Get Ready for an Epic Sandboarding Adventure in Betty’s Bay!

When I imagined spending a weekend in beautiful Betty’s Bay with my friends, I pictured a peaceful time of kicking back and enjoying the fresh ocean breeze. Maybe we’d have a barbecue on the balcony or take a leisurely swim in the sea. Little did I know that we were in for an exhilarating surprise!

As we turned the corner and the mountain came into view, one of my friends couldn’t contain his excitement. He pointed towards the towering sand dunes, declaring that we were going to conquer them at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning.

I gotta admit, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the early start. And to top it off, there wasn’t a single sandboard in sight. But those boys, bless their adventurous souls, were determined to find any object that could shoot them down a sandy hill. I was just about to abandon that crazy idea when all of a sudden, I heard shouts of joy coming from the poolroom. Lo and behold, they had stumbled upon some sandboards tucked away in the cupboard, along with floor polish and a mishmash of other cleaning supplies.

By the time we reached the bottom of the dune, the sun was already blazing. We coughed up R10 to slide down the sand and another R10 to park the car nearby. Armed with sunblock, an umbrella, and two sandboards for the six of us, we trudged through the bushy trail toward the sandy paradise.

I watched as the guys eagerly tested out the slopes, while I entertained myself by playing with my new Nikon camera. They seemed to have no trouble finding their rhythm, even though they had a few wipeouts along the way. When it was finally my turn to give it a shot, I strapped my feet onto the board and prepared to tackle what looked like a dauntingly steep descent. But to my dismay, my board refused to move an inch. Fear of speeding down the slope overwhelmed me, but this snail’s pace just wasn’t cutting it. Thankfully, a quick fix of Mr. Min and floor polish provided the solution. With a lowered stance and unclenched fist, I was able to pick up speed and fly down the slopes like an Olympic sandboarder. It was a moment of triumph, as I launched myself off the tallest cliffs, finally getting the hang of this exhilarating sport.

Well, I didn’t really choose the traditional way to go sledding. Instead of using a sled, I decided to slide down on my butt, squealing with joy. It was almost as fast and just as much fun! The umbrella I brought along was a lifesaver. The sea breeze started to calm down, but the sun was still blazing hot up on the mountain. If you think hiking is tiring for your legs, try kicking up sand while trying to climb up a hill. The next day, my thighs told the story of how unfamiliar this activity was for me.

The boys, being boys, were not satisfied with just the thrilling rides. They decided to build a ramp using sand and an old board they found. I happily decided to sit that one out and captured all the action instead.

The breathtaking view of Betty’s Bay, with the sparkling ocean and charming holiday houses below, made the climb totally worth it. And once you’ve struggled and sweated your way up the hill, you know the journey back down will be totally worth it.

The best way to cool off afterwards is to head to the main beach for some awesome surfing. The water is crystal clear, the temperature is just right, and the waves are perfect.

Where to Go: If you’re coming from Cape Town on the R44 towards Betty’s Bay and you’re facing the ocean, you’ll find the sand dunes on the right side of the Penguin Nature Reserve.

What to Bring: Bring your sandboard and some wax or polish to make it extra fast. Don’t forget sunblock, a hat, and cool clothes that cover your body to protect from sand burns. It costs R10 per person to use the dunes, and R10 per car to park in the lot.