Mossel Bay is a coastal village on the south coast of the Western Cape in South Africa and is situated on the Garden Route approximately halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. The history of Mossel Bay is closely linked to maritime activities with its lighthouse being first lit in 1864. Pleasure boats as well as other international seafarers dock here regularly using the modern docking facility.
One of the most famous landmarks in Mossel Bay is the Post Office Tree, where ancient seafarers on their way to the east left their letters for home in a shoe or iron pot. Sailors returning to Portugal would collect these letters, and so the first Post Office in Southern Africa was founded.
Due to its rich history, there are many museums in the town to visit including the Maritime Museum, the Granary, the Shell Museum, the ATKV Hartenbos Museum, the Great Brak River Museum, and the Janine Iron and Washing Museum. The Dias Museum Complex marks the spot of the historical landing of Dias in 1488 and a replica of the Caravel is housed in the museum.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records 1992 edition, Mossel Bay has the second mildest all year around climate in the world. The first is Hawaii. The town also has the only north-facing beach in Southern Africa called Santos Beach.
Seal Island is home to a breeding colony of hundreds of seals and their cubs, they can be viewed from the daily seal island cruises or from land. Dolphins sometimes in large schools also make regular visits to these shores and they can be viewed from land.
Mossel Bay is a sportsman and water sport enthusiast’s paradise, offering a wide variety of adventure sports including shark cage diving, the longest over-ocean Zipline in the world and skydiving, surfing, and snorkelling.
Conventional sport facilities are also in abundance with golf, padel, tennis, indoor heated pool, horse riding and swimming.
Camp sites and caravan parks, B&Bs, luxury lodges and hotels are spread out around the town, as well as beach-front accommodation. Restaurants dotted all over Mossel Bay feature a range of different foods, something for everyone! Don’t miss out on all the activities.
Mossel Bay Tourism Office Information | |
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Web address: | https://www.visitmosselbay.co.za |
Telephone: | +27(0)44 691 2202 |
E-mail: | info@visitmosselbay.co.za |
Address: | Corner of Market & Church Streets Mossel Bay Western Cape 6500 |