Hello Hout Bay!

A fishing town and holiday haven

The drive to Hout Bay from town along the coastal road blows my mind every time. The Twelve Apostles mountain range on one side and the shifting blue-green of the sea on the other is what Cape Town is all about.

Once we reach Hout Bay I already feel like I’m on a mini-holiday despite only being 20 minutes out of Cape Town. This little town is dotted about a valley which curves around a long stretch of beach. One side leads onto Chapman’s Peak Drive – a stunning 9km stretch which offers the most amazing mountain and sea views, on the other side the Sentinel stands watch – a mountain peak that rises dramatically from the sea. Surfers take note: Dungeons Reef is one of 16 recognised big wave locations worldwide, it’s just off Hout Bay below the Sentinel so those of you who just want a paddle can safely do so on the main beach.

This old fishing village declared itself a republic in 1987; it had its own national flag and dress, an anthem as well as a passport. These days the suburb is part of South Africa again, but the passport still remains. The little green books can be bought at the shops at the new harbour, at the Tobi Information Centre (+27 (0)21 790 1194) and at the Cape Town Tourism office. Instead of empty pages waiting to be stamped they offer the holder discounts and specials at Hout Bay’s most loved restaurants, shops and bars.

Driving along one of Hout Bay’s tree lined avenues I spot a horse trotting along with its young rider calmly guiding it. This is a familiar sight in the area which has a number of riding schools. See the area by horseback by giving Horse Riding Adventures (+27 (0)82 409 9699) a call. This is an animal friendly suburb – the World of Birds (+27 (0)21 790 2730) is the largest bird park in Africa with over 3000 birds and small animals, making up 400 different species altogether. Then there’s DARG (+27 (0)21 790 0383), also in the same area – it cares for abandoned cats and dogs and finds homes for them, so if you’re in the market for a furry friend then give them a call.

Despite the gray skies and ominous drops of rain periodically hitting the windshield we head down the harbour. We park at the new harbour with its maritime themed restaurant, Mariner’s Wharf (+27 (0)21 790 1100) and shops selling everything from puffed up blowfish to sailors hats and pearls. There’s a bakery, a bottle store and a fresh fish shop all in this little block. We carry on along the harbour and find Fish 4 Africa (+27 (0) 21 791 4110), the googly fish eyes staring out of the ice confirm their freshness and a glance at the prices has us making a mental note to return. Plus, buy fresh snoek straight off the boats for a very affordable price. Once you've done that braai it the traditional South African way.

We turn back once we reach The Lookout Deck (+27 (0)21 790 0922), right on the harbour it’s a good spot to watch the fishing boats. The rain is bucketing down at this point and a seal holding one flipper lazily out the water is the only one enjoying it. We decide to skip the old harbour for today, but will come back when the sun’s shining for fish and chips from Snoekies (+27 (0)21 790 1867) or Fish on the Rocks (+27 (0)21 790 0001) On weekends the Bay Harbour Market (+27 (0)82 570 5997) fills up an old fishing warehouse with stalls offering fresh food and vegetables as well as arts and crafts. Leaving the harbour we drive past Ice Dream (+27 (0)21 790 2496), an authentic Italian gelateria near the beach.

Hout Bay has officially been declared a wine region too; it has seven boutique wine estates including Ambeloui Wines which makes its own Méthode Cap Classique: the perfect way to celebrate this stunning suburb. A large part of Hout Bay is made up of the township, Imizamo Yethu, Afrika Moni (+27 (0)83 719 4870), a SATOUR accredited guide, will take you on a two hour walking tour of the area.

There is so much fresh seafood available in the area and it’s getting close to lunchtime, but we have heard rumours that the best pizza in Cape Town can be found right here in Hout Bay and we need to investigate.

After lunch we’re going to take the scenic route and slowly wind our way along Chapman’s Peak Drive and stop off at the Noordhoek Farm Village to browse their shops. We spent the night at Hout Bay Manor, a oasis of eclectic elegance. Here's a list of where else to stay in Heart Bay.

There are some great places to stay in Hout Bay and a buzzing nightlife so pay this relaxed beach town a visit. Subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.