The festive season is finally upon us, and when visiting South Africa or being a local, festive time means beach time! South Africans love spending their December days at the beach as we have some of the most beautiful beaches, one of them being the beautiful white sand beach named Struisbaai.
A BIT ABOUT STRUISBAAI
This is an old fishing village which for many years had a beautiful natural harbour. It is located two hours south of Cape Town. It’s name possibly originates from holding the longest beach in the Southern Hemisphere, which stretches for about 14 kilometers!
Historically, the waters off Struisbaai have been infamous for shipwrecks. At least 30 vessels have run aground since 1673. One of these shipwrecks can still be seen, named the Meisho Maru, a Japanese vessel that met its end on November 16 1982. Luckily, because it sank so close to the shore, all 17 crew members were able to swim to safety, leaving the ship to fend for itself.
WHAT TO DO IN STRUISBAAI
There are many top attractions in Struisbaai and many activities for you and the family to enjoy. The annual Geelstertfees (Yellow tail festival) is held in this beautiful fishing village which revolves around food stalls, artists as well as musical performers. There are many restaurants to check out, stores where you can buy awesome souvenirs and so much more. Cape Agulhas is just a stone throw away, where you can visit lighthouses and also go to the point where the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean meet. Or you can take a lovely sunset walk along the pristine white sandy beach, possibly catch a glimpse of the Meisho Maru 38 shipwreck!
If you’re looking for a unique camping experience, there are informal braai and camping spots along the road just past Cape Agulhas, on the way to a tiny village called Suidstrand. This is a very cool spot to chill with family and friends as well as a good spot for fishing. It also boasts lots of little rock pools for the kiddies to explore.
Accommodation in Struisbaai is also a unique experience as a lot of the self catering spots are old fisherman houses. If self catering accommodation isn’t your thing, there are hotels to choose from in and around the area.
Struisbaai Beach and the village itself is a definite must visit when touring South Africa. If you’d like to see more, book a free concierge session with WanderfullySo or contact us to have a customized virtual tour set up for you. You could enjoy the beauty of Struisbaai Beach from the comfort of your chair!