Hell, South Africa
Also within 20 km of Saint Helena Bay
- Stompneus Baai Surf spot · 2.5 km from Saint Helena Bay
- V-Bowl Surf spot · 4 km from Saint Helena Bay
- Brittania Bay (Beachbreak) Surf spot · 4.2 km from Saint Helena Bay
- Heaven Surf spot · 4.7 km from Saint Helena Bay
- Brittania Bay (Shelly point) Surf spot · 4.9 km from Saint Helena Bay
- Pastures Surf spot · 4.9 km from Saint Helena Bay
- Hell Surf spot · 5.1 km from Saint Helena Bay
- Cape st. Martin reef Surf spot · 7.5 km from Saint Helena Bay
Watch this spot We email you when Hell is worth the trip.
About Hell
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces N (342°), so it takes swell from the N. The wind blows offshore from the S (162°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 5–19 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 600 m out (1 in 58). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 14°C in May, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 16°C in January, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). The town to stay in is Saint Helena Bay, 5.1 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 8 surf spots.
Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 28 h 45 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT), changing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
See flights MDW → CPT · Skyscanner from about £765 returnAdGetting there. 3 h from the airport to Hell.
Accommodation.
Stay in Saint Helena BayAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Saint Helena Bay (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Saint Helena Bay 9 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 11 places to stay · where Hell stays
Places to stay in Saint Helena Bay · Booking.com AdPaternoster 24 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 72 places to stay
Places to stay in Paternoster · Booking.com AdVelddrif 39 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 11 places to stay
Places to stay in Velddrif · Booking.com AdJacobsbaai 53 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 16 places to stay
Places to stay in Jacobsbaai · Booking.com AdSaldanha 58 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 22 places to stay
Places to stay in Saldanha · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Saint Helena Bay · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Saint Helena Bay · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Hell on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 51, good | 7 ft10 ssoft | 753kJ | offshorewind from the south, 14 knots, offshore | 15°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 27, too small | 5 ft9 ssoft | 400kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 5 knots | 15°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 18, too small | 4 ft8 smushy | 172kJ | wind from the east, 3 knots | 15°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 14, too small | 6 ft9 smushy | 481kJ | wind from the north-west, 11 knots | 16°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 28, too small | 5 ft8 smushy | 302kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 2 knots | 16°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 24, too small | 5 ft8 ssoft | 246kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 4 knots, offshore | 17°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 15, too small | 3 ft8 smushy | 98kJ | offshorewind from the south, 12 knots, offshore | 19°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 7, too small | 2 ft6 smushy | 27kJ | offshorewind from the south, 17 knots, offshore | 19°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 15, too small | 3 ft9 ssoft | 105kJ | offshorewind from the south, 22 knots, offshore | 19°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 10, too small | 3 ft7 smushy | 55kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 6 knots, offshore | 19°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to CPT, changing at ATL, then 3h by road. About 28h 45 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Cape st. Martin reef
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 31 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Cape st. Martin reef
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 7 ft at 8 s, wind 2 kn (5 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Cape st. Martin reef
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 7 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to CPT, changing at ATL, then 3h by road. About 28h 45 door to door
The plan picks the best of 9 spots near Saint Helena Bay each day: Brittania Bay (Beachbreak), Brittania Bay (Shelly point), Cape st. Martin reef, Heaven, Hell, Hell, Pastures, Stompneus Baai, V-Bowl.
Rough cost
About £1,125–£2,210 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to CPT, estimated from distance and season, changing at ATL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £765–£1,585 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £50–£85 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £110–£185 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £115–£210 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £50–£80 |
| Total | £1,125–£2,210 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Saint Helena Bay
- BP MarineFish and chips · 1.6 km from the centre
- Oppikaai Seafood RestaurantSeafood · 1.7 km from the centre
- Die Nuwe Noord Blinder0.5 km from the centre
- Noordblinder Pub and Grill0.5 km from the centre
- The Gull and Bell and Grill1.3 km from the centre
- Harbour View Restaurant - St Helena Bay1.4 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.