Kleinmond
Kleinmond lies on a lagoon at the small mouth - hence the name - of the Botriver on a narrow strip of land hugged on the one side by the Palmiet Mountain range and on the other by the Atlantic Ocean.
Kleinmond is one of the four towns that make up the Hangklip-Kleinmond area.
Despite its beauty and relative peacefulness, Kleinmond is the largest of the four coastal towns Traditionally a retirement village, the town comes alive during holiday season and is renowned for large numbers of lobster in summer and whale watching in winter.
This unique area is also referred to as "Where time is only an illusion” Experience a place that offers something of interest for everyone-Where Whales Play & Wild Flowers Bloom - enjoy nature at its best!
Where is Kleinmond?
Kleinmond is situated on the scenic whale coast route between Cape Town and Hermanus. and next to Kogelberg - part of South Africa's 1st internationally UNESCO Biosphere Nature Reserve in the heart of the Cape Floral Kin It lies approximately 100 kms from Cape Town and near BettyBay home to the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens - just off the R44 - with indigenous flowers, fynbos covered mountain slopes, waterfalls , streams and dark pools is within minutes away. Lovely walks can be taken here. In addition, the area offers a wide range of activities including surfing, dune surfing, mountain hiking, kayaking and is close to wine-routes in Hermanus, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.
Activities
Kleinmond is a heaven for the outdoor enthusiast:
• Bird watching, Cape Otter, Seals and dolphins are often seen.
• Whale watching from May to December.
• A variety of small antelope, such as Klipspringer, Grysbok, Porcupine. Lynx, Baboons, Dassies, Mongoose, even Leopard and other smaller mammals such as baboons are often seen.
• White unspoilt beaches (Main Beach and Palmiet Beach) to swim, surf or just stroll .
Safe swimming in lagoons, walking, hiking, bird watching,and boat rentng
• Many hikes and trails within the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve.
• Rock climbing.
• Mountain biking trails.
• Sand Boarding at Blesberg Bettys Bay (15 km away)
• Scuba Diving, Snorkelling, Fishing and surfing on the Atlantic Ocean.*(lots of crayfish!)
• Windsurfing and canoeing on the lagoon or rivers in the area.As well as fresh water fishing such as Bass at Bettys Bay (15km away)
• The world class Golf courses of Arabella, Erinvale and Hermanus- only minutes away.
• Spoil yourself and indulge at the award winning Arabella Spa and Wellness centre.
• The Jackass Penguin Colony at Stony Point (BETTY's BAY) can be viewed from a viewing platform and the penguins are best seen in the late afternoon when they return from their day's fishing. An interesting fact is the African Penguin is one of 18 species worldwide, and the only penguin specie that breeds around African coasts.
• Stony Point - BETTY'S BAY
• At Stony Point, the remains of the Old Whaling station, which was in operation from 1912 to 1930, can still be seen. In 1976 South Africa signed the treaty to ban whaling and the big mammals are making a come back. Each year, Southern Right and Humpback whales migrate into our coastal waters to calve and nurse their young. These gentle giants provide unsurpassed whale watching opportunities between May and December. Stony Point is known to be a local and tourist hotspot for land-based whale watching.
Kleinmond & Betty's Bay
Welcome to our beautiful coastal playground - where time is only an illusion.
Betty's Bay
Betty's Bay (Afrikaans: Bettysbaai) is a small holiday town situated on the Overberg coast of South Africa's Western Cape province. It is located 96 km from Cape Town beneath the rugged KogelbergMountains and is on the scenic R44 ocean drive between Pringle Bayand Kleinmond. This village is the longest in South Africa at over 13 km. Tourism plays a large role in the town's economy due to the its popularity with holiday makers from across the Western Cape and Cape Town in particular.
During Colonial times Betty's Bay was a favourite place for runaway slaves, but in 1912 Betty's Bay became a formal whaling station running up until the 1930s. Remains of the whaling station can still be seen at Stony Point. The area is named after Betty Youlden, daughter of the first developer of the area.
Betty's Bay contains the well known Harold Porter National Botanical Garden as well as a Jackass Penguincolony.
The population of the town numbers approximately 500 permanent residents. Swelling to plus - minus 2 000 during peak season. It is only 30 minutes away of the neighbouring town of Hermanus where there are junior schools and high schools, private and government, plus a private hospital.
Not only is Betty’s Bay renowned for it’s magnificent floral kingdom, but it is also home to one of only three Penguin breeding colonies on the mainland of South Africa, the Jackass Penguin Colony. The Penguins can be viewed from a viewing platform at Stony Point, they are best viewed in the afternoon when they return from fishing. Betty’s Bay was formerly a whaling station and is now home to the Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens situated within the UNESCO Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. The remains of the Old Whaling Station, which was in operation from 1912 to 1930, can still be seen. Since whaling was banned in 1976 the big mammals are making a come back. Each year between May and December these gentle giants (both Southern Right and Humpback) provide unsurpassed whale watching opportunities.
