The sea temperature at Cape Town today is 15.2 °C (59 °F) – icy water, most people reach for a wetsuit. The usual October average is 14 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea temperature has held at around 15.2 °C. Rarely swimmable – the sea seldom averages 18 °C or more. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14.4°C / 57.8°F | 15.3°C / 59.6°F | 16.7°C / 62.0°F |
| February | 13.6°C / 56.5°F | 14.9°C / 58.8°F | 16.4°C / 61.4°F |
| March | 14.1°C / 57.4°F | 14.7°C / 58.5°F | 15.4°C / 59.7°F |
| April | 12.3°C / 54.2°F | 13.6°C / 56.4°F | 14.8°C / 58.7°F |
| May | 14.0°C / 57.3°F | 14.2°C / 57.6°F | 14.5°C / 58.2°F |
| June | 14.2°C / 57.5°F | 14.9°C / 58.8°F | 15.4°C / 59.6°F |
| July | 14.0°C / 57.1°F | 14.5°C / 58.0°F | 15.2°C / 59.4°F |
| August | 13.9°C / 57.1°F | 14.3°C / 57.7°F | 14.6°C / 58.4°F |
| September | 13.3°C / 56.0°F | 14.0°C / 57.2°F | 14.7°C / 58.4°F |
| October | 13.8°C / 56.9°F | 14.0°C / 57.2°F | 14.2°C / 57.5°F |
| November | 13.2°C / 55.7°F | 14.4°C / 58.0°F | 15.7°C / 60.3°F |
| December | 14.0°C / 57.2°F | 15.0°C / 59.1°F | 16.2°C / 61.1°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17.0°C / 62.6°F | 17.4°C / 63.4°F | 17.8°C / 64.0°F |
| February | 17.0°C / 62.6°F | 17.3°C / 63.2°F | 17.6°C / 63.8°F |
| March | 16.4°C / 61.4°F | 16.7°C / 62.0°F | 17.0°C / 62.6°F |
| April | 14.9°C / 58.9°F | 15.2°C / 59.4°F | 15.6°C / 60.0°F |
| May | 14.5°C / 58.2°F | 14.8°C / 58.7°F | 15.2°C / 59.3°F |
| June | 14.6°C / 58.2°F | 14.9°C / 58.8°F | 15.3°C / 59.5°F |
| July | 13.6°C / 56.4°F | 13.8°C / 56.9°F | 14.3°C / 57.7°F |
| August | 13.4°C / 56.1°F | 13.7°C / 56.7°F | 14.1°C / 57.4°F |
| September | 13.7°C / 56.6°F | 14.0°C / 57.3°F | 14.5°C / 58.0°F |
| October | 14.7°C / 58.5°F | 15.2°C / 59.4°F | 15.7°C / 60.2°F |
| November | 15.6°C / 60.1°F | 16.1°C / 60.9°F | 16.4°C / 61.6°F |
| December | 16.5°C / 61.8°F | 17.0°C / 62.5°F | 17.4°C / 63.2°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Cape Town holidays
Cape Town is a coastal city in South Africa, spread around Table Mountain and along the Cape Peninsula. Its neighbourhoods face both the open Atlantic and False Bay, so a city holiday can include mountain trails, fishing harbours, vineyards and beaches with quite different sea conditions.
Beaches
Camps Bay has a sandy beachfront below the Twelve Apostles, while Clifton's four beaches are divided by granite rocks. Muizenberg, on False Bay, has surf schools and a broad beach popular with families. Boulders Beach, near Simon's Town, is known for African penguins. Hout Bay combines a fishing harbour with a sandy beach and steep surrounding slopes. We measure the sea temperature shown on this page in Hout Bay, off the rocky shore below Chapman's Peak Drive, and the photo shows Hout Bay.
Things to do
Take the cableway up Table Mountain when conditions allow, or visit Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on the mountain's eastern slopes. The V&A Waterfront has restaurants and the departure point for Robben Island ferries, which depend on weather and availability. Chapman's Peak Drive links Hout Bay with Noordhoek along the cliffs; check for closures before setting off. The Constantia wine farms offer another outing within the city.
Weather and best time to visit
Summers are generally warm and dry, with a south-easterly wind that can be strong; winters are cooler and wetter. November to March suits outdoor plans, although wind can affect beaches and the cableway. The Atlantic coast and False Bay can have different water conditions, so the Hout Bay reading is not a measurement for every beach.
Hotels and where to stay
The city centre and V&A Waterfront make useful bases for sightseeing. Camps Bay and Clifton suit a stay near the Atlantic beaches, Hout Bay has guesthouses around the valley, and Muizenberg offers accommodation near the surf. Choose a neighbourhood with the day's travel in mind rather than treating the peninsula as one compact resort.
Signature hotels: Tintswalo Atlantic (Chapman's Peak Drive) · The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa (Oudekraal)
Airport and getting there
Cape Town International Airport (CPT) serves the city. Taxis, booked transfers and hire cars provide onward travel; journey times depend on traffic and the chosen coast. MyCiTi buses cover parts of the city, including Hout Bay, but check the current network before planning beach trips.