Gordons Bay, a breathtaking coastal village, lies in a corner of False Bay where the majestic Hottentots Holland Mountain dips it’s toes in the ocean.
Only 45 minutes drive from Cape Town and adjacent to Somerset West and Strand, this popular vacation destination is the only town in South Africa boasting with 2 fully operational Harbours, namely the Old Harbour where you will find the Gordon’s Bay Yacht Club and Harbour Island a marina development with mooring for yachts and home of the Gordon’s Bay Boat Angling Club.
The History of Gordons Bay
Gordons Bay has had a few name changes over the the last 350 years. In 1672 Gordons Bay was called Vischers Baaij. Later variations were Vischbaai, Visch Hoek and then Fish Hoek. Gordons Bay grew from a fishing village to a holiday resort in the late 1800’s.
Where to stay in Gordons Bay
Accommodation in Gordons Bay caters for every taste and budget. Accommodation options available include camping, back packers lodges, self catering accommodation, bed & breakfast accommodation, guest houses and a hotel.
Various beach front establishments are available along the Main Beach and Bikini Beach, just a stone’s throw from the ocean.
Visit our Accommodation Page..
Where to eat in Gordons Bay
No matter what your taste, Gordons Bay will have a restaurant that suit you, from Fine Dining to Italian, Chinese, Seafood, Burgers and Tappas. Most of the restaurants are somewhere close to the ocean and the favourite eating spots are in the Old Harbour, along the main beach front and Harbour Island where you will find various restaurants overlooking the luxurious yachts moored in the marina.
The best “Fish & Chips” spots are Ooskus Fisheries, The Tavern, Trawlers, Berties Mooring and Ocean Basket
Night Life in Gordons Bay
If you are looking for something to do at night, no need to travel very far. Gordon’s Bay has various establishments offering live entertainment and big screen TV’s for those games.
The favourite spots are The Tavern, Melt’s Tavern, Berties Mooring..
Visit our Events & Entertainment calendar
Gordons Bay Annual Events
Gordon’s Bay has a couple of annual events that will have you coming back for more.. even in Winter.
- Winter Wonderland Festival – Last weekend in June
- The Leapfrog 21km Western Province Championship Race – April
- The NSRI Link Festival – November
Things to do in Gordon’s Bay
(Click on the link for more information)
Bikini Beach BooksStepping over the threshold is like slipping into another world where your senses are soothed by soft, haunting music and a sea of books piled on tables, shelves, and the floor. Immediately you begin perusing, and before you know it, you find yourself in a narrow passage where book stacks cling precariously to the walls leading you into a labyrinth of literature, poetry, fact, and fiction; the range is impressive. However, it is not a bookshop for the faint-hearted. Categorised and alphabetized to a degree, it does nonetheless take more of an effort to find exactly the book or author you are looking for, which may frighten off some prospective buyers, but for many, the need to linger and delve is precisely what makes this bookshop so compelling. Read more.. |
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Steenbras Lookout pointThe trip to the final viewpoint culminating at the plant is well worthwhile as the view over this section of coastline is truly beautiful with Gordons Bay’s housing hugging the steep slopes and the flatlands of Somerset West beyond. Also clearly seen is the strip mall section of high-rise buildings in the Strand, a section of exquisite flat bathing beaches. This view, over this very large extent of azure blue, deepening to ultramarine, waters of False Bay, has a most calming and tranquil effect on one – a breathtaking experience, all from one vantage point! Read More… |
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Take a scenic drive along Clarence Drive to HermanusThis is one of the most scenic coastal drives in South Africa and well worth the effort. It is the also the first part of Route 3: The Whale Route and features dramatic coastline and beaches, fynbos biosphere, Jackass Penguin colony, baboons, whale watching, birding, shark cage diving and hiking and then …….we throw in some wine estates, just to round things off. Read more… |
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BeachesThe famous Blue Flag beach – Bikini Beach, Gordon’s Baylies tucked against the Gordon’s Bay old harbour wall which shelters this fantastic beach from the southerly winds that often blow during the summer months. When you are on Gordon’s Bay’s Main Beach you can easily imagine yourself being somewhere in the French Riviera as the beach and the water have the same calm quality. This proves to be a fantastic beach for families and small children, especially during low tide. Read more… |
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Picnic under the Milkwood treesTake a stroll along the shoreline by following our wonderful coastal path which meanders all along the coast and under the shady Milkwood trees. Secluded beaches with great boulders are fabulous for kids to scramble on. |
