Saldanha is named after a Portuguese admiral, Antonio de Saldanha, who, by the way, had never even see the bay!

As South Africa's largest natural bay, it offers a paradise for water sport enthusiasts, while it's sheltered harbour plays an important part in the huge Sishen-Saldanha iron ore project.

It has a huge iron ore quay and is home to a large variety of fishing vessels.

Must sleep at:

Protea Hotel Saldahna

Re-modeled to create an atmosphere of space and light, this hotel occupies a magnificent waterfront position only 80 minutes drive from Cape Town.

Excellent accommodation options include a choice of standard or superior rooms and suites; this  hotel boasts a first class restaurant, attractive lounge and cocktail bar, an indoor barbecue area, gym, as well as a games room with pool, table tennis, darts and kids play area.

The hotel has its own slipway and jetty and the bay is a haven for fishing and water sport enthusiasts.

Discover quaint fishing villages, abundant bird life, wild flowers, the seafood route and the magnificent Langebaan lagoon.

Find a great packages to suit your holiday and hotel needs.

Must eat at:

Slipway Restaurant

The Slipway Waterfront Restaurant nestles at the edge of the wind free, tranquil waters of Saldanha Bay harbour - only 90 minutes from Cape Town.

Fine fish fare and breathtaking views across the bay have become synonymous with the Slipway, as are the flotilla of small - and large fishing craft. The Slipway's very own Sail trader (plus a water taxi), stand at the ready to transport you around the harbour or out to sea, at your leisure.

Besides being the sub-continent's deepest and most natural harbour, Saldanha Bay is also home to some of the richest mussel farms (and oyster beds) anywhere on the SA coastline, delicacies highly recommended by the Slipway.

Contact details: 022 7144235
Email: slipway@mweb.co.za

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Must party at:

Flamingo´s Disco

Want good company, good music, fine drinks; then Flamingo´s Disco is the place to visit.

Open every Friday and Saturday nights till very late. They play a variety of music from "Langarm" to Rave. Something for the young as well as the old. There is also a cash bar available, where you can find any drink you can think of.

So after a nice relaxing dinner, make your way to Flamingo´s to dance the night away.

Contact details: Andre Vorster on 022 7721915

Must see:

Jacobsbaai

Jacobsbaai is a beautiful isolated bay a few kilometers north of Saldanha Bay with a sea frontage of about 2km. Its interesting coastline has peninsulas, rocky and sandy bays with cosy beaches and an abundance of seafood, crayfish, fish, mussels and abalone.

Jacobsbaai is often referred to as "Namaqualand by the sea" since its wild flowers are breathtakingly beautiful in spring.

It is interesting to note that the housing developments along Jacobsbaai are taking place according to strict architectural guidelines in an effort to create a typical West Coast town.

Must do:

Whale watching

Experience the best land based whale watching in the world on the southern shores of South Africa. Summer means pods of Southern Right whales migrate from Antarctica to the warmer African Atlantic.

Be prepared to see Humpback whales, Bryde's whales, Minke whale and more elusively, Orcas.