Velddrif Snapshot
Velddrif (150km from Cape Town) owes its name to a farming family called Smit, who drove their sheep through the ‘drift in the veld’ across the Berg River in search of better grazing. Fishing is the town’s backbone as you will no doubt gather by the odour that moves in from Laaiplek when a north-westerly breeze is up and blowing. A Velddrif tourism brochure we came across proudly points out that the town has no parking meters, traffic lights, cinemas or shopping malls. What is more, it has “never had a hijacking”. If you don’t think this is reason enough for a visit, then the Berg River and its estuary might change your mind. The birdlife is prolific, with more than 100 species including flamingo and pelican favourites. In summer, Velddrif is a farmer's coastal haven; the rest of the year, the town attracts more of the doddering camera- and binocular-carrying species.
Things To Do
- The Berg River is by far Velddrif’s main hub of activity, offering excellent birdwatching, boating in various guises, and fishing. If you’re itching to twitch, there is a bird hide to the right of the bridge as you come into town on the R27.
- Stock up on bokkoms at the local fish factories. For the uninitiated, bokkom is a dried salt fish – the marine equivalent of biltong, you could say. In the calmer backwaters near the bridge you might still see fishermen in small boats landing mullet and mackerel, which are dried later into bokkom.
- Port Owen Marina feels a bit like Table View, but touts as a luxury resort, with canoeing, yachting and fishing filling the idle hours of the privileged.
- Rocherpan Nature Reserve is on the coast about 12km north of Velddrif, offering walking, fishing and picnic spots.
Saints at Sea
Velddrif, Western Cape
You’ve most likely never heard of Dwarskersbos. Well, it's one of the west coast’s best kept secrets. Long swathes of pristine white beaches, dotted with fishing boats and seasonal whale w...
Rate Guide
From R2000 to R2750, depending on unit, guests and time of year
dk villas 3 Skilliepark (Dwarskersbos)
Velddrif, Western Cape
A lovingly renovated apartment that offers beach cottage vibe throughout. Light, bright and airy. The apartment has ample natural light and the sound of the sea throughout the open plan, double volume...
Rate Guide
From R2480, depending on unit, guests and time of year
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