Pringle Bay in the Western Cape province is located some 85 kilometers from Cape Town. It is a small coastal town in a Biosphere Reserve located on the Whale Route. The place is named after the Royal Navy Commander (then still in training), Sir Thomas Pringle.
It is surrounded by the Kogel Mountains and has views over the endless Atlantic Ocean with the tip of Cape Point in the distance. It is especially the beautiful fynbos with its many species of proteas that makes this area so spectacular. The Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve of 100,000 hectares is a place where 1800 different plants grow. You will not encounter large game, but there are still leopards, dassies, hares, small antelopes, klipspringers, gray goats and baboons. Falcons, osprey and black eagles hunt and live here and a herd of wild horses also travels through this rugged area.
But the silver-white beach and the lagoon where the Buffalo River meets the ocean also make the place special, especially when the sun sets slowly here. The beach is never crowded here and during the holidays you will find lifeguards.
History enthusiasts can find archaeological evidence of the existence of the Khoi-Khoi, the original inhabitants of this area. And only two centuries ago the mountain caves were inhabited by runaway slaves. Later stories about this area are mainly about the pirates and past ships in False Bay.
There are a number of restaurants in the village and a 10-minute drive will take you to the penguin colony and Harold Porter Botanical Gardens. In the nearby area you will find golf courses and wine estates. Hermanus is a 45-minute drive away. You will also find numerous coastal and mountain hiking routes.
And it may be clear that Sea Food is at its best here! If you yourself want to fish for lobster or something else, you need a permit.
Go for a picnic, surf or swim and enjoy this little paradise!
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