Malibu: the finest beaches ever created

'Whatever else may be said of Malibu,' wrote the novelist James M Cain in 1933, 'it is probably the finest beach ever created by God.' The author of The Postman Always Rings Twice and Mildred Pierce noted that this 'perfect arc of crisp yellow sand' faces due south, meaning, 'it is always high noon, and even the water has the restless glare that goes with that hour... a vivid-green translucence... dazzling...and more than a little unreal.'

The 'Bu - to use its old surfer nickname - still has that unreal quality. On a good day, and there are some 300 a year, nothing can match that moment when you stand at the ocean's edge, cool spume rushing up the hot sand and over your toes, the roar of surf pierced by crying gulls, Catalina Island shimmering in the haze, and you spot a pod of gleaming dolphins as they crest the waves. This, along with breathtaking canyons and cliffs, golden dawns and amethyst sunsets, is what draws hundreds of thousands to Malibu's 20-odd beaches on LA's brutal, high-summer weekends.

Yet much has changed since Cain's time. Back then, Malibu had barely begun its transition from semi-wilderness to incorporated city and on to celebrity enclave. Today, this strip of beaches, tarmac and canyons at the foot of the Santa Monica mountains has become a byword for moneyed privilege, home to single-name A-listers such as Streisand, Dylan, Hanks and Gaga. And the super-wealthy keep on coming, driving prices skyward. The average price for a Malibu home rose more than 50 per cent in 2016, to $2.9 million, and that's at the cheap end: Lady Gaga's six-acre estate across from Zuma Beach set her back $23 million.

Malibu may have long been an exceptionally smart place to live, but until recently it had few restaurants or hotels to match the demographic. The opening of Nobu in 1999 changed all that, and it's still packed. Then, last year, the Soho House Group launched the Little Beach House Malibu - with an exclusive locals-only membership - and this year the five-star Nobu Ryokan Hotel opened in what was formerly Casa Malibu, hideaway to the stars. So there's a fresh concentration of coolness on Carbon Beach (aka Billionaire's Beach), and a sense that Malibu has reached a tipping point.

But some locals insist the battle for the city's soul has yet to be settled. 'Everyone has heard about Malibu, but people's perception is often skewed,' says 33-year-old Skylar Peak, a passionate surfer, third-generation resident, and the city's current mayor. 'It's not this "Hollywood on the Ocean" that people imagine. There's a rawness to the culture, a true sense of community, and a deep love of nature and the ocean.'

That love can be tested, as when a 40ft decomposing fin whale washed up on the beach right below Barbra Streisand's estate, and stank out the place for weeks. And canyon residents spent a great deal of time debating whether to cull P-45, a predatory 150lb mountain lion which killed more than 60 animals. Even the weather can get biblical: five years of drought - in a region known for devastating wildfires - were followed in 2016 by the wettest winter on record, with storms, flooding and mudslides.

Still, governance is about priorities, and Peak says his primary mayoral role is to protect the local environment. 'Malibu residents cannot ignore the effect of climate change on ocean levels. We've got homes here built over the water, right on the sand. If we don't meet the challenge, then we fail not only our generation but the next.'

So what's the strategy? 'Well, large-scale development is off the table,' he says. In 2014, Peak was a champion - along with Streisand, Hanks, director Rob Reiner and entertainment mogul David Geffen - of Measure R, a city council proposal to restrict the opening of big shops in general, and a Whole Foods supermarket in particular. (Measure R passed with 60 per cent of the popular vote, but is currently subject to a legal appeal.)

'There are almost two Malibus,' says Ryan Sarmiento, the 24-year-old content manager of website allthingsmalibu.com. 'There's new Malibu, the scene-y, very affluent side with the entertainment and media people. And there's old Malibu, the - well, not blue collar, but more earthy people who've been here a while, with deeper roots.' The two sides often clash, says Ryan, because new Malibu wants convenience, while old Malibu prefers conservation.

This tension between nature and culture runs in Malibu's DNA, going back 7,000 years to the time when Chumash Indians crossed the Santa Monica mountains to settle and build fishing villages in the place they called Humaliwo, or 'surf sounds loudly'. In the 1770s, Spanish settlers arrived, enslaved any of the 20,000 Chumash they hadn't already massacred, and corrupted the name into Malibu. In 1804, a Mexican army veteran claimed 13,000 acres of coastline for a cattle ranch, which, when the USA annexed California, was acquired by Boston oil tycoon Frederick Hastings Rindge.

