Cape Town - Hout Bay

Accommodation | Activities | Restaurants | Business Directory

Geography and History

Hout Bay is often called the Heart of the Cape, a 20 minute drive from the Cape Town city centre, almost halfway between Cape Town and Cape Point. It is situated in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Houtbaai, named by Dutch explorers, literally translated means Wood Bay.

Hout Bay was formerly a fishing village and has managed to maintain its unique combination of fishing harbour and country atmosphere, despite development. Jan van Riebeeck described Hout Bay as having the most beautiful forests he had ever seen. The timber was used to help build the fort at Cape Town and the subsequent port that grew to Cape Town city.

Hout Bay is surrounded by mountain to the North, East and West and the Southern Atlantic Ocean to the South. In the North it is bordered by Table Mountain National Park comprising the Orangekloof Nature reserve and the bottom slopes of Table Mountain beyond that.

Hout Bay has one of the busiest harbours in the Western Cape with an established tuna, snoek and crayfish industry.

Accommodation

Hout Bay has a variety of accommodation options available from Guest Houses, Bed and Breakfasts to Self-catering units.

Activities

For the tourist, Cape Town offers a variety of activities and attractions, such as the Two Oceans Aquarium, Ratanga Junction Theme Park, Canal Walk Shopping Centre, craft markets, the BMW Pavilion, IMAX Theatre and numerous shopping centres.

Restaurants

There are many restaurants on offer to suit every visitors budget. There is a great selection of restaurants, coffee shops and pubs to choose from!