Houtbay is a village 10kms from Cape town, so named because of the abundance of tall trees which were used for the ship building industry in the 18th centrury.
Today the fishing industry provides many of the locals with employment, whilst the beaches, mountain walks, island boat trips, Chapman’s Peak drive and the amazing weekend markets ensure that the tourists flock here in their thousands. The bay itself tends to trap the warm water and so bathing, stand up paddling and kayaking are very popular activities. For the more daring there is a boat sunk in the middle of the bay that provides scuba divers with adventure.
Info on Restaurants
Hout Bay is lucky to host two of Cape Town’s best restaurants – both of which require advance booking.
Katima is a Thai Restaurant in one of the original farmhouses dating from the 18th century – the German/Thai owned dining experience, combined with their enormous homemade as well as imported cocktail collection will ensure that you will never forget this place. When you enter the reception area, the lavish table set for the resident ghost, will immediately tell you that this is no ordinary restaurant. Right on the beach is the trendy DUNES restaurtant, but the harbour has also a huge selection of take aways as well as the famous Marines Wharf beach restaurant
And our favourite is the TINTSWALO restaurant that sits under Chapmans peak in a national park on the beach.
Info on markets
Every weekend the open common on the way to Chapmans Peak sells lots of homemade curios – the perfect place to buy your souvenirs. My kids always make me go there just for their doughnuts
If you are in party mood go to the Hout Bay market right at the far end of the working harbour– drive right through the town towards the harbour, don’t turn left, but keep going. It is in an enormous hall, perfect in case you want to escape bad weather (admittedly luckily does not happen often) – they always have awesome live bands playing, a rocking athmosphere, about 30 deli stands from sushi to flammkuchen and bratwurst and of course draught beer – and the serious shopper can buy a stunning array of local and imported products, from curios to new and vintage clothing, toys, jewellery and so much more …..