After Rindge's death in 1905, his flinty widow May - dubbed Queen of Malibu by the press - squandered his vast fortune fighting Los Angeles County's proposed highway along her coast, erecting gates and fences patrolled by a 40-strong posse of armed guards. In 1923, the US Supreme Court settled California's longest land battle, ruling that the county could build 'a scenic highway of great beauty'. And so the Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH, was born. Almost ruined by two decades of legal costs, May decided to lease, and then sell, chunks of her newly accessible coastline.

It was estate agent and marketing whiz Art Jones who devised the concept of 10-year leases at what became known as the Malibu Movie Colony. At first it was a tough sell - who'd rent sand at $30 a month and build a house, only to give it up after 10 years? Then Anna Q Nilsson moved in. Forgotten today, this silent-screen actress was getting 30,000 fan letters a month in 1928. Other thespians soon followed, often with studio set designers to fix up their beach houses. Then movie mogul Jack Warner splurged $100,000 on a cottage, and the floodgates opened: Charlie Chaplin, Dolores del Rio, Clara Bow, Gloria Swanson, Ronald Colman and Barbara Stanwyck all came to chill at the beach. Down the years the Colony hosted everyone from Lana Turner to Liz and Dick to Larry Hagman, until in the 1970s it was re-colonised by the 'music people': Neil Diamond, Ronnie Wood, Alice Cooper, Linda Ronstadt. The attraction, then as now, was security and seclusion: a private road, gated and guarded 24/7, to keep out the gawkers.

By the late 1980s, the community had already managed to thwart sundry harebrained schemes, including plans for a nuclear reactor, an eight-lane freeway through the mountains, and the widening of the PCH. But when the county approved a sewer system capable of servicing 400,000 - with property developers eager to build massive hotels and condo projects - locals swiftly incorporated Malibu as a city, giving them control of zoning and sewage, which would be managed as it always had: with septic tanks. The area's enduring natural beauty is, you might say, all down to doo-doo.

'Malibu people may look low-key,' says Khalil Rafati, founder of SunLife Organics, the aforementioned go-to store for juices, smoothies, sundaes and frozen yogurts. 'But they're wealthy, sophisticated and used to being treated like royalty.' Rafati has two Malibu outlets, drawing everyone from office workers and retirees, yoga instructors, surfers and A-listers, all adhering to the California lifestyle. 'People here are fully up-to-date with the best in nutrition. They know all about kava, bone broth, camel milk; they know about dragon fruit and goat colostrum. So you've got to work hard to stay ahead of trends.'

'The commercialisation of Malibu began in 2008,' says Rafati, 'when staycations became popular.' Before that, he says, LA's richest would summer in Lake Havasu or Big Bear. But when the recession bit, and many lost their second homes, they started holidaying in Malibu, particularly at Carbon Beach. 'That's when all the cool people moved to Point Dume, to escape all the traffic and congestion. Bob Dylan was already up there, but then came the Beastie Boys, a couple of Chili Peppers, Owen Wilson and the Hemsworth brothers. And it still has that laid-back, old Malibu vibe. Meaning, the more dressed up you are, the less money you really have.'

'I always wanted to live next to a beach,' says musician Richard Page, as we eat sandwiches in his kitchen in Point Dume, the magnificent bluffs where the mountains lean out and kiss the water. He and his wife Linda moved here after a 'little bit of success' - his band Mr Mister's 1985 worldwide hit 'Broken Wings' and its equally successful follow-up, 'Kyrie'. 'This used to be all sand dunes,' he says. 'There was a postman, the general-store owner, a blacksmith and a few ranch families.' The only celebrity anyone saw was Johnny Carson. Apart from him, it was surfers, stoners and a few musicians. The celebrities hadn't figured it out back then. It was still too rustic.'

One morning, about 10 years ago, Richard was standing in line at the drugstore. 'The woman in front of me had leopard-print leggings and stiletto-heeled boots, with the big hair and the face pulled back, lips all made up. I'd never seen anyone like that here. And I realised, "Wow, this place is really changing." Then the Bentleys started to appear. But in the past five years, the gentrification has kicked up a gear.' Today the Pages' neighbours include Chris Martin, Julia Roberts, Anthony Kiedis and film-score composer Richard Gibbs, whose ocean-view studio has hosted U2, Sting and Kanye.

But a somewhat covetous attitude has led to some bitter legal battles. California's constitution states that the entire coastline below the 'median high-tide line' is open to the public. Yet for years wealthy residents blocked access to beaches, claiming them as private. The tide turned in 2014, when Governor Jerry Brown gave the California Coast Commission power to impose almost unlimited fines on repeat offenders. Last December, cosmetic surgeon Warren Lent and his wife Henny were fined $4.2 million following a decade of warnings to open a blocked public passageway leading to what they advertised to prospective renters as a 'private beach' in front of their house. This was seen as a warning shot to other beachfront residents who posted phony signs on the sand or painted fake 'No parking' boards outside their homes.

