sideshore and can reach up to 40 knots on strong days; NW is cited for cleaner down-the-line riding.
What hazards should riders know about?
No lifeguards are stationed at any Cape Point beach and strong rip currents are reported nearby, and the launch itself is a narrow strip of sand among rocks.
Are there rules or permits?
Platboom sits inside the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park, so park entry fees, gate times and access rules apply.
Last updated: August 2026