Unashamedly relaxed barefoot living, West Coast beach house style
Casa Blu, one of the first gems in our West Coast collection, remains an idyllic beach hideaway in little-known Dwarskersbos.
You couldn’t get closer to the beach if you tried than at this hidden treasure up the West Coast. It’s the best kind of surprise at the end of the 90-minute drive from Cape Town to the little holiday town of Dwarskersbos, and just when you find yourself wondering where you’re headed as you pass flocks of grazing sheep, you arrive at the end of the road, the beach sand virtually there as you jump out the car.
There’s a delicious sense of being far removed from it all once ensconced at Casa Blu, with its loftily proportioned Cape vernacular architecture a contemporary take on the charming West Coast fisherman cottages so beloved of the region. It has the typical whitewashed walls, shuttered windows and wide, shady stoep, but with lots of clever details and immaculate styling thrown in for a look that manages to be both sophisticated and perfectly relaxed. Long lazy afternoons are spent lounging about on the banquettes or hammock on the stoep, in the quasi-shade of the Mediterranean-style curtains and the latte roof so typical of South Africa’s beach houses. It’s this beautiful setting that has graced the pages of many a lifestyle magazine and piqued the interest of location scouts over the years: its raw simplicity evoking everything we love about the barefoot beach lifestyle of the West Coast.
One of the best things about the house is that you can enjoy the ocean views from just about every room and while prepping meals in the lovely open-plan kitchen. Everyone gathers in this glorious sun-drenched and spacious living area but there’s no better spot for enjoying sundowners than on the upstairs terrace. Dubbed the whale-watching terrace, for good reason, not only for whales but also the breathtaking spectacle of Heaviside dolphins leaping through the surf.
West Coast delights…
Mornings here start off with coffee taken down to the beach before heading back to the house for breakfast. Just 12km away is the fish market and a good butcher where you can stock up for the evening’s braai. After an exhausting day in the surf and sun, curl up under cool Egyptian cotton sheets and light, breathable throws, just the thing for muggy summer nights. All the bedrooms have been individually decorated with the same loving attention to detail found throughout this fabulous retreat.
What we love!
- Location: set right ON the dune, the day’s rhythms are set by the sea and the house is filled with that glorious fresh ocean scent that fills your lungs as soon as you arrive which simply means ‘holiday’.
- Endless therapeutic long walks together along the shoreline – no need to get in the car!
- Dwarskersbos is more remote than other West Coast spots so it’s more authentic, less touristy.
- That the unspoilt indigenous coastal scrub and fynbos is beautiful in spring, during flower season, but also attracts year-round birdlife.
- If you’re getting together as a large family and need more than one house, you can book our other two hideaways in the collection in Dwarskersbos as well as Casa Blu. • Casa Blu is also much-loved as a shoot location and may be booked for small, intimate celebrations.
What you need to know…
- Nearby Velddrif is the place to get your fishing permits (and most supplies). And while there, why not visit Bokkomlaan to sample traditional dried silver fish or ‘bokkoms biltong’?
- Twitchers will tell you that the birdwatching along the Berg River at Velddrif is rewarding. Casa Blu is also close to Rocherpan Nature Reserve, a seasonal vlei and breeding ground for the endangered African black oystercatcher and lesser flamingo.
- Seafood lovers should book ahead for an indulgent lunch at the outdoor restaurant on the beach at Muisbosskerm, on the way to Lambert’s Bay.
- A day trip to the recently refurbished fossil museum at the West Coast Fossil Park is fascinating, especially for kids. See fossil finds of short-necked giraffes, bears and sabre-tooth cats from 5.2 million years ago when the West Coast was sub-tropical with riverine forests and grasslands. It is also part of the Cradle of Human Culture artists’ route that includes !Khwa ttu, the San heritage centre, near Yzerfontein – both wonderful stops en-route from Cape Town.
- Casa Blu was featured in Perfect Hideaways Book 2. Purchase your copy now!
Edited by Michelle Snaddon