What R1,500 gets you for a night in an Airbnb apartment at South Africa’s 20 best beaches

With holidays around the corner many South Africans are already planning out their beach trips with the family.

Historically South Africans have looked at everything from hotels, to caravans for their seaside trips but the rise of apps such as Airbnb means it has become increasingly easier for families to simply book a couple of days ahead with an app, and rest assured they will have a fully-furnished apartment or home waiting for them.

BusinessTech took Travelstart’s list of the 20 best beaches in South Africa and compared what type of Airbnb you can get for R1,500 a night (or the closest comparison).

Umhlanga

• Upmarket Pearls accommodation (6 guests, 2 bedrooms, 3 beds, 2 baths) – R1,196
• Exclusive Beach apartment (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 3 beds, 2 baths) – R1,320
• Cabana Beach resort (4 guests, 1 bedroom, 4 beds, 1 bath) – R1,498 

Hobie Beach

• The King’s Lady (6 guests, 2 bedrooms, 4 beds, 2 baths) – R1,237 
• Margate Place guesthouse (2 guests, 1 bedroom, 2 beds, 1 bath) – R1,100
• Living on the beach luxury apartment (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 2 beds, 2 baths) – R1,512

Bloubergstrand

• Beachfront Infinity apartment (4 guests, 1 bedroom, 2 beds, 1 bath) – R1,100
• Exquisite beach front apartment (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 2 beds, 2 baths) – R1,251
• Dolphin Views beach apartment (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 3 beds, 2 baths) – R1,196

Gonubie

• The Edge boutique bed and breakfast (2 guests, 1 bedroom, 1 bed, 1 private bath) – R1,155
• Comfy home on estuary (12 guests, 5 bedrooms, 5 beds, 3.5 baths) – R1,498
• Charming double-storey home (6 guests, 4 bedrooms, 4 beds, 2.5 baths) – R1,402

Plettenberg Bay

• Beach Tree House (4 guests, studio, 2 beds, 1 bath) – R1,498
• Prickly Pear (2 guests, 1 bedroom, 1 bed, 1 bath) – R1,402
• Infinite Blu (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 3 beds, 1 bath) – R1,196

Buffels Bay 

• Knysna Houseboat Myrtle (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 2 beds, 1 bath) – R1,443
• Sopieshoogte self-catering (6 guests, 3 bedrooms, 5 beds, 2 baths) – R1,210
• Papillon Bleu (4 guests, 1 bedroom, 2 beds, 1 bath) – R1,196

Durban, South Beach

• Durban Beachfront apartments (5 guests, 2 bedrooms, 3 beds, 1 bath) – R1,498
• 707 Golden Sands (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 2 beds, 2 baths) – R1,498
• Tenbury on the beach (6 guest, 2 bedrooms, 2 beds, 2.5 baths) – R1,141

Strand

• Beachfront apartment (6 guests, 3 bedrooms, 4 beds, 2 baths) – R1,196
• Hyper modern apartment (2 guests, 1 bedroom, 1 bed, 1 bath) – R1,196
• Strandlopertjie (6 guests, 3 bedrooms, 4 beds, 2 baths) – R1,498 

Paternoster

• Paternorster self-catering (6 guests, 3 bedrooms, 3 beds, 2.5 baths) – R1,498
• Slip slops (6 guests, 3 bedrooms, 3 beds, 3 baths) – R1,498
• La Mer (2 guest, 1 bedroom, 1 bed, 1 bath) – R1,251

Ballito

• Exclusive beach apartment (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 3 beds, 2 baths)  – R1,320
• Beach front apartment (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 4 beds, 2 baths) – R1,402
• Simbithi (3 guests, 2 bedrooms, 2 beds, 1 bath) – R1,498

Diaz Beach, Mossel Bay

• Trio Towers (8 guests, 3 bedrooms, 4 beds, 2.5 baths) – R1,196
• Diaz Beach apartment (6 guest, 2 bedrooms, 6 beds, 1.5 baths) – R1,498
• Sea Breeze 75 (4 guest, 1 bedroom, 1 bed, 1 bath) – R454

Sodwana Bay 

• Sodwana Bay Lodge (8 guests 4 bedrooms, 6 beds, 2 baths) – R1,498
• No other Airbnb apartments available in this area.

Muizenberg

• Oceanfront penthouse (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 3 beds, 1 bath) – R1,251
• Coots Nest (5 guests, 3 bedrooms, 3 beds, 2 baths) – R1,292
• Surfers delight (6 guests, 2 bedrooms, 2 beds, 2 baths) – R1,210

Cape Vidal 

• Mkhulu’s House (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 4 beds, 2 baths)
• No other Airbnb apartments available in this area.

Gordon’s Bay 

• The Boardwalk Holiday apartments (4 guests, 1 bedroom, 3 beds, 1 bath) – R1,498
• Charming house with spectacular views (6 guests, 3 bedrooms, 3 beds, 2 bath) – R1,498
• Zaria Sun penthouse and studio cottage (6 guests, 2 bedrooms, 2 beds, 2.5 baths) – R1,457

Clifton

• Clifton Beach apartment (6 guests, 2 bedrooms, 5 beds, 1 bath) – R1,278
• Modern up-market Clifton apartment (2 guests, studio, 1 bed, 1 bath) – R1,402
• In retro meets Clifton First Beach (2 guests, 1 bed, 1 bath) – R1,375

Nahoon

• The Beach House (6 guests, 2 bedrooms, 6 beds, 1 bath) – R1,196
• The Loerie Hide (2 guests, 8 bedrooms, 2 beds, 7.5 baths) – R1,306
• Home on Galway (5 guests, 3 bedrooms, 3 beds, 2 baths) – R1,498

North Beach, Durban

• Talyllyn upmarket BnB (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 3 beds, 1 bath) – R1,498
• Large room on Durban promenade (2 guests, 1 bedroom, 1 bed, 1 bath) – R1,443
• The Loft in Greyville (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 2 beds, 1 bath) – R1,251

Santos Beach, Mossel Bay

• LongSantos (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 4 beds, 1 bath) – R1,196
• Elangeni (4 guests, 2 bedrooms, 2 beds, 2 baths) –  R1,196 
• Sea View, George road (8 guests, 3 bedrooms, 8 beds, 3 baths) – R1,251

Camps Bay 

• Camps Bay Studio (3 guests, studio, 2 beds, 1 bath) – R1,155
• Gorgeous getaway (2 guest, 1 bedroom, 1 bed, 1 bath) – R1,155
• Serenity near the sea (2 guests, studio, 2 beds, 1 bath) – R1,141

Read: Half of Cape Town Airbnb users need the app to afford their homes: report