Perhaps their attitude is understandable. This tiny town (population 12,656), built around a single through-road, can feel more than a little claustrophobic on summer weekends, when 250,000 visitors pack the beaches. And God forbid Fourth of July should fall on a weekend: the last one drew 580,000, with 230,000 on Zuma alone. And if it's not the beaches, it's the canyons. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is the world's largest urban national park, with 153,075 acres spread across 24 zip codes and, at the Malibu end, some of the most magnificent coastal mountain trails you'll ever hike. Last year, more than 900,000 people visited.

Most of them, of course, enjoy the flora and fauna responsibly. But there's always some gauche outsider ready to upset the delicate ecosystem that is Malibu. Rafati recalls how a few months ago a pair of young women in his Point Dume store had just bought smoothies when one of them screamed, 'Oh my God, it's Harry Styles!' Her friend shrieked too, and dropped her smoothie bottle, shattering glass and spraying sticky liquid everywhere. Styles fled.

'It's obvious,' says Rafati. 'If you're travelling through nature and you see a moose or a bear cub, you don't feed it, poke it or scream at it. So if you're in Malibu and you see someone from the movies or TV, you don't stick your camera in their face or shout at them. Sure, smile and say hello. But leave them alone, y'know? If you're cool, you might be surprised by what happens.'

Where to eat and drink in Malibu

SunLife Organics

The 'Bu's hottest smoothie, juice and lunch-bowl emporium. It's always busy, and its crystals and spiritual books compete with surfing videos on loop to create a funky ambience. My favourite smoothie is The Mystic: banana, dates, cinnamon, spirulina, maca, raw cacao, chia seeds, sprouted brown-rice protein, cashew butter and Thai coconut water, all topped off with raw cacao nibs and fresh mint.

Address: SunLife Organics, Malibu West - Point Dume, 29169 Heathercliff Road
Telephone: +1 310 457 6161
Website: sunlifeorganics.com

Nobu Malibu

Thirty years after Nobu Matsuhisa inverted the culinary world with his Japanese-Peruvian fusion - has anyone not yet tried the signature black cod with miso? - the brand is as strong, and the food as delicious as ever. Of the 12 Nobu locations across the USA, Malibu is probably still the most exotic. If you're planning just one special restaurant, this is the place - as long as you book months ahead.

Address: Nobu Malibu, 22706 Pacific Coast Highway
Telephone: +1 310 317 9140
Website: noburestaurants.com

Duke's Malibu

Sure, it's a Hawaiian-themed chain restaurant and it serves umbrella drinks, but you can't visit Malibu without going to Duke's - named after surf legend Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, the Olympic gold-medallist swimmer, who introduced surfing to Cali in 1912. Besides, the ocean-view dining room is spectacular, the Sunday brunch is huge and it's been open since 1996, which is, like, forever around here.

Address: Duke's Malibu 21150 Pacific Coast Highway
Telephone: +1 310 317 0777
Website: dukesmalibu.com

Little Beach House Malibu

This distressed-teak minimalist structure between Nobu and the new Nobu Ryokan Hotel is 10,000 square feet of contemporary art, vintage furnishings and Hamptons beach-house elegance on three levels: indoor bar; dining room and open kitchen, with an outdoor terrace and shaded seating; and upstairs, the sitting room - all with sweeping views of the Pacific and 200ft beach frontage. That said, membership requires a $2,000 annual fee and is limited to residents and those with a working connection to Malibu or its nearby coastal areas. The seasonal and locally sourced lunch menu could include sea bream tacos in gluten-free panko, with green papaya and pico de gallo. Otherwise, try the chia-seed flatbread with cashew spread, sprouts and raw vegetables.

Address: Little Beach House Malibu, 22716 Pacific Coast Highway
Telephone: +1 310 456 2400
Address: littlebeachhousemalibu.com

Malibu Farm Café

Swedish-born model-turned-chef Helene Henderson serves her modern-American organic menu at both ends of Malibu Pier, but pass on the pricier Malibu Farm restaurant (food good, service decidedly average) and walk to the café at the pier's end to grab crab cakes with caper aioli, baby potatoes and rocket, and eat on the roof deck with a million-dollar view.

