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Big Bay, South Africa

Stay in Melkbosstrand: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Melkbosstrand

All 29 on Melkbosstrand's map

Watch this spot We email you when Big Bay is worth the trip.

About Big Bay

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces W, so wind from the E blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing W. Wind from the W blows onshore, wind from the E blows out to sea, and wind from the N or S runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 1.0 km out (1 in 103). 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). For windsurfing at expert level the best months are usually January, February, March and June, with about 1 good days in 7; in April, May and October, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Melkbosstrand. Within 5 km we also list 13 surf spots, 2 wind sports spots and 1 dive site.

Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.

Book the trip

From Chicago: about 26 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. 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 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 45 min from the airport to Big Bay.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in MelkbosstrandAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Windsurfing lessons in Melkbosstrand · GetYourGuideAdBoard and rig hire in Melkbosstrand · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Big Bay on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Wed 21: 15 kn gusting 26, side-shore. Water: waves 1.5 m.

The score for windsurf, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct018knside1.5 mwaves
Mon 19Oct09knoffnot safe1.1 mwaves
Tue 20Oct09kncross-off0.8 mwaves
Wed 21Oct2126knside1.5 mwaves
Thu 22Oct011knon1.2 mwaves
Fri 23Oct05knside1.0 mwaves
Sat 24Oct05knonchop
Sun 25Oct018kncross-off0.8 mwaves
Mon 26Oct012knoffnot safe1.0 mwaves
Tue 27Oct06knonchop

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good windsurf days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan1of 7
  2. Feb1of 7
  3. Mar1of 7
  4. Apr0of 7
  5. May0of 7
  6. Jun1of 7
  7. Jul1of 7
  8. Aug1of 7
  9. Sep1of 7
  10. Oct0of 7
  11. Nov1of 7
  12. Dec1of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for windsurf. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly MDW to CPT, changing at ATL, then 45 min by road. About 26h 35 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 9, cross-offshore. Water: waves 0.8 m.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 15 kn gusting 25, side-shore. Water: waves 1.5 m.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 5 kn gusting 11, onshore. Water: waves 1.2 m.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 1 kn gusting 5, side-shore. Water: waves 1 m.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 1 kn gusting 5, onshore. Water: chop.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly MDW to CPT, changing at ATL, then 45 min by road. About 26h 35 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,075–£2,130 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £765–£1,585
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £50–£85
  • Stay £110–£185
  • Food £115–£210

Places to eat near Melkbosstrand

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

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Windsurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Board and rig hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.