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Surf at Bikini Beach or Koeel BaySurfing is an extremely popular water sport along the False Bay coast. Along with the relaxed atmosphere, surfing forms an integral part of the beach culture of this area. Surfers from all walks of life can be seen on a daily basis getting their early morning fix before their day starts. An interesting fact of surfing spots at Strand is that a lot of them are some distance offshore, however, most of these spots are frequently surfed, and despite the probability of sharks, these spots are much easier and safer to surf than other offshore surf spots on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Cape Peninsula. Read more… |
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Deep Sea FishingWith over 320 common sea fish that occur around the South African coastline, deep sea fishing opportunities abound. ‘The solution to any problem is to go fishing… and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be’ |
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Danie Miller Hiking TrailThe Danie Miller Hiking Trail in Gordon’s Bay traces the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, offering a fantastic view of the Helderberg and False Bay. The trail offers a fairly easy walk from Aurora Drive to the landmark Gordon’s Bay anchor. Read more… |
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Scuba DivingThe diving sites in the area are varied and have a lot of surprises to offer. You can experience spectacular sea fans in beautiful bright colours such as, oranges and reds which sway in the surge. You might even run into a friendly Cape Fur Seal or a root-mouthed jellyfish. Read more… |
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Hike up to Crystal PoolsCrystal Pools is a very popular and fairly easy hike to a series of mountain pools in a beautiful Valley known as the Steenbras River Gorge, but it officially forms part of the Steenbras Nature Reserve, and the hike follows the Palmiet River up the gorge. Read more… |
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Horse RidingCome and enjoy a beautiful horseback ride through the various vineyards of the Helderberg and through a few of the surrounding wine farms. The natural bird-life and beautiful mountains will add to the tranquillity of the ride. Some of the rides go through forests where the trees only slightly allow a glimpse of sky. With the only sound being the horse’s hooves on the earth, you will feel complete peace and relaxation. Read more… |
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More things to do in and around Helderberg
Type of Activity |
Activity & Area |
| Sport/Adrenalin | ✓ Gordons Bay – Guided Sea Kayak Day Trips✓Strand/Somerset West – Play a round of Golf at Strand Golf Club, Somerset West, or Erinvale Golf Course ✓ Gordons Bay – Surf at Bikini Beach or Koeel Bay ✓ Gordons Bay – Go Deep Sea Fishing ✓ Gordons Bay – Hike the Danie Miller Hiking Trail up to the GB sign ✓ Gordons Bay – Rent a bicycle & cycle around our Village ✓ Gordons Bay – Go Scuba Diving ✓ Kogel Bay – Hike up to Crystal Pools (permits required) ✓ Sir Lowry’s Pass – Go Horse Riding at Journey’s End ✓ Somerset West – Go Hiking at the Helderberg Nature Reserve (Check our Events & Entertainment Page for Guided Hikes) ✓ Sir Lowry’s Pass – Paraglide from Sir Lowry’s Pass Lookout Point (seasonal) ✓ Sir Lowry’s Pass – Spend the day at Blue Rock where you can Cable Water Ski, Wake Board, Fufi Slide, Play Paint Ball, swim in the Badi or have a picnic ✓ Somerset West – Hit a couple of balls at the Vodacom Golf Driving range ✓ Somerset West – Mountain Biking at Schapenberg located at Ongegund Lodge ✓ Somerset West – Spend the day at Helderberg Farm where you can Mountain Bike, Hike one of their Trails, try the 4×4 Route, play Laser Games or go Gravel Carting ✓ Somerset West – Play Paintball at Helderberg Farm ✓ Grabouw – Go on a quad biking adventure ✓ Grabouw/Stellenbosch – Go on a Segway Adventure ✓ Strand – Rent a surfboard from Son Surf School at Strand Beach & learn to Surf ✓ Gansbaai – Go Shark Cage Diving ✓ Betty’s Bay – Go Sand Boarding |
| Sight Seeing/Other | ✓ Gordons Bay – Browse for some reading at Bikini Beach Books ✓ Gordons Bay/Strand/Somerset West – Treat yourself at one of our Spa’s ✓ Gordons Bay – Visit an Art Exhibitions by our local artists – exhibitions take place the last weekend of every month. Visit our Events & Entertainment Page for info. ✓ Gordons Bay – Take a scenic drive up to the Steenbras Water Treatment Plant ✓ Somerset West/Sir Lowrys Pass – Tour the Helderberg Wine Route ✓ Lwandle – Visit the Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum ✓ Somerset West/Strand – Visit our famous Bird Watching spots ✓ Somerset West – Go shopping at Somerset Mall ✓ Somerset West/Gordons Bay – Visit one of our local Craft Markets ✓ Gordons Bay – Take a scenic drive along Clarence Drive to Hermanus ✓ Betty’s Bay – Visit the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens ✓ Hermanus – Go Whale Watching (seasonal) ✓ Western Cape – Do the Brandy Route |
| Family Activities |
✓ Gordons Bay – Spend the day at one of our beaches |
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