Madiba's Left, South Africa

No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: Melkbosstrand, 11 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: Cape Town International Airport (CPT), 30 km.

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About Madiba's Left

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces W (284°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (104°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. 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). No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: Melkbosstrand, 11 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: Cape Town International Airport (CPT), 30 km. Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots and 1 dive site.

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

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From Chicago: about 26 h 40 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 returnAd
Getting there. 50 min from the airport to Madiba's Left.
Car hire · Discover CarsAd
Accommodation.
No town nearby
No stay checked for this site yet: Melkbosstrand, 11 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: Cape Town International Airport (CPT), 30 km.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Madiba's Left · GetYourGuideAd Board and wetsuit hire in Madiba's Left · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Madiba's Left on Google Maps · Directions

Surf spot

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Forecast

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Madiba's Left, each day
Day	Score for intermediates	Swell	Energy	Wind	Temp
Sun 18Oct	0, too big	9 ft10 s	1,467kJ	wind from the south, 14 knots	14°C
Mon 19Oct	0, too big	7 ft9 s	685kJ	wind from the north-east, 6 knots	14°C
Tue 20Oct	27, poor	5 ft8 s	305kJ	wind from the north-north-east, 5 knots	14°C
Wed 21Oct	0, too big	9 ft8 s	1,145kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 21 knots	16°C
Thu 22Oct	0, too big	8 ft8 s	678kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 7 knots	15°C
Fri 23Oct	0, too big	7 ft8 s	560kJ	wind from the east-south-east, 3 knots	17°C
Sat 24Oct	37, fair	4 ft8 s	199kJ	wind from the south-south-west, 2 knots	18°C
Sun 25Oct	13, too small	2 ft7 s	45kJ	wind from the south-south-east, 13 knots	19°C
Mon 26Oct	30, poor	4 ft9 s	178kJ	wind from the south-south-east, 16 knots	18°C
Tue 27Oct	29, poor	3 ft6 s	69kJ	wind from the south-east, 3 knots, offshore	20°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. 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 Oct
Travel out
Fly MDW to CPT, changing at ATL, then 50 min by road. About 26h 40 door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Surf Madiba's Left
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, wind 5 kn (10 km/h).
Wed 21 Oct
Rest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
Thu 22 Oct
Rest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
Fri 23 Oct
Rest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
Sat 24 Oct
Surf Madiba's Left
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Fly MDW to CPT, changing at ATL, then 50 min by road. About 26h 40 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,015–£2,025 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book. No town nearby, so no stay is in it.

Rough cost per person for this trip
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
Food	7 days eating out	£115–£210
Board and wetsuit	5 days, or about £85 to fly your own	£50–£80
Total		£1,015–£2,025

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

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Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

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Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

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