Hout Bay gets its name from the Dutch word for Wood. When the Dutch established South Africa as a colony they required a lot of timber for building. There were no large forests in the immediate vicinity of Cape Town, and therefore the natural forests around ‘ Hout Bay’ provided them with all their timber requirements.
- Visit the World Of Birds, which is one of Africa's leading Bird Sanctuaries
- Drive along Chapman Peaks Drive and admire the fantastic views
- Enjoy Fish'n'Chips at the active fishing harbour
- Take a cruise around the harbour or to Seal Island
- Watch the Red Bull Surfers brave the waves at Dungeons
Today Hout Bay is about a 30 minute drive from the centre of Cape Town. It can be reached by Constantia Nek and the Southern Suburbs or via the pretty coastal road through Camps Bay and Llandudno. Hout Bay has a lively little harbour and is one of the prettiest destinations in Cape Town.
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Hout Bay has a beautiful white sandy beach, a popular attraction for tourist alike. Hout Bay has one of the busiest harbours in the Western Cape with a thriving Tuna, Snoek and Crayfish Industry. The harbour boasts the Atlantic Yacht Club and several fantastic seafood restaurants including Mariners Wharf Seafood Restaurants, which serves some of the best Fish ‘n’ Chips in the Cape.
Between Hout Bay and Noordehoek there is Chapmans Peak Drive. This scenic drive finally reopened in 2004 and provides guests with some of the most amazing views across the bay. During inclement weather Chapmans Peak Drive is often closed and therefore vital to check whether it is open before heading out.
Enjoy a cruise in the harbour and watch Cape Fur Seals bob and play around. Alternatively take a boat cruise to Duiker Island and around the Sentinel. Its around the Sentinel that you will find the famous Dungeons, which is the location of the Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing contest. Some of the biggest waves in the world are found here and these attract surfers from all over the world. The competition can only be held during May to August, when the waves reach heights of 15 – 20 feet . Not for the faint hearted !
Sandy Bay is on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Hout Bay Harbour. As Cape Town’s only nudist beach, it’s the only place in Cape Town that you can see exactly how cold the water actually is !
World of Bird is over 3 000 birds and small animals of 400 different species in walk through aviaries Enjoy a fascinating glimpse into the private lives of birds. Get a close-up view of them as they feed, sing, display, socialise, build nests, incubate eggs and feed chicks right before your eyes - an unforgettable experience which changes with the seasons.
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