FALSE BAY HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS

From Cape Point on the Cape Peninsula, right through to Cape Hangklip on the road to Hermanus, the entire area is known as False Bay. In contrast to the Peninsula, this is a huge bay, separated from the ocean by mountains and land on three sides, with only one area for water to come in.

 
This makes False Bay the safest place in South Africa to take a swim. The beaches are soft and sandy, sunny, and have a gradual slope going in to the sea. The water is calm due to the effect the bay has on the waves and wind. Also, in contrast to the Cape Peninsula, False Bay's water is just right for a very hot day, and one can stay in for an hour or two without getting so cold that your body turns red!

Some of the beaches and coastal towns in False Bay includes

There are many popular holiday resorts throughout False Bay, where visitors come and visit the area every year. The whole of False Bay is also packed with people during the months of November through to January due to the South African summer holidays when businesses shut down over Christmas and New Year, and schools are closed for two months.

Towns nearby False Bay includes Stellenbosch, Sommerset West, KuilsRivier, Macassar, Noordhoek and Cape Town. A long coastal drive will take you from Gordon's Bay, right up to the Cape Town Victoria & Alfred waterfronts, all along the sea. It is a pleasant journey as you experience the wind, waves and sea through your car window, instead of taking the highway to Cape Town.

During the summer swimming months, the whole of Cape Town's population decends on The Strand, which is the most popular swimming venue, and the safest. Life Guards are constantly watching out that no accidents in the sea happens. There are also shark nets, which prevent sharks from entering the bay. Many restaurants in the Strand also look out over the sea, thus providing a pleasant lunch hour on a windy day.

It is generally slightly to very windy in False Bay, depending on the direction of the wind. Sometimes, the sand on the beach can give your legs quite a hiding, where as other days, it is lovely, mild or even calm. During the windy days though, lots of kites and other watersports are done on the beach.

Another nice thing about False Bay is that contrary to the rest of the country, during the summer months, the Sun only sets in False Bay around 8:30pm, where as the rest of the country sunset will be around 7:30pm. At 9:30pm, a newspaper can still be read on the beach. This makes it a great place for a holiday in the warm summer months.

False Bay is filled with holiday goers, adventurers and those living there who have to put up with the summer holiday crowds once a year. If you don't feel like being in a crowd, the best time to visit False Bay is from early February to March, when swimming is still possible and the weather has not yet turned for the oncoming winter.

Should you be interested in buying fresh fish straight from the sea, Fish Hoek has a fish market where the fish can be bought straight from the fishing boat. Along Camps Bay are lots of luxury homes and accommodation venues, for the more exclusive population who prefers luxury to Cape culture.

Indeed, the Peninsula is a must visit, filled with restaurants, beaches, shopping centers, historical towns and much much more. It truly brings the Cape to life.