The West Coast is where time moves slowly and days are spent combing windswept beaches and enjoying bountiful feasts of seafood. Its irresistible allure – of ocean and salt, whitewashed walls and the scent of woodsmoke – is what keeps people coming back year after year.
It’s a coastline that captures the imagination: from the first glimpse of the Aegean-blue Langebaan Lagoon from the R27 highway to Velddrif’s flamingo-flecked saltpans and the colourful fishing boats returning with their catch in Paternoster. It’s also not a place of citified convenience, nor is there a concern for the opinions of outsiders – the West Coast is unapologetically real, unpretentious and unfiltered. For the visitor, the area opens up a series of evocative experiences that will spark an unshakeable desire to return.
📍LANGEBAAN
Unofficially the most famous attraction along this stretch of coast, Langebaan Lagoon is the closest one can get to the Greek Isles without leaving South Africa. With its azure waters, sheltered beaches and picturesque vistas, it’s been popular with holidaymakers since the days of the ox wagon. The cosmopolitan heart of the area, Langebaan is a town designed for pleasure, with multiple restaurants, shopping, kitesurfing, fishing and a golf course attracting visitors with varied tastes.
Your first stop just before the lagoon, if you’re heading up the R27, should be Yzerfontein, a charming village just an hour from Cape Town. Loved for its laidback lifestyle and proximity to the city, “Yzer” also has a fledgling foodie culture that is growing stronger by the day. Nearby Darling is a typically quirky country town, also with a surprising number of foodie attractions.
West Coast National Park
Good to know There are two entry points: Langebaan Gate in the north, just outside town via Park Drive; or West Coast Gate in the south, off the R27, closer to Yzerfontein.
Cost SA citizens/residents: R70 (adult), R35 (child)
SADC nationals and international visitors: R110 (adult), R55 (child)
Note: The entry fee goes up in flower season.
Opening times Daily, 7am – 7pm (last entry 6.30pm)
Note: In winter it closes an hour earlier.
Contact 022 772 2144, moipone.thathane@sanparks.org
Where to find it Off the R27
Rosemead Artisan Bakery
Run by Hannelie and Brett Nortier, this popular spot in Yzerfontein is never devoid of a crowd (we advise placing your loaf order prior to arriving to ensure you get what you came for). Famous for pasteis de nata, pain au chocolat, croissants and a selection of seeded sourdough, ciabatta and olive sticks, it also has a small bistro that serves breakfasts, delicious soups, sandwiches and cakes.
Opening times Wednesday – Saturday, 8am – 3.30pm
Sunday, 8am – 2pm
Contact 066 222 5076, brett@rosemeadartisan.co.za
Where to find it Corner of Park and Volstruis Streets, Yzerfontein
La Petite Maison
Helmed by Michelin-starred French chef Yohann Suire and his South African wife, LaRetha Venter, this culinary collaboration amalgamates West Coast ingredients with French execution – think classic mouclade made with mussels sourced in neighbouring Saldanha Bay. Located in the historic Farmhouse Hotel in Langebaan, La Petite Maison’s menu is not its only drawcard: a sprawling verandah overlooks the lagoon, while inside a double-volume space replete with fireplace and thatched eaves offers respite on winter nights.
Good to know There is a kiddies menu.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 8am – 10pm
Sunday, 8am – 5pm
Contact 064 657 7716, reservations@lapetitemaisonrestaurant.co.za
Where to find it The Farmhouse Hotel, 5 Egret Street, Myburgh Park, Langebaan
West Coast Fossil Park
Roughly five million years ago, the Langebaan we know today looked very different. Profuse with water, the area was subtropical, lush and fertile, teeming with fantastic beasts like the sabre-toothed cat, the African bear and sivathere (short-necked giraffe). The fossilised remains of these and many other animals can be seen at the site of an ongoing excavation at West Coast Fossil Park (north of Langebaan in the hamlet of Langebaanweg). Great for all ages, the park features a museum, interactive exhibitions and a guided tour of the dig sites (with a “mock dig” for children). The West Coast Chef School also has a cafe here, and there is a market every second Saturday of the month.
Good to know The park is home to modern-day fauna and flora, too, best seen on the hiking and cycling trails (R20 – R50).
