Explore 350 Bays & Baais Around South Africa’s Coast-line 2,800 kms Long Using Google Earth.

The South African coastline is very long … 2,800kms or approx 1,750 miles. Fly over all of them with Google Earth. The South African coastline stretches from the border with Namibia in the west right round the Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost point of Africa called, Algulhas up to the border with Mozambique.
This coastline is famous for its sunshine beaches, white sands, high sand dunes, rocky coves, a variety of estuaries and many many secluded and not so secluded bays (in Afrikaans a bay is a baai).

This Google Earth link here will open up Google Earth and display the splendid the 350 named bays dotted around the South Africa shoreline. You MUST have Google Earth installed on your computer. Download Google Earth by clicking this link.

The western side of the country borders the Atlantic Ocean and the water is cold with rich fishing grounds and wild beaches that hardly ever see people. There are many shipwrecks along this coast and it’s the reason it is called the Skeleton Coast.

Because cold water meets warm air the area is prone to daily fogs in some places bordering the Namib Desert. This fog has created a unique eco-environment where many plants and animals have learned to survive in this remote hot and arid desert area by making use of this moisture borne fog.

As you round the Cape of Good Hope and gradually make way along the long southern coast before it turns north the water temperature starts to increase and by the time you’ve arrived at Durban you can happily swim in the indian Ocean all year round without feeling cold at all.

In the area leading up towards East London there are many half-heart bays created through the action of the prevailing winds over many years.

 To the best of my knowledge the only place you can see all the bays in one place, with their names is on this Google Earth interactive map which you can access by clicking the link.

List of the names and arbitrary regions in which the bays are situated

West Coast north of St Helena Bay

Starting at the Namibian border work your way down the coast southwards and the list and the bays appear in this order …
Doringbaai
Herring Bay
North Bay
John Owen Bay
McDougall’s Bay
Oubeepbaai
Deurloopbaai
Doringbaai
Stompneusbaai
Thys SE Baai
Jakkalsbaai
Frederik SE Baai
Noopbaai
Stilbaai
Somnaasbaai
Visbeenbaai
Koiingnaasbaai
Stokbreekbaai
Dokter SE Baai
Moordenaarsbaai
Sandbaai
Hondeklipbaai
Langklipbaai
Enkelduinbaai
Rooiwalbaai
Spoegrivierbaai
Mitchell’s Bay
Skuinsbaai
Adam SE Baai
Skietloodbaai
Koringkorrelbaai
Mosselbaai
Skuitbaai
Galjoenbaai
Abraham Villiersbaai
Platbaai
Volwaterbaai
Skurfbaai
Hoekbaai
Kofferbaai
Strandbaai
Tietiesbaai
Ossebaai
Soldatebaai
Modderbaai
Abdolsbaai
Sandbaai
Wesbaai
Piet Booi SE Baai
Perlemoenbaai
Bekbaai
Koeltebaai
Klein-Noordwesbaai
Varswaterbaai
Blinkwaterbaai
Brand SE Baai
Mauritzbaai
Holbaai
Hospitaalbaai
Jacobsbaai
Klein-Paternosterbaai
Danger Bay Or Tabaksbaai
Danger Bay Or Tabaksbaai
Steenbrasbaai
Marine’s Bay
Maalbaai
Klippiesbaai
Kaloeniebaai
Agterbaai
Witbaai
Noordbaai
Skulpbaai
Hoedjiesbaai
Britannia Bay
Smitswinkelbaai
Pepper Bay
Saldanhabaai
Brandewynbaai
Shell Bay
Plankiesbaai
Stormbaai
Juttenbaai
Koubaai
Stompneusbaai
Kreefbaai
Pikkersbaai
Rietbaai
Middle Bay
Saldanha Bay
Sandy Bay
Jaloersbaai
Hannasbaai
Kraalbaai
Steenbergsbaai
Baai Vals
Vioolbaai
Slippers Bay
House Bay
Whale Bay
Lime Kiln Bay
Middelstrandbaai
Smoedbaai
De Goede SE Baai
Mietjie Frans SE Baai
Bays and baais of South Africa

