Best things to do in Kalk Bay, Cape Town

By Roxanne Reid
Kalk Bay must be the coolest place in greater Cape Town. This working fishing village tucked between the mountains and the sea on the Cape Peninsula has a laid-back, retro, artsy vibe. Think cobbled streets, quirky little shops, art galleries, and craft stalls popping up on street corners. Grab coffee, lose yourself in a second-hand bookshop, pick up some fish fresh off the boat, or hang out at the harbour and watch the seals doing their thing.​​

Kalk Bay can get pretty busy, especially on weekends, and not just with visitors; everyone from Cape Town seems to roll through, for good reason. The place has an eternal holiday feel, even if you’re just popping by to gawp at the sights for the day.

So go on, soak it all in. See the old buildings, feel the sea breeze, listen to the train rattling by right in front of you, and don’t be shy to have a chat with the locals — they’re a big part of what makes Kalk Bay so special.

Here’s my pick of the best things to do in Kalk Bay.

1. Explore Kalk Bay Harbour​​

Kalk Bay Harbour at dawn

Visit the working harbour to watch colourful fishing boats come in with their catch. Sniff the tang of the sea as fishermen unload the boats, buy fresh fish to cook for supper. There’s a giant-sized seal who often haunts the harbour when the boats come in, knowing he’ll get a free meal. 

Kalk Bay Harbour wave action during spring tide

The lighthouse and fishing boats are popular subjects for photos, and during winter storms brave photographers can get amazing shots of huge waves pounding the harbour walls at spring tide. Just don’t be stupid! Artists and crafters have colourful displays at the harbour so chat to them and get a memento of your visit. 

Support the artists and crafters who display their wares at Kalk Bay Harbour

2. Swim at Dalebrook Tidal Pool

Early morning swimmers at Dalebrook Tidal Pool

Don’t miss a visit to Dalebrook Tidal Pool for sunrise magic and mermaid vibes. Early mornings are the sweet spot, with the ocean sometimes spilling right over the edge of the pool and a boulder in the middle that’s perfect for daydreaming. It’s all concrete and rock, so no need for sandy toes here. Weekends get packed, but the vibe is happy and buzzy.

Pro tips: Go early if you want peaceful laps. Bonus? The culvert to the pool is right across the road from Chardonnay Deli @ Dalebrook, where you can grab coffee or breakfast straight after your dip. If Dalebrook tidal pool is too busy for you, try Woolley’s Tidal Pool on the other side of Kalk Bay.

3. Take a scenic drive

Kalk Bay Harbour seen from Boyes Drive, with Simon's Town in the distance

Take the scenic hillside route to Kalk Bay along Boyes Drive, where you’ll see rushing waterfalls in winter and expansive views of mountains and ocean all year round. There are pull-over spots so you can stop for photos, or to drink in the view of the harbour from above. It’s also a good place to spot whales (see point 4).

4. Go whale-watching 

Look for southern right, humpback and Bryde's whales near Kalk Bay

Kalk Bay is a great whale-watching spot, especially between June and November when southern right whales are common. You might also get a chance to see humpback whales and Bryde’s whales. Take your binos and look for them along Boyes Drive, where you can stop for a good view of the bay. Sometimes you can see whales from the train, from the harbour, or from a Kalk Bay restaurant with an ocean view.

5. Go for a hike
Park your car on Boyes Drive and start your hike at the Echo Valley sign. A mix of steep climbs and rocky paths, it’ll take you about two hours to Echo Valley or the Boomslang Caves above Kalk Bay, enjoying the fynbos along the way. You’re in for a treat with this one – epic views over False Bay and a cool cave to explore, as long as you’re not freaked out by tight spaces. Kids generally love it. The cave goes straight through the mountain, and you hike down the other side. Take a torch if you want to explore inside the caves. To be safe, always walk in groups of at least four or six people and be on the alert for dodgy characters who may be looking to mug you (a sad reality of life you need to be aware of).

6. Discover Kalk Bay’s stories 

Learn about Kalk Bay's stories from the boards along the seafront walkway

Enjoy some of the 21 storyboards along the pathway next to the Main Road between Kalk Bay harbour and Muizenberg. Pictures, maps and text tell the stories of people who lived in the area over the past few hundred years. You’ll meet the KhoiSan hunter-gatherers and fisherfolk, learn about old buildings and places of worship, when the railway came in the early 1880s, how the mountains and the sea defined the people who lived here. Click here for more information about these story boards. And if you’re interested in the past, see the section ‘Kalk Bay history’ at the end of this post.

