Struisbaai
General Information
Struisbaai is an unbelievably picturesque coastal village approximately 4kms from Cape Agulhas. Close to the southernmost tip of Africa, visitors flock here every year during holiday season. Organised fun events and activities on the beach, and in town provide visitors with great entertainment for days on end.
Pretty white-washed fishermen houses are dotted at the entrance to Struisbaai which are national monuments today and have been restored into holiday homes. The spectacular white sandy beach which stretches all the way to Arniston is an endless and pleasurable past-time. This wonderful beach is a good representation of what makes Struisbaai so striking to visitors, as at 14kms in length it could be said that it is the longest beach in the Southern Hemisphere.
The quaint harbour originally built in 1959 and expanded in 1990, serves leisure boats as well as local fishing boats. Visitors can watch traditional fishermen bring in their daily catches and where the fresh fish can be purchased.
Struisbaai is home to a famous resident in the form of Parrie the giant stingray – he even has his own Facebook page! Parrie is undoubtedly the world’s most famous giant stingray and can be found in the shallow waters of the harbour, along with many of his “peers”.
Nature lovers will not be disappointed, there are many areas that offer great hiking, walking and mountain biking – meandering through the fynbos vegetation and beautiful dunes. The best time to view these exquisite florals is from autumn to spring. The birdlife in and around the area is varied and plentiful, much to the delight of avid birdwatchers. Seabirds including sandpipers, cormorants, gannets and seagulls can be found here.
Every year from June to early December whales can be spotted close to shore, providing much excitement for everyone.
There are many activities which can enjoy in Struisbaai including:
- Fishing
- Horseriding
- Hiking
- Paintballing
- Quadbiking
- Scuba-diving amongst many other watersports