South Africa’s vibrant West Coast is a cultural fusion of traditional fishing villages dotted with museums, monuments, mission stations, wildlife sanctuaries, Southern Right whales, dolphins and magnificent coastal wild flower reserves painted across this fascinating coastline.
Parks and nature reserves
The 27 600 ha West Coast National Park is home to an enormous variety of fauna and flora and offers game viewing to visitors. The West Coast Fossil Park, again, is famous for the thousands of fossil bones discovered on the site. It has attracted world-wide attention with more than 70 scientific papers on the fossils published to date.
Visit the Saldanha Bay Nature Reserve and the Columbine Nature Reserve at Paternoster. You’ll find yourself in a nature lovers’ paradise. View one of the last manned lighthouses on the South African coast located in the Columbine Nature Reserve.
Bird Island near Lambert’s Bay is home to the famous gannet – large white sea birds with yellowish heads, black-tipped wings and long bills – found on our West Coast.
Gourmet delights
If it’s lobster you’re after, you’re in the right neck of the woods. The West Coast has an abundant supply of the most succulent Cape Rock Lobster (crayfish or kreef as it is known locally) which is available seasonally. Succumb to temptation and add the freshest West Coast oysters to you your already tempting selection of seafood items. Sample traditional bokkoms (salted sundried bunches of mullet). These are a must to consider yourself truly West Coast converted. Enjoy several outdoor eateries along the coast. Here you can sample typical West Coast seafood delicacies in addition to other traditional local dishes such as waterblommetjiebredie, veldkoolbredie and homebaked breads and preserves. All of this usually in full view of the ocean!
Attractions
• Bird watching
• Beach walks
• Magical sunsets
• Hiking trails
• Mountain biking
• Fishing
• Diving
• Kite surfing and kite flying
• Explore the West Coast National Park
• Visit the West Coast Fossil Park
• View Bird Island (Lambert’s Bay)
• Explore Cape Columbine Nature Reserve
• Water sports
• Visit Saldanha Bay Nature Reserve
• Kayak and discover the penguin colony
• Whale and dolphin watching (July to December)
• View seasonal wild, indigenous flowers (August to October)
• Village art galleries, craft markets, pottery and curio shops
• Outdoor activities in the area such as horse riding and beach buggy trips
General Interest
• !Khwa ttu (The San Culture and Education Centre)
• Langebaan Yacht Club
• Port Owen Yacht Club
• Rocherpan Nature Reserve
• SA Birding – West Coast National Park
• Saldanha Bay Yacht Club
• S A Weather
• West Coast Fossil Park
