About the Area
Cape Agulhas is a rocky headland in Western Cape, South Africa. It is the geographic southern tip of the African continent where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet.
Cape Agulhas is located in the Overberg region, 170 kilometres (105 ml) southeast of Cape Town. The cape was named by the Portuguese navigators, who called it Cabo das Agulhas – Cape of Needles- after noticing that around year 1500 the direction of magnetic north (and therefore the compass needle) coincided with true north in the region. Visit the Cape Agulhas Municipality website for more information.
Cape Agulhas has a spectacular coastline with a gradually curving coastline of rocky and sandy beaches. The waters of the Agulhas bank off the coastline are quite shallow and are renowned as one of the best fishing grounds in South Africa.
There is plenty to do in the area.
- Visit the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, a national monument built in 1849.
- Experience the longest uninterrupted sand beach in the Southern hemisphere at Struisbaai, which also boasts a colourful fishing harbour and get up close to local beloved resident, Parrie the Stingray.
- Fishing Chartered boat trips and kayaking are available.(Bookings at Struisbaai harbour)
- This is a nature lover’s paradise with seasonal whale watching and many nature trails to choose from.
- De Mond Nature Reserve estuary and De Hoop Nature Reserve are nearby, and worth a day trip to explore these renowned nature conservation reserves.
- Other activities in the area include horse riding, surfing, surfing lessons, kite surfing, angling, 4x4 trips, and even enjoy a game of bowls at the picturesque L’Agulhas Bowls Club.
- Visit Arniston with its Waenhuiskrans caves and Kassiesbaai Fishermen’s Village.
- Visit Bredasdorps’s Shipwreck Museum, and arts and crafts.
- Visit Elim’s Moravian Missionary Village.
- Elim Wine Route: indulge in the wine tasting at the wine farms in the area.
- Or just relax surrounded by fynbos, fall asleep to the sound of the waves on the musical pebble beach, and awaken to the sound of the birds – unwind and see where the day takes you.
