Although named False Bay, in reality its a true bay, formed by its huge C-shape curve in the coastline.

This outlying part of Cape Town is basically a collection of seaside villages, towns and hamlets all dotted along the coast,  about 32 km / 45 min drive south east of the city centre. If you plan on going out to Cape Point (a must see), you will probably drive through them unless you are cutting across the mountain from the Atlantic coast side, in which case you bypass some of the towns as you are cutting into the coastal road further south.

The towns and villages of Muizenberg, St. James, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek and Simonstown are each unique in character and appearance even though they are a few min drive from each other, and are basically now viewed as outlying  “suburbs” of Cape Town.

The first town you will get to along the coast as you head south towards Cape Point is Muizenberg, first established as a Dutch Military Post in 1743. This eclectic and colourful beach-side town was once THE vacation destination for wealthy South Africans, but today its more famous for its long sandy beach, surfing and bohemian lifestyle. There is a distinct creative and cultural side to this town, so its worth exploring the various galleries, theatres as well as its cultural centre – Casa Labia (once the home of an Italian Count, built in the late 18th Century Venetial Style). The Het Posthuys and Rhodes Cottage Museum are 2 famous Cape Landmarks you cant miss as they are along the main road, a constant reminder of this areas unique and fascinating history.

Considered to be one of the best surf spots in the country because of its reliable surf breaks and long flat beach, its  an ideal spot for both beginner and advanced surfers, and there are a number of Surf Schools and Surf Shops where you can book lessons or rent boards and wetsuits.

The fact that whole False Bay area is considered to be “sharky”, has not stopped thousands of surfers and swimmers from enjoying the surf, but you’d be wise to keep an eye on the Shark Spotters colour coded warning flags.

The next village you get to is St. James, the smallest village along this stretch of coast, named after the Catholic Church built in 1880. Here you really become aware of the distinct feature of this coastline…  (the Railway Line winding its way along the coast connecting Cape Town to Simonstown), as the St James Station is a stone throw from the colourful Victorian style Bathing Huts and the Tidal Pool that St. James is famous for.

To get a more scenic view of False Bay, take the Boyes Drive turnoff from the main road and within minutes you’ll be looking down at St James and an overview of False Bay, and hopefully a partial break from the coastal road traffic jam.

The beautiful old St.James Hotel, a landmark for over 120 years was converted into a private and elegant Retirement Hotel Facility Care Centre in 1990, and is the only beachfront Retirement Hotel in the Cape.

Next stop is my favourite spot along this coast –  the vibey and bohemian Kalk Bay …  adding to the charm of this seaside village lined with some great shops and restaurants, is the fact that this is an active working harbour, where you can buy the “catch of the day” straight off the boat.

Don’t be fooled by the size of this little seaside village, it is jam packed with things to do (day and night) and I suggest spending a full day here, browsing through a variety of interesting shops and galleries -not forgetting the many places to eat at or grab a snack …a few of note are .. the Olympia Cafe & Deli (my favourite breakfast spot along this coast), The exotic Cape To Cuba (great food and eye candy atmosphere), The Harbour Hous , Brass Bell Venue, Satori, Kalky’s, Lekker and the Kalk Bay Cafe.

The Kalk Bay Theatre (now located at the Brass Bell Pub and Restaurant Venue) offers a truly unique Theatre experience and apart from the new Theatre Restaurant, the Brass Bell Venue also houses a collection of other different pub/restaurants each unique in its own way.

Then last but not least… if you’re looking for something unique as a gift, or to take home as a momento of your trip, then head over to The Kalk Bay Modern (situated above the Olympia Cafe). This is a fantastic Contemporary Art Gallery and Craft Shop, which focuses on emerging South African talents as well as some well established artists, and as a bonus it also houses one of the largest collections of San Art in the country.

A short drive further along the coast and you’ll be in Fish Hoek – a sleepy seaside town that seems to be stuck in the 60’s, and until quite recently was know as a “dry town” because Alcohol was not permitted to be sold anywhere in town based on the original condition of sale agreed upon before the farm was subdivided and sold as residential plots.

Fish Hoek however is really known for its swimming beach and its 1.3km coastal trail / path named Jagers walk. Because of a few deadly Great White Shark attacks over the years It is now home to the worlds only and unique soft “Exclusion”  Shark Net, which is eco friendly and is unlike any of the other hard shark nets used around the world. The Exclusion Net offers full protection from the ocean floor to the surface, and as it has to be deployed on a daily basis weather permitting, it is only used during the spring and summer months. This has not deterred many year round swimmers (many being retirees), from enjoying a regular morning ocean swim.

Next stop and end of the road as far as towns or villages go along this stretch of coast is Simonstown – a historic and picturesque town which has been home to South Africas largest Naval Base for almost two centuries – first for the British Royal Navy and then the South African Navy. It is also the end of the Southern Railway line that links Cape town to the Southern Suburbs.

Simonstown’s  Boulders Beach, famous for its colony of African Penguins, lies just outside the town in the direction of Millers Point, which is about 4km further south as you head towards Cape Point. This area of small coves and beaches interspersed between huge boulders of Cape Granite also makes for safe and secluded bathing and offers some refief from the notorious south easter wind.

I have a soft spot for Simonstown because of the way its natural beauty just seems to blend in seamlessly with its rich history. It’s not as vibey as Kalk Bay but is just as nice in a very different way…offering a charm and elegance of its own as can be seen in its beautifully preserved buildings. The town has a good selecton of restaurants and shops, a beautiful marina and all in all is an ideal spot for a family vacation or a romantic getaway. Well worth a visit …and once you’ve spent some time there you’ll always want to return.