Shelly Beach, South Africa
Also within 20 km of Shelly Beach
- MK's Surf spot · 1.7 km from Shelly Beach
- St Michaels Surf spot · 2.5 km from Shelly Beach
- Uvongo Beach Surf spot · 4 km from Shelly Beach
- Oslo Beach Surf spot · 4.7 km from Shelly Beach
- Lucien Surf spot · 7.2 km from Shelly Beach
- Port Shepstone Surf spot · 7.5 km from Shelly Beach
- Margate Beach Surf spot · 8.3 km from Shelly Beach
- Umtentweni Surf spot · 10.1 km from Shelly Beach
Watch this spot We email you when Shelly Beach is worth the trip.
About Shelly Beach
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SE (118°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (298°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 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 22°C in July, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 27°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually June, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Shelly Beach, 0.2 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots.
Water about 22°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 30 h 55 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to MGH, changing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB).
See flights MDW → MGH · Skyscanner from about £800 returnAdGetting there. 30 min from the airport to Shelly Beach.
Accommodation.
Stay in Shelly BeachAd
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 Shelly Beach (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Shelly Beach 1 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 28 places to stay · where Shelly Beach stays
Places to stay in Shelly Beach · Booking.com AdMargate 15 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 109 places to stay
Places to stay in Margate · Booking.com AdUmtentweni 20 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 25 places to stay
Places to stay in Umtentweni · Booking.com AdPort Shepstone 21 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 24 places to stay
Places to stay in Port Shepstone · Booking.com AdRamsgate 22 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 19 places to stay
Places to stay in Ramsgate · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Shelly Beach · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Shelly Beach · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Shelly Beach 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 | 31, poor | 5 ft8 smushy | 301kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 4 knots | 23°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 19, poor | 4 ft10 ssoft | 349kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 24 knots | 23°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 0, too big | 9 ft8 ssoft | 897kJ | wind from the south-west, 12 knots | 20°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 51, good | 4 ft7 smushy | 164kJ | wind from the south-west, 5 knots | 23°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft9 ssoft | 673kJ | wind from the south-west, 12 knots | 22°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 11, poor | 5 ft9 ssoft | 353kJ | wind from the south-west, 18 knots | 21°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 7, poor | 4 ft9 smushy | 284kJ | wind from the north-east, 16 knots | 23°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 39, fair | 4 ft8 smushy | 152kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 8 knots | 24°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 19, poor | 3 ft6 smushy | 61kJ | wind from the south-west, 17 knots | 23°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 30, poor | 4 ft7 smushy | 148kJ | wind from the south, 11 knots | 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. 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 MGH, changing at ATL and JNB, then 30 min by road. About 30h 55 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Shelly Beach
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, wind 5 kn (9 km/h).
- 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 24 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 15 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to MGH, changing at ATL and JNB, then 30 min by road. About 30h 55 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,125–£2,235 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 MGH, estimated from distance and season, changing at ATL and JNB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £800–£1,665 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £15–£30 |
| 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–£2,235 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
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.