Hout Bay

Hout Bay - Highlight of any Cape Town visit

Hout Bay is one of the most beautiful and popular places on the Cape Peninsula and a highlight of any visit to Cape Town. The access road that runs from Camps Bay, offers a beautiful drive all along the sea. The town lies picturesquely in a wind-protected bay, surrounded in the west by the Karbonkel Mountain, the famous Mount Sentinel as the outpost in the sea and in the east, by the Constantia Mountains and Chapmans Peak

The name "Hout Bay" (Wood Bay) was given by Jan van Riebeeck, who, after his landing in Table Bay in the year 1652, found dense forests providing the timber needed for the construction of ships and of the Castle. In 1681 the first farms - Ruyteplaas and Kronendal - were established in Hout Bay. The fishery on a commercial scale only developed a hundred years later. In 1904 a canning factory was opened, which in the following years gave Hout Bays economy its boost

Hout Bay is the centre of the crayfish and snoek fishing industry, and its fishing harbour gives the little coastal town a lively atmosphere. But today, its main economic contributor is tourism. After all, the attractions of this beautifully situated place are numerous. Other than hiking, sailing, surfing, kayaking, fishing, cycling, having a picnic or sun tanning at the beach, there is not much one cant do in Hout Bay. And the scenic Chapmans Peak Drive, the harbour, the bird park and Seal Island are all part of it. That is why over the last years many new settlements, apartments and mansions have been built, many of them as holiday homes for people who initially came as tourists from Europe.

Attractions in Hout Bay

During the week, one can closely watch the unloading of fishing trawlers and crayfish boats. The catch is usually snoek, a kind of seahake with firm flesh and thick bones. Snoekies is an excellent fish shop. Large murals depict the locally caught fish and blackboard has all the specials written out. You choose the whole fish and can watch it being filletted and washed. It is, by far the cheapest and freshest fish bought directly from one of the fishing boats that usually come into the harbour in the afternoons.

A little museum displays the history of the fisheries on these Hout Bay shores. The Kraal Craft sells African arts & crafts and authentic cult objects. It is worth seeing. The prices are high, but lower than those of the Waterfront. In the same building, at the iKhaya, you get refreshments, snacks, coffee and cake.

There are boat trips to Seal Island, a tiny island behind the Sentinel, which is densely populated by some 6000 seals. Bookings unnecessary because the boats of the 3 operators leave every half an hour. When the wind is blowing strongly, one would prefer the catamaran Nauticat.

In the harbour one can also charter boats for deep sea fishing. A lasting experience is an exclusive cruise on the Tigger Too. It goes from Hout Bay to Kommetjie, where the party catches crayfish and has it skilfully prepared afterwards. Four hours lasts this adventurous and culinary experience.

Hiking, walking at Hout Bay

Hout Bay offers some good hiking and walking trails. e.g. the Chapmans Peak Walk. It takes you about two hours to the peak, from where the view of the Peninsula, of the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean is fantastic. Less strenuous is the serpentine path to the Blackburn Ravine, bumpy, but not steep. You get there from the little parking bay at the East Fort. The East Fort was erected at the beginning of the British presence at he Cape in 1795 and still stands as a ruin on a grass patch in the Fynbos - inviting for a picnic.

World of Birds

A big attraction in Hout Bay is the World of Birds. According to its brochure, it is the biggest bird park in Africa with more than 400 different bird species, amongst them numerous birds of prey and owls. The environment is tropical vegetation. They also have reptiles and many mammals. A favourite is the big walk-in cage of the squirrel monkeys. They are friendly, tame and love jumping all over the visitors in the cage. Tel 021-7902730.

Hout Bay Museum

You can become aquainted with Hout Bays history in the little Hout Bay Museum at the bottom of Andrews Road, which documents the period of time from the Khoi San Strandlopers to the present. Tel 021-7903270.

Chapmans Peak Drive

The spectacular coastal road between Hout Bay and Noordhoek is open again. Along the way you can find many a nice picnic spot. Chapmans Peak is a tool road now. Charge: 20 Rand per vehicle.

Restaurants

In Hout Bay there are quite a number of excellent restaurants: The Chapmans Peak Hotel restaurant specifically cook fish and seafood the Portuguese way. Tel 021-7901036. Mariners Wharf is a fish restaurant with a great view of the beach. Excellent cuisine - fish included - can be enjoyed in the new Lookout restaurant at the yacht club. La Cuccina with delicious cakes and excellent buffet lunches lies a bit off the main route and is highly recommendable. Butchers Grillhouse on Victoria Road is praised for its steaks, however, service is not the best. Tel 021-7907760. Otherwise there is a choice between Italian, Greek, Indian and normal cuisine plus pizza, fast-food burgers and fast-food chicken. And a popular meeting spot at the beach is Dunes, a pub and restaurant with a view of the dunes and the sea, a jungle gym in the sand, at times with live music. Tel 021-7901876. For Fish n Chips there are a couple of places. Best known is Fish on the Rocks and Snoekies.

Llandudno

Just before Hout Bay, west of the Karbonkelberg and directly at the sea, lies the exclusive little settlement of Llandudno. It is a residential place with very expensive mansions and a wonderful beach facing the sunset. There is no shopping or dining available in Llandudno. From the Sunset Rocks parking lot you also get to the textile-free beach of Sandy Bay (15 min walk).

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