Hout Bay

Hout Bay appears to be a little harbour village but is actually a suburb of the South African metropole Cape Town.

Get in
Hout Bay is situated at the west side of the Cape Peninsula. You can get there by car, following the road along the west coast of Peninsula. From the Cape Town city centre drive to Camps Bay and from there all along the sea. You can also get there from the east side of the Peninsula and from the Cape of Good Hope.

Park your car at the parking lot by the harbour.

See
The harbour is the main attraction. It is quiet and full of bustling fisher boats at the same time. There are also tall mountains that make Hout Bay special.

Do
Watch the fisherman unload their fresh fish, old ladies repairing the nets or go on a trip to Seal Island to see the local seal colony.

A visit to Hout Bay is incomplete without a visit to the World of Birds, a wonderful bird park, touted to be the biggest in the western cape. Make sure that you time your visit to coincide with the feeding of the Squirrel monkeys.

Chapman's Peak Drive starts just south of Hout Bay. This toll road offers spectacular views, especially at sunset. If you're a world class big wave surfer, Hout Bay is the location of Dungeons home to some of the worlds biggest surfable waves in winter.

Buy
There is an antique store next to the restaurant, which is definitely worth a visit!

Eat
Taste fresh lobsters or other seafood and fish at the local restaurant. It is cheap compared to prices in inner Cape Town, but can be bought for less at more quiet places.



Drink

 * Visit the Chapman's cigar bar at the foot of Chapman's Peak for a sun-downer, you would also be making no mistake tasting their pan-fried Calamari, possibly the best in the world!
 * Try the local sushi restaurant run by Bruce and his wife.
 * The Pirates den has DJs some nights, but many locals steer clear and thus the place can be very empty.
 * A local gem is the Work Shop, claimed to be the smallest (licensed) pub in Africa is serves as a good meeting place when the weather is good, drink is cheap and the local young folk enjoy meeting new people and will always talk to any new faces. Talk to William the resident barman for an introduction to the local crowd.

Sleep
Accommodation in Hout Bay consists mainly of smaller guesthouses and bed and breakfasts, prices vary and it is worth shopping around for the best option. Try searching to find accommodation to fit your budget and requirements, as more establishments offer their own websites and direct online booking facilities, securing the right accommodation is much easier. Booking in advance is essential over the peak periods and in particular over December and January.