Address: Malibu Farm Café, 23000 Pacific Coast Highway
Telephone: +1 310 456 1112
Website: malibu-farm.com

Malibu Wine Safari

Local wine, fine art and exotic animals. It's such a great idea it's a wonder it took so long. But that's Malibu Wine Safari - a guided tour through the massive Saddlerock Ranch estate, festooned with monumental sculptures and inhabited by zebras, camels, bison, llamas, water buffalo, alpacas and, star of the show, Stanley, a seven-year-old giraffe. It's a great way to get your Cabernet on, enjoy a picnic lunch and see historic native-American art, all while the kids squeal with delight under the watchful eye of the knowledgeable staff.

Address: 32111 Mulholland Highway
Telephone: +1 818 497 2206
Website: lasafaris.com

Neptune's Net

If you want to see an old-school culture clash, drive to Yerba Buena Road on a Saturday and drop by Neptune's Net: bikers in colours on one side, surfers with boards the other, all eating battered fish and fries. And if you're looking for the freshest, crispiest seafood on the coast, snag a table outside and join the queue. It's little more than an oversized beach cottage, but it has been owned and operated by a commercial fishing family since 1972, and has the best fish and chips this side of the UK.

Address: Neptune's Net,25653 Pacific Coast Highway
Telephone: +1 310 456 3430
Website: malibuseafood.com

Where to stay in Malibu

Airbnb

With so few hotels to choose from in Malibu, checking Airbnb or vrbo.com is a good bet. If expense is no issue, you could always take Steven Spielberg's seven-bed, nine-bath Broad Beach estate for about £97,000 a month. But a far more aesthetic use of your money would be to rent Ravenseye, an architectural masterpiece designed by local maverick architect, 92-year-old Harry Gesner. It sleeps eight - so a snip at £1,200 a night.

Website: airbnb.com
Price: £1,200 a night, sleeps eight

Malibu Beach Inn

Beautiful and serene if bland, this smart beachfront property is sandwiched between the Pacific Coast Highway and Carbon Beach. Great if you want to stay in and gaze at the ocean - all 47 rooms have balconies with a sea view and there are excellent spa treatments, but not much else - other than visiting Nobu and Little Beach House, both next door. Valet parking is a pricey extra.

Address: Malibu Beach Inn, 22878 Pacific Coast Highway
Telephone: +1 424 234 2524
Website: malibubeachinn.com
Price: Double rooms from about £425.

Malibu Country Inn

This tranquil, Cape Cod-style hotel hits the sweet spot between casual and prim, with a great location just six minutes' walk to Zuma Beach. Rooms are simple and airy, and most have private terraces. Unfortunately, they also tend to face the Santa Monica mountains - if you want one of the ocean-view suites, you'll have to book early. There's a decent restaurant and an outdoor heated pool.

Address: Malibu Country Inn, 6506 Westward Beach Road
Telephone: +1 310 457 9622
Website: malibucountryinn.com
Price: Double rooms from about £180.

Nobu Ryokan Hotel

The newest and most-desired celebrity haunt on PCH. To ensure their complete privacy, only hotel guests are allowed beyond the wooden frontage. Inside, there are 16 uniquely designed rooms, featuring teak soaking tubs, traditional tatami mats and shoji screens. It's basically high-end monastic minimalism for corporate samurai and A-list ronin.

Address: Nobu Ryokan Hotel, 22752 Pacific Coast Highway
Website: noburyokanmalibu.com
Price: Double rooms from about £1,540

Native Hotel

Originally built in 1947 as the famed Malibu Riviera Motel (James Dean and Bob Dylan both visited), this classic one-storey building recently changed hands and underwent a complete makeover. The 13 rooms have kept their mid-century charm, but now have a far more cool, contemporary edge. Other additions include a food truck using a vintage Airstream and a wellness centre.

Address: Native Hotel, 28920 Pacific Coast Highway
Telephone: +1 424 644 0517
Website: thenativehotel.com
Price: Double rooms from about £310

The Surfrider Malibu

Local architect Matthew Goodwin transformed this former Fifties motel into a breezy, sunlit and neutral-toned hideaway that feels more like a beach house than a hotel with touches of limestone and teak, plus Italian linens. The vibe is laid-back, SoCal cool, with grain bowls and tuna tacos on the rotating menu and cheery staff who are nearly all from Malibu and are eager to chat surf breaks, hiking spots or where to find the best poke on the coast.

Address: The Surfrider Malibu, 23033 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California
Telephone: +1 310 526 6158
Website: thesurfridermalibu.com
Price: Doubles for around £300.

Take a look at our video of the hottest surfers in Malibu here.

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This feature first appeared in Condé Nast Traveller November 2017