Cost Museum: R50 (adult), R30 (child age 5 – 15 years), R40 (pensioners/students)
Tour: R100 (adult), R50 (child), R70 (pensioners/students)
Opening times Tuesday – Sunday, 9am – 3pm
Guided tours: 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm (weekdays); 10am, 11am, 12pm (weekends)
Contact 022 766 1606, edu@fossilpark.org.za
Where to find it Off the R45, Langebaanweg
!Khwa ttu
Located just before the Yzerfontein turnoff, !Khwa ttu houses a collection of Khoi-San art, history and cultural artefacts curated in collaboration with surviving communities in the Northern Cape, Botswana and Namibia. It celebrates our human origins through its enjoyably educational Heritage Centre spread over three buildings (the purpose-built Way of the San is beautiful and thought-provoking). Tours with San guides can include tea tasting, bush and medicinal foods, tracking or a game drive. Come for the culture, stay for the cuisine – chef Werlise Rautenbach’s San-inspired menu reflects her passion for local produce, foraged ingredients and local fare.
Good to know There are also walking and biking trails, and cottages or glamping for overnight stays.
Cost R80
R180 (45-minute tour with a San guide)
R320 (90-minute game drive)
Note: Entry fees are optional on the first day of the month.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 9am – 5pm
Contact 022 492 2998, info@khwattu.org
Where to find it Off the R27
Groote Post Vineyards
One of the oldest farms on the West Coast, originally a trading post for sailors heading down to Table Bay, is now a celebrated wine estate run by three generations of the Pentz family. Groote Post bottles West Coast flavour – the Seasalter Sauvignon Blanc has been lauded as the quintessential “Weskus white”. Pop in for a tasting and stay for a picnic in the garden or a modern country lunch at Hilda’s Kitchen, a restaurant housed in the former home of Hildagonda Duckitt (an avid cook and late-1800s cookbook author).
Good to know The farm is also a reserve, with game viewing available at 9am, which includes a cheese-and-wine stop with views of Table Mountain. Booking is 48 hours in advance.
Cost R30 (tasting of six wines)
R225 (picnic platter)
Game drive: R980 (1 – 3 people); R245 per person (4 – 9 people); R95 for children
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 10am – 4pm
Restaurant: Wednesday – Sunday, 12pm – 2.30pm
Contact 022 492 2825, wine@grootepost.co.za
Where to find it Darling Hills Road, off the R307 or R27, near Darling
WHERE TO STAY
Slipway Cottage, Churchhaven
One of the oldest farms on the West Coast, originally a trading post for sailors heading down to Table Bay, is now a celebrated wine estate run by three generations of the Pentz family. Groote Post bottles West Coast flavour – the Seasalter Sauvignon Blanc has been lauded as the quintessential “Weskus white”. Pop in for a tasting and stay for a picnic in the garden or a modern country lunch at Hilda’s Kitchen, a restaurant housed in the former home of Hildagonda Duckitt (an avid cook and late-1800s cookbook author).
Good to know The farm is also a reserve, with game viewing available at 9am, which includes a cheese-and-wine stop with views of Table Mountain. Booking is 48 hours in advance.
Cost R30 (tasting of six wines)
R225 (picnic platter)
Game drive: R980 (1 – 3 people); R245 per person (4 – 9 people); R95 for children
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 10am – 4pm
Restaurant: Wednesday – Sunday, 12pm – 2.30pm
Contact 022 492 2825, wine@grootepost.co.za
Where to find it Darling Hills Road, off the R307 or R27, near Darling
The Boat and Beach House, Yzerfontein
Combining modernity with a classic maritime aesthetic, this is the epitome of beachfront living. The main house is a whitewashed villa just steps from the sea, with an enclosed verandah and open-air deck. Pull up some chairs or hop in the hot tub and set the scene for sundowners… The adjoining but separate wood-clad boat house (a designer Scandi-chic conversion of a shed) has its own stoep with a hot tub. Do take a walk around the quiet neighbourhood and perhaps spot one of Yzerfontein’s resident ostriches.
Good to know The main house sleeps 10 in four bedrooms; the boat house sleeps 4 in two bedrooms (one is a loft room). Dogs are welcome.
Cost Beach House: From R8 500 per night
Boat House: From R2 500 per night
Where to find it 1 Mossel Street, Yzerfontein
