The Coastal Journey

The Coastal Journey

Discover the earliest forms of art and technology

Still Bay

Palinggat-Stilbaai-1_08a

Situated on the estuary of the Goukou River that spills into the warm Indian Ocean, and one of the most popular and lively summer-holiday destinations on the Garden Route is the seaside town of Still Bay.

The picturesque coastal village is affectionately known as the Bay of Sleeping Beauty, due to its close proximity to the landmark Sleeping Beauty mountain peak at the nearby town of Riversdale.

Still Bay has long stretches of sandy white beaches, including an international Blue Flag beach; mild weather; a river that is navigable for 15km; and a small fishing harbour and landing strip for small aircraft.

The town is part of the Whale Coast that stretches from the Gourits River Mouth to Witsand, and whale watching is a huge drawcard from mid-July and mid-November when the mighty southern right whales migrate to its warm waters to calve and frolic in the bay.

Nature flourishes here, ensuring a restorative visit for travellers.

Highlights

  • Still Bay tidal fish traps
  • Blombos Museum
  • Inverroche Distillery

The Coastal Journey

1
Cape Town
50km to next stop

Cape Town is a fusion of diversity. It is a city overflowing with attractions for visitors interested in history, art, culture and a beautiful environment.

Read more See map Cape Town
2
Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden | Stellenbosch
6km to next stop

The seven-hectare Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden in Paradyskloof, Stellenbosch, is set among lush indigenous vegetation. The project was born in 2009 when its creator, the artist Dylan Lewis, started shaping the contours of the garden.

Read more See map Stellenbosch
3
Dine with a local | Stellenbosch
420km to next stop

The ‘Kayamandi Township Tour’ and ‘Dine With a Local’ experience offer visitors to Stellenbosch the chance to dine with locals from different backgrounds and learn about their daily lives, listen to their stories, and hear of their hopes and aspirations.

Read more See map Stellenbosch
4
Cango Caves | Oudtshoorn
93km to next stop

The Cango Caves is one of the world’s great natural wonders, sculpted by nature through the ages to create limestone formations in a wide variety of colours. Visitors can explore the spectacular underground wonders, including the finest dripstone caverns, vast halls and towering formations.

Read more See map Oudtshoorn
5
Dine with locals | George
95km to next stop

Book a two-hour ‘Dine with a Local’ experience through the George Tourism office to share a home-cooked meal with locals and enjoy music, poetry or dancing together. Diners can experience traditional cuisine, and supporting this local development project.

Read more See map George
6
Nelson Bay Cave | Plettenberg Bay
141km to next stop

Make your way to the spectacular Robberg Nature Reserve to track some fascinating archaeological discoveries at Nelson Bay Cave. The site preserves archaeological materials from the Middle and Later Stone Age and thus dates from more than 40 000 years ago up to recent San occupation.

Read more See map Plettenberg Bay
7
Cape St Blaize Cave | Mossel Bay
9km to next stop

The cave at Cape St Blaize, below Mossel Bay’s lighthouse, is the site of some of South Africa’s first Middle Stone Age archaeological excavations. More recently, parts of the cave were explored by scientists as part of the Mossel Bay Archaeology Project, which was also conducting excavations at Pinnacle Point Site Complex.

Read more See map Mossel Bay
8
Pinnacle Point | Mossel Bay
110km to next stop

At the archaeological site of Pinnacle Point, an international team of researchers has found some of the earliest evidence for modern human behaviour.

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9
Blombos Cave | Still Bay
29km to next stop

Blombos Cave is a world-famous archeological site, overlooking the sea and located in a private nature reserve not open to the public. Archaeologists have uncovered some of the first evidence of symbolism, cognitive thinking and technological advancement, traits used to define modern human behaviour.

Read more See map Still Bay
10
Tidal Fish Traps | Still Bay
218km to next stop

At Still Bay at least 25 stonewalled fish traps represent the technological and economic evolution of early fishing practices in the area. These traps were built at the correct height to trap fish during a falling tide.

Read more See map Still Bay
11
Waenhuiskrans Cave | Arniston
110km to next stop

Continue your exploration at the picturesque seaside town of Waenhuiskrans, also known as Arniston, about 25km from Bredasdorp. Here, discover – though only at low tide! – the massive limestone Waenhuiskrans Cave, falling within the Waenhuiskrans Nature Reserve.

Read more See map Arniston
12
Klipgat Cave | De Kelders
30km to next stop

Klipgat Cave is located close to the seaside village of De Kelders and it is accessed via the Walker Bay Nature Reserve, managed by Cape Nature. Here visitors will be welcomed by dramatic ocean views.

Read more See map Gansbaai
13
Phillipskop Mountain Reserve | Stanford
160km to next stop

The Phillipskop Mountain Reserve lies 10km east of Stanford. This is one of the few sites with rock art in the Cape Overberg region and the only known site in the Cape Whale Coast.

Read more See map Stanford