Surf spot

Margate Beach

Forecast conditions and map view for Margate Beach in South Africa, Hibiscous Coast. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: South Africa, Hibiscous Coast
Coordinates: -30.8623, 30.3728

Metric
Metric	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00
Wave height (m)	1.6	1.3	1.6	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.3	1.3	1.4	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.6	1.9	2.5	2.6	2.4	1.8	1.6	1.5	1.7	1.7	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.4	1.3	1.3	0.9	2	2.2	2.3	2.3	2.1	1.7	1.4	1.5	1.2	1.3	1.8	1.9	1.8	1.4	1.5	1.5	1.1	4
Wave direction	S	S	S	S	S	S	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	S	S	S	SSE	SE	SE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	ENE	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	E	E	S	SSW	S	ESE	ESE	ESE	SE	SE	SE	ESE
Wave period (s)	9.2	11.1	9.3	8.6	8.7	8.5	8.4	8.2	7.5	6.9	6.3	13.8	13.6	13.3	7	7	7	7.3	7.5	7.6	7.8	7.6	7.7	7.2	7	7	7.5	7.7	7.7	7.4	7.3	7.3	7.3	7.2	7.4	7.4	7.6	9.4	7.3	7.3	7.5	7	6.8	7.6	7.3	6.9	6.9	10.7	8.4	6.5	6.8	5.8	5.5	6.5	8.8	8
Wave energy (kJ)	455	426	454	312	341	300	261	241	205	151	118	534	587	602	189	223	218	224	211	226	228	303	423	627	662	538	369	315	278	309	308	276	266	221	209	191	189	132	432	518	616	501	406	318	218	203	128	364	442	294	295	138	129	188	196	2069
Wind speed (km/h)	5.2	6.6	9	20.2	23	22.6	20	18.1	18.9	16.8	10.2	14.6	21.3	19.9	25	27	32.6	32.4	36.3	44.3	49.4	52.2	48.4	39.6	8.4	3.6	3.2	16.8	18.4	16.2	7.4	2.5	6.2	6.2	2.9	10.3	30.5	26.6	17.1	12.4	12.7	15.4	42.4	37.6	36.9	25.3	21.7	19.9	15.8	13.4	10	7.9	2.4	8.1	33.2	34.2
Wind direction	ENEOnshore	NEOnshore	NNECross-on	NEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NECross-on	NECross-on	NNEBlown out	NEBlown out	NEBlown out	NEBlown out	NNEBlown out	NNEBlown out	SWCross-off	WGlassy	NNEGlassy	NEOnshore	NCross-on	SSWCross-off	NNECross-on	WGlassy	WOffshore	NWCross-off	WNWGlassy	SSECross	SSWCross-off	SSWCross-off	SSWCross-off	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	SWBlown out	SWBlown out	SSWBlown out	SWCross-off	SWCross-off	SSWCross-off	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WNWCross-off	SSEGlassy	WNWCross-off	ESECross-on	SECross-on

Margate Beach, on South Africa’s Hibiscus Coast in KwaZulu-Natal, is a popular and generally forgiving surf spot known more for its beach lifestyle than heavy waves. It’s a long sandy beach with a classic beach-break setup, so the waves can vary depending on sand movement, swell direction, and tide.

Surf conditions

Wave type: Beach break
Best for: Beginners to intermediate surfers, depending on the day
Swell exposure: Picks up southeast and southwest swells reasonably well
Wind: Offshore conditions are often best with light westerly to northwesterly winds
Tide: Can work at different tides, but mid-tide is often a good starting point

What to expect

Clean, playful waves on smaller days
Faster, punchier sections when the swell gets bigger
Occasional rips and shifting peaks, so the lineup can change from session to session
Crowds, especially in holiday periods and weekends, since Margate is a major beach town

Hazards

Strong currents and rips can occur, especially after bigger swell or around changing sandbars
Busy beach and swimmer traffic
Localized rocks or sandbank irregularities in some areas

Overall vibe

Margate Beach offers easy access, warm water, and a lively coastal atmosphere, making it a convenient surf stop on the Hibiscus Coast. It’s a good place for casual surf sessions, longboarders, and newer surfers looking for fun waves when conditions line up.