7. Admire old buildings

The Holy Trinity Church in Kalk Bay was built in 1873

​Look up to appreciate the old buildings of Kalk Bay, some of them beautifully restored, others with a wabi-sabi patina of neglect. Ornately decorated stoeps and balconies often indicate the late 1800s, while gables, plaster pillars and tiled roofs were popular in the 1920s.

The stone and thatch Holy Trinity church dates back to 1873 and the neo-Gothic Dutch Reformed church – now home to Die Kalkéry shops – to 1876. The old Majestic Hotel, built in 1916, has been converted into upmarket apartments. 

Dutch Reformed church (now shops) with coffeeshop and Artvark Gallery next door

Other old buildings to look out for include the Old Post Office, now the Kalk Bay Trading Post (see point 9), and the Olympia Café, originally built in 1906 as the Kalk Bay Residential Hotel. Don’t miss the wall art around the corner near the Olympia Bakery, which pays tribute to Kalk Bay’s Filipino fishermen (see ‘Kalk Bay history’ at the end of this post for more about the fishermen).

Keep your eyes peeled for interesting details wherever you go in Kalk Bay

8. Experience dinner theatre
Enjoy dinner and a show at the Kalk Bay Theatre, now at the Brass Bell restaurant. Think comedy acts, music, dance, acrobatics, cabaret, and more. Seats in the theatre are unreserved, but if you book to have dinner at The Brass Bell before the show you get first option of seating from 19:00 before the show starts at 20:30. Your dinner is optional and is not included in the price of the ticket to the show. All info about the shows and where to book tickets is in the link above.

9. Explore Kalk Bay shops

Find antiques and collectables in a delightful clutter at the Kalk Bay Trading Post

Wander along the Main Road and up some of the narrow alleys, losing yourself among antique and bric-a-brac shops, second-hand bookstores, clothing boutiques, bakeries, restaurants, and art galleries. Some of my favourites include:

• Kalk Bay Books
• Quagga Rare Books & Art
• Kalk Bay Trading Post for collectables and bric a brac
• Honest Chocolate at De Kalkéry in the old church on Main Road
• Olympia Bakery (around the corner from the Café)
• Whatnot & Chinatown hidden away up a side street
• The flower seller on Main Road for colourful blooms
• The Ice Café for some of the creamiest ice creams in town, with flavours like salted caramel, ginger, lemon cheesecake, and toasted almond.

​Be aware that some of the shops only open at 10:00. Stop and chat to people selling crafts on street corners before you buy; they’re an interesting lot.

Kalk Bay Books and a line of other fascinating shops

Morning light on some Kalk Bay shops

The Ice Cafe sells ice cream that people of all ages will enjoy on a hot summer's day

Find Honest Chocolate treats at Die Kalkery in Kalk Bay's old Dutch Reformed church

This friendly pavement craft seller near Olympia Bakery sells beautifully made crafts

10. Enjoy Kalk Bay restaurants
Perhaps my all-time best thing to do is to visit Kalk Bay restaurants and coffee shops for everything from coffee or a drink to breakfast, lunch or dinner. Here are some of the perennial favourites:

• Brass Bell Kalk Bay has a few different spaces all situated close to the waves for a really immersive experience. Heavy on the seafood but there are steak and burger options too. It’s a great place for a few drinks but gets really busy on the weekends so if you want to eat you’d better book ahead.
• Cape to Cuba – you’ll probably come for the mojitos or daiquiris but you’ll love it for the jumble of colourful chandeliers, mismatched chairs and clutter, the vibey music redolent of Havana cigar smoke and tango dancers. There’s a tip of the hat to Ernest Hemingway and Che Guevara too. The food flavour is Cuban with a hint of Cajun and a wallop of chilli.

