Elands Bay Snapshot
By some small miracle Elands Bay (220km from Cape Town) has managed to escape the rampant development common to most of the coastal towns and villages lying south of it. As such it’s still a relatively pristine part of the world, but with a certain lived-in edge – a mix of working past and picturesque nature. We also thinks it has the atmosphere of a seafaring port – the type of place where Blackbeard the Pirate might have stepped ashore for his annual groceries. The village has its diehard followers, most of them surfers who regularly flock into the place for the perfect breaks rolling in from the deep Atlantic. For others, the Verlorenvlei is the lure, a huge marshy reserve that stretches for miles and is twitcher heaven, with some 230 recorded bird species to date.
Things To Do
- Elands Bay offers surfers one of the country’s most perfect left-hand breaks. Ditto for windsurfers – don’t forget the wetsuit because the freezing water is a ball-breaker.
- The expansive Verlorenvlei is among the most satisfying birding experiences around. The 230-odd species include both migrating and indigenous species. Bring or hire a canoe and combine your twitching with a leisurely paddle.
- Overlooking the ocean, Elandsbaai cave contains a collection of handprints that reach back several thousand years.
- Elands Bay Hotel is a colourful local institution, popular among weather-beaten locals, visitors and surfers alike. A post-surf beer in the bar, followed by a fry-up in the casual restaurant is the standard ritual.
Where You'll Also Find Us
Arniston (Waenhuiskrans) • Barrydale • Beaufort West • Betty's Bay • Bonnievale • Bot River • Bredasdorp • Caledon • Calitzdorp • Cape Agulhas and Struisbaai • Cape Town area • Ceres • Citrusdal • Clanwilliam & Cederberg • Darling • De Rust • Franschhoek • Gansbaai • George • Grabouw & Elgin Valley • Greyton • Heidelberg • Hermanus • Knysna • Ladismith • Laingsburg • Lamberts Bay • Langebaan • Malgas • Matjiesfontein • McGregor • Montagu • Mossel Bay • Napier • Oudtshoorn • Paarl • Paternoster • Plettenberg Bay • Porterville • Prince Albert • Pringle Bay • Pringle Bay, Betty's Bay and Kleinmond • Riebeek West and Riebeek-Kasteel • Riversdale • Riviersonderend • Robertson • St Helena Bay • Stanford • Stilbaai • Strand, Gordon's Bay and Somerset West • Swellendam • Tulbagh • Uniondale • Velddrif • Vermaaklikheid • Wellington • Wilderness • Witsand • Worcester & Hex Valley • Yzerfontein • Baviaanskloof • Cape St Francis • Cape St Francis & St Francis Bay • East London • Graaff-Reinet • Hogsback • Jeffreys Bay • Makhanda (Grahamstown) • Middelburg • Nieu-Bethesda • Rhodes • Sutherland