South and then East from St Helena Bay to Agulhas Point and Grootsandbaai

From St Helena Bay this list will take you around the Cape of Good Hope heading south then east along the coast. At Cape Point the 2 oceans meet (Atlantic and Indian) and then west towards Agulhas which is the most southerly part of the African Continent. The bay there is aptly named Grootsandbaai. This coastline (especially east from Cape Town) is famous for whale watching at close quarters.
St.Helena Bay
Pikkersbaai
Bamboesbaai
Doringbaai
Donkin’s Bay
Groothoekbaai
Malkopbaai
Lambert’s Bay
The Grotto Bay
Leerbaai
Kommetjie Bay
Jacobs Bay
Bok Bay
Sandy Bay
Llandudno Bay
Logies Bay
Chapman’s Bay
Witsand Bay
Hout Bay
Flora Bay
Lui Bay
Rangatira Bay
Long Bay
Koeëlbaai
Mossel Bay
Koeël Bay
Schuster’s Bay
Clifton Bay
Klein-Koeël Bay
Matroosbaai
Bakoven Bay
Bantry Bay
Camps Bay
Murray’s Bay
Olifantsbosbaai
Boat Bay
Mast Bay
Rocklands Bay
Three Anchor Bay
Ganger Bay
Mackerel Bay
Elsebaai
Vishoekbaai
Hol Bay
Kreeftebaai
Kapteinsbaai
Kalk Bay Harbour
Platboom Bay
Kleinbaai
Skulpbaai
Table Bay
Bokkombaai
Buffelsbaai of Mackellar’s Bay
Buffelsbaai of Mackellar’s Bay
Smitswinkel Bay
Rumbly Bay
False Bay
Melk Bay
Rooielsbaai
Groot Bay
Pringle Bay
Blokbaai
Mosterds Bay
Vanderratsbaaie
Masbaai
Koeël Bay
Spark’s Bay
Doringbaai
Gordon’s Bay
Silversands Bay
Draadbaai
Betty’s Bay
Dawidskraalbaai
Dewetsbaai
Sandown Bay
Harry’s Bay
Sandbaai
Poole’s Bay
Selkirks Bay
Walker Bay
Tesselaarsbaai
Voëlgatbaai
Melkbosbaai
Kruismansbaai
Romans Bay
Maanskynbaai
Otter Bay
Blok SE Baai
Skilpadbaai
Gansbaai
Barble Bay
Wortelbaai
Vandyksbaai
Langbaai
Kluitjiesbaai
Frikkie SE Baai
Holbaai
Celt Bay
Plaatjieskraalbaai
Buffeljagsbaai
Jessie SE Baai
Sand Bay
Rietfontein SE Baai
Hoek SE Baai
Gruis SE Baai
Oubaai
Groot Sandbaai
Bays and baais of South Africa

The Garden Route Coastline to Port Elizabeth … you will work down the list and from west east on the coastline

The Garden Route is world famous for spectacular riverine, coastal, forest, mountainous and all sorts of flora and fauna. Explore the many monderful coves and bays along this coast. You’ll finish up at Algoa bay and on the far side of Algoa Bay is Bluewater Bay.
St.Mungo Bay
Skoonbergbaai
Skulpiesbaai
Struis Bay
Otterbaai
Fennebakbaai
Marcus Bay
Markusbaai
Vinbekbaai
Kleinbaai
Kampsbaai
John Richard’s Bay
Papkuilbaai
St.Sebastian Bay
Hoekvywerbaai
Skurwebaai
Platsenbaai
Hotnotsbaai
Hoëbaai
Haaibaai
Nuwebaai
Koppiesbaai
Piet Rogsbaai
Meester SE Baai
Visbaai
Vlees Bay
Malbaai
Santos Bay
Munro’s Bay
Ghwanobaai
Heroldsbaai
Dutton’s Cove Or Oubaai
Ballotsbaai
Victoria Bay
Walker’s Bay
Buffelsbaai
Featherbed Bay
Stilbaai
Nelson’s Bay
Kindbaai
Senterbaai
Boel SE Baai
Flip SE Baai
Bloubaai-Wes
Skuitbaai
George’s Bay
Toorbaai
Arrie SE Baai
Grootbaai
Soetbaai
Daeraad SE Baai
Romansbaai
Dageraadbaai
Piet SE Baai
Jim SE Baai
Bloubaai
Penbaai
Skuinsbaai
Gammelbaai
Natspoegbaai
Nagbaai
Skuitbaai
Muil SE Baai
Sandbaai
Slangbaai
Thysbaai
Santareme Bay
Krommebaai
St.Francis Bay
Blue Horizon Bay
Shelly Bay
Laurie’s Bay
Beard’s Bay
Sardinia Bay
Algoa Bay
Bluewater Bay
Bays and baais of South Africa

The list of Bays below will take you north all the way to Mozambique.

The coastline turns nothwards around Port Elizabeth and the sea becomes warmer and warmer the further north you head. Pass the Dolphin Coast south of Durban and the Elephant Coast to the north. Explore Lake St Lucia especially. The last of the 350 bays on the map is Kosi Bay famous for scuba dining, fishing, and turtle watching.
Soutvlei Bay
Sharks Bay
Waterloo Bay
Leonard’s Bay
The Bay
Leach Bay
Fuller’s Bay
Bonza Bay
Glengariff Bay
Queensberry Bay
Haga-Haga Bay
Morgan’s Bay
Mazeppa Bay
Bronkhorst Bay
Coffee Bay
Presley Bay
Stracham’s Bay
Banana Bay
Hluleka Bay
Lombardsbaai
Mpande Bay
Boulder Bay
Lambasi Bay
Thompson’s Bay
Salmon Bay
Drakes Bay
Dolphin Bay
Kent Bay
Backwash Bay
Barnacle Bay
Ski Boat Bay
Little Billy Bay
Groom’s Pantry Bay
Blue Bay
Treasure Bay
Shad Bay
Surf Bay
Lucky Dip Bay
Station Bay
Sandspit Bay
Anchor Bay
S30.70357 E30.48852
Barracuda Bay
Compound Bay
Submarine Bay
Rocky Bay
Turtle Bay
Anderson’s Bay
Blamey’s Bay
Clark Bay
Thompson’s Bay
Christmas Bay
Shark Bay
Salmon Bay
Richards Bay Harbour
Makhakhathana Bay
Dead Tree Bay
Lake Sibaya
Sodwana Bay
Rocktail Bay
De Wett’s Bay
Kosi Bay