Take that Trip to Struisbaai
For any Capetonian, seaside vacations are definite; no matter the route you take. So naturally, when you know there’s a sublime stretch of beach in the Southern Hemisphere, you pack your bags and drive.
Cue Struisbaai. A 3-hour drive from Cape Town, this seaside village is well-known for the longest continuous stretch of white sand coastline. The beach extends all the way to Arniston and, happens to be a stone throw away from Cape Agulhas.
If you are curious as to where Struisbaai got its name, well, there are many versions of its origins.
- It originated from the straw, “strooi” in Afrikaans which are roofs on houses,
- the ostriches, “struisvogel” in Dutch that used to roam here,
- or it’s derived from the old Dutch word meaning “huge” for the long stretches of beach.
You decide which version you like most.
With Struisbaai being a thriving fishing community, our first stop is to watch the fishermen come in from their catch but alas, we were late. However, the colourful boats resting on the ocean are still a pretty sight to behold.
After walking around, grab dinner at Catch Cook Restaurant that overlooks the entire Harbour with seating inside and outside. The menu has an array of options from seafood to pizza, sushi, and main meal items. I highly recommend asking for the fish of the day along with a side of your choice. Order a glass of wine, enjoy the laidback setting and, have a chat with the friendly staff.
As the night drew to a close, we headed back to our Airbnb. We stayed at a place called C-Pampoentjie BnB which is a deluxe guest suite for two. Glaudine, our host was exceptional; giving us tips on what to do and where to go, bringing us breakfast and, just great to chat with.
The suite is spacious with a king-size bed, en-suite bathroom, a well-equipped kitchenette, and plenty of seating. Sometimes you don’t need a fancy place to lay your head for the night.
It’s the next day and Cape Agulhas is on the agenda. Our plan is to visit Wine on Main; a little boutique winery shop to get some of the region’s best wines. You can even do a wine tasting before going home with all the wines you can carry.
Obviously, you can’t leave Agulhas without visiting the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse. As much as we’ve been there before, there’s a new 1km boardwalk linking the lighthouse precinct with the southern-most tip of Africa. Another new feature is the Map of Africa monument that we were dying to see.
After getting yet another photograph of ‘Where two oceans collide’ stone, a stranger asked us if we could capture a moment of him proposing to his girlfriend and we quickly got into position without her knowing. Everyone who witnessed it cheered and congratulated the couple and, we made sure to share the images who took with them afterwards. Sometimes travelling can surprise you.
After our short exploration in Agulhas, we headed back to Struisbaai to grab some lunch at a place called Sea Shack. The restaurant is located on the beach so make sure to wear sandals because the floor is sand. It’s a fun, beach vibe establishment with all the delectable seafood options. Get the Calamari & Chips, sit down and, order a bottle of wine.
With a full stomach, we drove down to the other side of the beach. The weather was beginning to turn gloomy but it didn’t stop me from reading a novel while Courtney swam in the warm Indian ocean.
Most of our weekend was spent unwinding. That’s the beauty of Struisbaai. It’s a town made for relaxation. A place to restore your weary, busy soul. A vacation to just grab your swimming suit and watch the days go by; overlooking the ocean.
Summer is their busiest season so go before or after summer ends. It’s certainly a place worth visiting at least once in your lifetime.
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Till the next small town.
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