Strand

Description

Strand is a picturesque coastal town at the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, between Macassar and Gordon’s Bay, in the Western Cape. It is a popular destination during the summertime, especially for those travelling from Johannesburg to the coast. With a 5km sandy beach, views of the Cape Peninsula, a beachfront entertainment area, and quaint seaside accommodations, Strand offers a holiday that is hard to beat.

Strand (Afrikaans for “beach”) was established as a holiday and fishing resort in 1714. It is considered part of the greater city of Cape Town (50km away) with a train service linking it to the Mother City. Strand forms part of the Helderberg basin, along with Somerset West and Gordon’s Bay, allowing easy access to a number of excellent wine estates.

The main beach, Melkbaai Beach, is known to be one of the safest swimming beaches in South Africa. The Atlantic Ocean waters are a playground for water sports like surfing, kite surfing, sailing, power boating, paddle skiing, and board sailing. The Pipe is a section of the beach marked off for surfers with fantastic waves for surfing, while the coast between the Lourens River mouth and Rooiels is popular for beach fishing and angling.

The Strand promenade is the place to be during the summertime. It boasts a range of entertainment facilities like putt-putt, a tidal pool, an indoor Olympic sized swimming pool, and various restaurants, coffee shops, and bars. Waterworld Strand is also found along the beachfront and its swimming pools, super tubes, shaded Jacuzzi pool, and coffee shop are hard to turn down.

Strand is a playground for outdoor sports. You will find a golf course, tennis courts, rugby fields, squash clubs, a jukskei facility, and more. Enjoy a range of indoor sports, from cricket and hockey, to netball and soccer at Somerset Action Sport in Die Bos, just 4km away.

The Strand town centre has everything you need for a self-catering holiday. There are plenty of banks, shops, restaurants, and supermarkets, as well as cosy eateries if you don’t feel like catering for yourself. Shopping malls include Dorpsmeent Centre and Somerset Mall situated just outside of Strand.

Leisure lovers will be in their element in Strand. Play a round of golf at Strand Golf Course, go wine tasting, visit the mosque, go quad biking in Grabouw, learn to surf with Son Surf School, or explore Dick Dent Bird Sanctuary. The coastal road leading to Gordon’s Bay is fantastic for whale watching between June and November. A flea market is held on the beachfront on Sundays, while the Strand Farmers Market is held at the Strand Dutch Reformed Church every Friday, offering a range of plants, clothes, food, and crafts.

Whether you prefer an active or leisurely holiday, Strand is the ideal destination for romantic or family holidays, or getaways with friends.