"Mossel Bay" Top 5 Page for this destination Mossel Bay by didgeridorien

Mossel Bay Travel Guide: 76 reviews and 118 photos

Storm rolling in over Mossel Bay - Mossel Bay

General

Mossel Bay is a town with just over 82,000 inhabitants. It lies in the Western Cape province, on the Garden Route. It borders the Indian Oceans and has the only north facing beach in South Africa and is therefore also a popular surf spot. Mossel Bay has the second mildest climate in the world (Hawaii is the first).

History

St. Blaise trail

Nomadic Khoisan people were the first inhabitants of this area, the caves they used to inhabit are still visible.
Bartolomeu Dias arrived here in 1488, naming it Bay of St Blaise. It was renamed to Mossel Bay by the Dutch navigator Paulus van Caerden in 1601.

Wildlife

Humpback whale

Mossel Bay is home to a resident population of bottlenose dolphins and common dolphins and humpback dolphins can also be seen on a regular basis. During the whale season (june-october) humbacks and southern right whales also visit the bay.
There is an island (Seal Island) in the bay that has a population of over 5,000 seals, that can often be seen playing along the rocky shores.
The seal population also attrackts white sharks, that are always present in the area. There are no shark nets along the beaches, but there has only been one shark attack since recording began.

Last visit to Mossel Bay: Apr 2009
Intro Written May 18, 2009
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Reviews (29)

Car rent Transportation (2)

There is an Avis in Mossel Bay, so you can rent a car there or drop it off and see the surroundings. Avis is at the... more travel advice

Lighthouse Off The Beaten Path (2)

The lighthouse offers an amazing view of the town and the bay. If you get there early morning or late afternoon, you can... more travel advice

Seals, dolphins and whales Things to Do (10)

There are a few operators that organise trips to Seal Island to watch the seals. During the whale season there are also... more travel advice

Cage Diving Things to Do (10)

White Shark Africa is the only cage diving company in Mossel Bay, that is only allowed to cage dive around Seal Island.... more travel advice

Shopping (3)
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Restaurants (7)
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Nightlife (5)
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Comments (1)

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junecorlett May 19, 2009 at 4:44 AM

Hello, nice tips here for Mossel Bay. We always bypass this town as the road from PE to CapeTown bypasses it. Pity - I know it has become a new tourist attraction oin South Africa.