Holiday home hotspots surge: Where to buy and what you’ll pay

• Coastal homes grow 6.2% annually, outpacing inland markets.
• Tourism, semigration and lifestyle demand drive soaring prices.
• We unpack SA’s top hotspots, current prices and standout sales.

Holiday Home Boom

‍Coastal property continues to outperform the rest of the country, with average price growth of 6.2%, compared to just 4.2% for inland areas, and some inland markets lagging below 2%.

Agents across the Seeff Property Group say this performance is driven by lifestyle appeal, better governance in key coastal towns, and a powerful combination of semigration, remote work, and tourism-linked demand.

The resurgence in tourism is a major accelerant. Tourism SA reports 14% year-on-year growth in arrivals for the first half of the year, eclipsing pre-pandemic levels with 7.6 million visitors by September. With most coastal holiday towns already fully booked for summer, many visitors begin scouting for holiday homes, retirement properties, or Airbnb investments.

Seeff confirms that the Cape and other major coastal hotspots are coming off an excellent year, helped by strong demand and the interest-rate cuts since mid-2024.

Below are the leading coastal hotspots, current sales activity, and what buyers can expect to pay.

Top South African coastal hotspots

1. Clifton & Camps Bay - Atlantic Seaboard (Cape Town)

The pinnacle of luxury for local and global buyers.

• Camps Bay: R1.6bn in sales; 30 deals over R20m; four above R50m.
• Clifton: R630m from just over a dozen sales; average price R44m; two sales above R100m.

Expect to pay: R18m - R48m for luxury apartments and villas.

2. Plettenberg Bay & Knysna - Garden Route

Blue-flag beaches, strong amenities and massive lifestyle appeal.

• Plett: Market already at R2.3bn, several sales above R20m.
• Knysna: Also above R2.3bn; 22% of deals exceed R5m, especially in Thesen Islands, Brenton and Simola.

Expect to pay: R2m - R15m (apartments from R2m; luxury homes R20m+).

3. Langebaan & Yzerfontein - West Coast

Semigration favourites with booming new developments.

• Prices have almost doubled in recent years.
• 7% of Langebaan sales now exceed R5m (Calypso Beach, Paradise Beach, Country Estate).
• Mykonos is a major Airbnb magnet.

Expect to pay:

• Yzerfontein: R3m - R6m
• Langebaan: R1.5m - R8m

4. Betty’s Bay & Kleinmond - Overstrand Coast

Affordable coastal living close to Cape Town.

• Scenic biosphere setting, strong price growth, popular for holiday and retirement homes.

Expect to pay:

• Betty’s Bay: R1.8m - R4m
• Kleinmond: R2m - R5m (beachfront up to R10m–R12m)

5. Jeffreys Bay & St Francis Bay - Eastern Cape surf belt

World-class surfing, marinas and golf estates.

• Jeffrey’s Bay price growth: 38% over five years.
• St Francis Bay: 60% growth over five years; strong waterside and golf estate demand.

Expect to pay:

• Jeffreys Bay: R1.5m - R3m
• St Francis Bay: R2m - R6m (R6m - R12m for premier waterside/golf homes)

6. Big Bay & Bloubergstrand - Cape Town’s kitesurfing capital

Prime Airbnb strip with massive summer demand

• Strong lifestyle appeal and major attraction for foreign buyers.
  
  Expect to pay:
  • R2m - R8m for most apartments/townhouses
  • R12m - R20m+ for Water’s Edge & Bloubergstrand Village

7. Strand & Gordon’s Bay - Affordable beachfront living

Warm water, wide beaches, family appeal.

• Still more affordable than Cape Town’s Atlantic and False Bay coasts.

Expect to pay:

• R1.5m - R4m for apartments
• R5m - R15m for beach, waterfront and mountainside homes

8. Muizenberg & Fish Hoek - False Bay surf & warm ocean

Relaxed lifestyle and excellent value for holiday investment.

• Strong activity this year, especially between R1.5m and R4.5m.
• Apartments are popular for Airbnb and holiday letting.

Expect to pay:

• R1.5m - R4.5m (homes with elevated sea views command the highest prices)

Why coastal property keeps outperforming

‍Across the data and expert insights, the drivers are consistent:

• Lifestyle and climate are unmatched inland.
• Remote working enables permanent migration to coastal towns.
• Tourism demand strengthens Airbnb and rental potential.
• Better local governance in key coastal municipalities is attracting retirees and families.
• Limited land supply along the coastline pushes prices upward.
• Perceived safety and quality of life give coastal towns a premium edge.

Coastal markets dominate

‍South Africa’s coastal property markets continue to dominate price growth, fuelled by semigration, tourism, lifestyle demand and expanding investment appetite. From the ultra-luxury Atlantic Seaboard to the more affordable False Bay and Overstrand coast, buyers are willing to pay a premium for sea views, lifestyle access and rental income potential.

Whether investing for holidays, retirement or Airbnb cash flow, these hotspots offer some of the strongest long-term value trajectories in the country.

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