Sweeping across the entire Walker Bay coastline, along to Hermanus, Hangklip and even as far as Cape Point lighthouse, this hideaway, settled in the Romansbaai Beach and Fynbos Estate is a real find, and a stone’s throw from the shark diving destination of Gansbaai.
Unbelievably, it combines these jaw-dropping views and some of the best whale watching in season with a glorious private beach that is miraculously protected from the south-easter, the wind every Capetonian loves to escape.
Jutting out on a fynbos-covered peninsula, with sensitively placed beach houses, Romansbaai is a delightful mix of nature reserve and beach escape… and with eland and zebra pathways criss-crossing the gentle slopes above the sea and abundant birdlife, it’s a haven for nature lovers.
Living the slow life
‘We spend hours on the beach looking for shells, exploring the beautiful tidal pools at low tide, snorkelling the kelp forest, boogie boarding or stand-up paddle boarding. It’s one of the most pristine beaches that we’ve seen in South Africa,’ say the owners.
‘If you’re cold-dippers like us, we swim all year round and each season provides a different dynamic. In summer we do ocean swims and then hang out by the pool, but in winter we have a sauna and then go down to the beach for a dip before returning to a cosy fireplace or braai and watching the long sunsets.’
Winters are beautiful here: the fynbos is in bloom and you sit in the sauna in August and watch the whales go by! ‘For us it feels like paradise!’ say the owners. But there’s one constant that never changes, no matter the time of year: as soon as you arrive, the unmistakable smell of Cape fynbos fills the air, lifting the soul and signalling the start to your holiday.
Equally unforgettable are the 12m-wide living room windows looking directly out onto the ocean and, at night, you can see the moon and stars through the skylight. What’s not to love?
Reviewed by Michelle Snaddon