Platboom, South Africa
Also within 20 km of Fish Hoek
- Long Beach Kelp Forest Dive site · 1 km from Fish Hoek
- Clovelly Surf spot · 1.6 km from Fish Hoek
- Clovelly Wedge Surf spot · 1.6 km from Fish Hoek
- Off the wall, Kalk Bay Surf spot · 2.4 km from Fish Hoek
- Glencairn Reef Surf spot · 2.5 km from Fish Hoek
- Kalk Bay (Backdoor) Surf spot · 2.8 km from Fish Hoek
- Kalk Bay Reef Surf spot · 2.9 km from Fish Hoek
- Barnicles Surf spot · 3 km from Fish Hoek
Watch this spot We email you when Platboom is worth the trip.

About Platboom
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (210°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (30°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 300 m out (1 in 28). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 15°C in August, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 19°C in January, its warmest (2 mm shorty). The town to stay in is Fish Hoek. Within 5 km we also list 5 surf spots and 1 dive site.
Water about 17°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 26 h 50 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. 1 h 05 from the airport to Platboom.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Fish Hoek, 22 km (about 40 min by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Platboom: plan on the drive each day you surf.
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 Fish Hoek, 22 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Fish Hoek 39 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 60 places to stay · where Platboom stays
Places to stay in Fish Hoek · Booking.com AdNoordhoek 47 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 29 places to stay
Places to stay in Noordhoek · Booking.com AdHout Bay 60 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 49 places to stay
Places to stay in Hout Bay · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Fish Hoek · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Fish Hoek · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Platboom on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, too big | 10 ft9 smushy | 1,568kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 12 knots | 14°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft8 smushy | 747kJ | wind from the south-west, 8 knots | 16°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft7 smushy | 325kJ | wind from the north-west, 10 knots | 16°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, too big | 9 ft9 ssoft | 1,274kJ | wind from the north-west, 22 knots | 17°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, too big | 9 ft8 smushy | 803kJ | wind from the west, 9 knots | 17°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft8 ssoft | 771kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 14 knots | 18°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 41, fair | 4 ft8 smushy | 138kJ | wind from the south-west, 5 knots | 18°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 7, too small | 2 ft10 smushy | 84kJ | wind from the south-east, 21 knots | 17°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 19, poor | 4 ft8 scrumbling | 215kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 25 knots | 18°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 27, too small | 3 ft8 scrumbling | 93kJ | wind from the south-east, 7 knots | 18°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 intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to CPT, changing at ATL, then 1h 05 by road. About 26h 50 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Platboom
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 5 kn (10 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to CPT, changing at ATL, then 1h 05 by road. About 26h 50 door to door
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 Fish Hoek
- BhandarisIndian · 0.6 km from the centre
- Golden River Spur Steak RanchSteakhouse · 0.6 km from the centre
- Barracudas RestaurantSeafood · 0.7 km from the centre
- Fish Hoek FisheriesFish and chips · 0.7 km from the centre
- Steers Fish HoekBurger · 1.1 km from the centre
- Sushiyama Asian CuisineSushi · 0.4 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
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Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.