Hout Bay — a Delightful Hideaway

Hout Bay

Hout Bay gained its name from early Dutch set­tlers in the Cape. It lit­er­ally means Wood Bay, for the tim­ber they gathered there to con­struct the early build­ings in the Cape. After a brief period where the area was used for Manganese min­ing, the still-existent fish­ing industry was founded.

One of the main attrac­tions in Hout Bay to this day, aside from the white sandy beaches and moun­tains that encircled the pro­tec­ted bay, is the har­bour. Home to sev­eral art and curio stores, res­taur­ants and mari­time antiquity deal­ers, the har­bour is a must visit. Take a stroll along the piers, buy freshly caught fish straight from the trawl­ers when they return from the sea, or enjoy a deli­cious sea­food lunch or din­ner in one of the eateries.

Another activ­ity vis­it­ors to the har­bour may choose to take advant­age of is one of the boat trips to Seal Island, just off the coast out­side the bay. Often fea­tured on wild­life doc­u­ment­ar­ies, this large seal colony is home not only to hun­dreds of Cape Fur Seals, but also to that fear­some pred­ator of the deep, the Great White Shark, who prowl the waters around the tiny island wait­ing for their chance.

Hout Bay

The boats that take you out on a trip to the island also tour the bay, and often guides point out attrac­tions such as the old fort en route to the island. Another fea­ture of many of these boats is a glass bot­tom, where you can have a unique per­spect­ive of the sea around the Bay, and who knows, maybe spot a seal, or one of those sharks. For beach lov­ers, besides the main beaches of Hout Bay, there are the options of the nearby, secluded Llandudno, or for the braver, visit South Africa’s only nud­ist beach – Sandy Bay.

The Sunday Craft Market, fea­tur­ing local arts and crafts, as well as activ­it­ies such as pony rides for the kids, is another option for vis­it­ors, as is a trip to Africa’s largest bird park, the World of Birds, which is home to more than 400 spe­cies of birds and other anim­als, includ­ing mon­keys, walla­bies and reptiles.

For those who would like to dis­cover more about the his­tory of the area, there is a museum in Andrews Road, which houses a col­lec­tion of local arti­facts, and provides an in depth explor­a­tion of the local his­tory, dat­ing back to the Strandlopers, who pop­u­lated the area thou­sands of years before its “dis­cov­ery” by the Dutch.

Hout Bay

Another great way to explore the area is to take advant­age of one of the many hik­ing trails that meander through the moun­tains around the town. All of these trails offer the oppor­tun­ity to exper­i­ence the Cape’s unique floral king­dom, Fynbos, up close and per­sonal, com­bined with mag­ni­fi­cent views of the town, sur­round­ing moun­tains and sea.

When leav­ing Hout Bay, it is worth­while to take the Chapman’s Peak route, which snakes pre­cari­ously around the moun­tain. Views from this road are amaz­ing, and it is pos­sible to stop along­side the road in des­ig­nated areas and enjoy a picnic.

If Hout Bay is your choice of des­tin­a­tion when trav­el­ling to Cape Town, find a place to stay by vis­it­ing the Hout Bay Accommodation options avail­able. You will find that accom­mod­a­tion ranges from lux­uri­ous guest houses to more mod­est Bed & Breakfasts and self cater­ing options.

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For more des­tin­a­tion info see:
Hout Bay Attractions
Cape Town Beaches
Cape Town Accommodation