Come to Cape to Cuba for the mojitos, stay for the vibe

Cape to Cuba has a view of the sea

• Kalky’s is a popular fish & chips stop that looks out over the fishing boats bobbing in the harbour. That said, on the two occasions I’ve eaten here, I’ve found the food too oily for me. It can also get very crowded, so be prepared to queue to order your food, and be on your toes to scrabble for a table. Eat with your hands or plastic cutlery. (I prefer the fish & chips at Lucky Fish nearby, beneath Harbour House, although it doesn’t have the same vibe.)
• Olympia Café Kalk Bay is an unpretentious and very popular hangout with good coffee, salads, pasta, burgers. You’re welcome to bring your dog. Go early on weekend evenings to ensure you can get a table (they don’t take bookings). Visit the bakery around the corner for a range of breads and pastries to take home.
• Satori Kalk Bay is a Neapolitan restaurant that specialises in yummy pasta and woodfired pizzas. They also have salads, fish, and specials like pork belly with deliciously crisp crackling. Sit inside, where the walls are cluttered with pictures and oddments to keep you amused, or on the pavement outside. It tends to get buzzy at night, especially over the weekend.

At Satori sit on the pavement to enjoy the buzz or inside among interesting wall-clutter

• ​Harbour House Kalk Bay and Live Bait – you won’t find better views than at these two restaurants right on the rocks at the harbour. Watch waves crash on the rocks from Live Bait or look down on them and out to sea from Harbour House upstairs. Both offer great seafood options. Live Bait has sushi too, and my favourite seafood pasta in Cape Town while the crème brulee at Harbour House would be worth a trip, even if the fish and views weren’t so fab.

Live Bait has a view of the harbour and sea

Both Harbour House and Live Bait serve delectable fresh fish

Other Kalk Bay favourites to try include:

• Chardonnay Deli @ Dalebrook – good for coffee or breakfast after a sunrise swim at Dalebrook Café just over the road. Eat in or grab and go.
• Lekker Kalk Bay – great flat whites and a range of menu choices from burgers and nachos to wraps, salads, and poke bowls.
• Ohana Beach Café – there’s indoor seating, but the prime spots are outside with beach vibes and a view of the sea.
• Salt – small space with a view of the harbour and ocean from the front window and a blackboard menu of small plates. Beautifully presented food.
• Sirocco Café – bustling place on the main road right next to the railway line. Fairy lights at night make it a romantic spot in summer. Think breakfast, pizzas, wraps, salads, and seafood.

Enjoying early morning breakfast at Sirocco Cafe

Kalk Bay history
Here’s a potted Kalk Bay history so you can understand how it developed its unique character.

• The name ‘Kalk’ (Dutch for lime) comes from the Khoi and Dutch habit of burning of mussel shells for building lime.
• Under the British, many whales were processed at Kalk Bay between about 1806 and 1850.
• Slaves and free blacks lived here from the early 1800s. Many early fishing families were Muslims with Javan and Batavian ancestry.
• In the 1850s, Filipinos arrived – Spanish-speaking Roman Catholics – and you can still find many Filipino family names in Kalk Bay today.
• The railway line reached here from Cape Town in 1883 and by 1892 Kalk Bay was supplying most of the Cape fish market.
• The Slums Act in 1934 targeted the area south of Clairvaux Road for slum clearance. In response to strong objections, the Kalk Bay Housing Scheme was approved in 1938 and the council-owned Fishermen’s Flats were built in the 1940s for ‘coloured’ families. A section of the beach was also reserved for ‘fisher families and their friends’.
• In 1967 Kalk Bay was proclaimed a white area in terms of the Group Areas Act. After much opposition from the whole community, the government allowed families in the Fishermen’s Flats to stay, although some 20 Kalk Bay families were forced out.
• Today, Kalk Bay retains its unique multiracial/multicultural character.

Line fishing from the Kalk Bay Harbour pier

You’ll definitely want to come back
​Let’s face it, there’s so much to do, see and enjoy in Kalk Bay that you just can’t do it all in a single day. Capetonians can – and do – come back whenever they like, but my best advice for visitors is to tag on at least an extra day to your stay in Cape Town. Once you’ve been to all the other famous Cape Town sights – like Table Mountain, V&A Waterfront, Kirstenbosch Gardens, Robben Island, Groot Constantia, Cape Point, and the penguins at Boulders Beach – you’re sure to want to return to Kalk Bay to experience its vibe and atmosphere a second time.

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