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South Africa Travel + Tourism Guide: Hout Bay

Hout Bay

20km south of Cape Town's city centre, Hout Bay ("Wood Bay") 40,000 inhabitants are a microcosm of the new South Africa with a mixed population of the fabulously wealthy and the desperately poor.

Originally developed by the original Dutch colonists for its supplies of timber, Hout Bay is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Surrounded by mountains to three sides including the stunning Chapman's Peak, Hout Bay faces the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

Still a functioning fishing port and the center of the local crayfish industry, Hout Bay is just as well-known now for its surfing - the annual Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing competition is held at "the Dungeons" here in July or August to the east of The Sentinel peak. Some of the biggest waves in the world can be expected.

Hout Bay harbour has a number of good restaurants and from nearby Mariner's Wharf visitors can take a boat trip to the tiny Duiker Island - known for its populations of wild birds and seals or go out on fishing expeditions.

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The small Hout Bay Museum (Tel: 021 790 3270) at 4 Andrews Road has exhibits on the local fishing and forestry industries. World of Birds (Tel: 021 790 2730) wildlife sanctuary on Valley Road is the largest bird park in Africa with over 3,000 birds from 400 species in 100 walk through aviaries. Squirrel monkeys and reptiles are also on the site.

There are two very upmarket hotels - the Hout Bay Manor (Tel: 021 790 0116) and the Chapman's Peak Hotel (Tel: 021 790 1036) in the bay area as well as a number of B&Bs and guesthouses.

The growth of the largely unserviced informal settlement of Imizamo Yethu has lead to tensions between the wealthy inhabitants of the bay and the impoverished in the settlement.

Hout Bay Access

Hout Bay can be reached in about 20 minutes from Cape Town and the M63 leads over Constantiaberg to Groot Constantia. The M6 runs through Camps Bay and Llandudno to Hout Bay.

Hotels in Cape Town South Africa - Agoda - hotels in all locations

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