15 things to do in Paternoster on the West Coast

By Roxanne Reid
For the locals, life in Paternoster still revolves around the sea. Fishing is the historical lifeblood of the village and fishermen still go out almost every day in their colourful boats. For visitors, of course, there’s more variety. Here are 15 things to do in Paternoster on the West Coast of South Africa.

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1. Enjoy some West Coast humour

Look out for the broken windmill on your right-hand side as you drive from Vredenburg to Paternoster along the R399. Its legs still stand straight and tall but most of its blades are missing and it looks sad and lost. A signage company saw an opportunity for a bit of fun (and advertising too) and erected a huge blue and yellow sign with the word Moertoegepomp. For those who don’t understand Afrikaans, the sign says something like ‘pumped to hell’, only a lot more pithy. 

Look out for other flashes of humour too; they’re not hard to find. Like the car with the vanity licence plate declaring to any potential thieves, ‘DUS MYNE’ (this is mine).

2. See the Panty Bar at the Paternoster Hotel

The Paternoster Hotel – famous for its pub called the Panty Bar – was built in 1863 and served as a bank, church, school, library and jail before becoming a hotel in 1940. It’s been in the Carosini family for 43 years, Afrikaners despite their Italian-sounding name. Here women’s panties of all sizes and types hang in rainbow disarray, hinting at booze-fuelled parties that may have gone a step too far.

The collection was removed in 1983 when a straight-laced dominee complained about the ‘unholy’ practice, but reinstated again in the 1990s. Local gossip has it that the hapless cop charged with removing them was forever called ‘Panty’ Basson by anyone who knew the story.

3. Visit the tourism office
Pop in at the Paternoster tourism office in Seeduiker Street at Die Kom, above where the fishing boats are beached, to find out more about the town, its history and things to do. ‘The best things to do here are walks on the beach and hiking in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve,’ Manerva Clarke told us. If you’re looking for directions, recommendations for Paternoster restaurants or even information on surrounding towns, this is the place to find them. 

4. Visit the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve

This nature reserve covers some 263ha along a rocky stretch of coastline a few kilometres west of town. There are a number of picnic or braai spots, and camping at Tieties Bay.

5. Visit the Cape Columbine lighthouse

The lighthouse on Castle Rock  inside the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve is one of the last manually controlled lighthouse in South Africa. It was built in 1936. The powerful light is 80m above sea level and can be seen from about 60km away. For a small fee, the light-keeper will let you climb the 97 steps to the top of the tower to admire the view.
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6. Go birding
Bird watching is good, with over 225 bird species in the area. Cape Columbine Nature Reserve is one of the best places at Paternoster to see a mix of land and sea birds.

7. See the spring flowers

The fields around Paternoster break into glorious colour from late July to September, but by far the best display is in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve, with its carpet of white, yellow, orange and purple spring flowers.

8. Go whale-watching
If you’re observant, you may be able to spot some dolphins, seals, penguins or whales. Research has shown that a group of southern right whales stay in the historic feeding grounds off Paternoster, Cape Columbine, St Helena Bay and Saldanha Bay in summer instead of going back to the Southern Ocean to feed. Thanks to the Benguela current off the West Coast, the area offers year-round whale watching, although there are usually more in October and November. For more specific info call or sms the whale watch hotline on 079-3912105.

9. Walk on the beach

Although the sea water is a bit too cold for swimming, the long white beaches are perfect for walking. Alternatively, take a book and park under an umbrella or watch the sunset light up the sky in shades of pink and mauve. The beach is also perfect for flying a kite on a windy day.

10. Go kayaking
Gecko Adventures rents out kayaks from a stand next to the tourism centre in Seeduiker Street. Go out beyond the breakers and drink in the fresh sea air. The area is also ideally suited to kite-surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving (not for beginners).

11. Get fish and chips on the beach

Buy your fish and chips at On the Rocks, next to the fish market where the boats come in and sell their catch. Sit and eat them at picnic tables outside, or take them to the beach to enjoy.

12. Shop at Die Winkel op Paternoster

Outside, a wooden boat and old black bicycle prepare you for the magpie muddle inside. Jams and chutneys might cluster side by side with a pram-load of nuts and dried fruit. Rickety dressers are stuffed with crockery, Simply Bee toiletries, olive oil, candles, veldskoen, dolls, sweets and enamelware like soup ladles hanging from the light fixture. Old suitcases and Mazawattee tins are part of the decor, faded tin signs advertise Hubbly Bubbly or Lion condensed milk, and there’s a fridgeful of welcome cold drinks. There’s a small tea garden outside.

13. Get arty
Stroll around the village and pop in to some of the local art and craft centres, potteries and galleries.

14. Eat, eat, eat! 

Paternoster forms part of the West Coast Way’s Foodie Route, so food – especially seafood – is an important part of the experience. There are 14 Paternoster restaurants ranging from burger and pizza places to fine dining. My recurring and uncontested favourite – both for the food and the venue – is the Noisy Oyster, but I’ve also had good food at Reuben’s at Abalone House (pictured), the Square Spoon, Ouma’s Kitchen and Voorstrandt. Although it was closed when I visited, people told me Gaaitjie is also good. Wolfgat is a different experience – a tasting menu combining seafood with unusual plants harvested from the area. See also: 8 Paternoster restaurants worth visiting 

15. Stay a night or two

With an astonishing 4 hotels, 18 guesthouses and 152 self-catering establishments in Paternoster, there’s no shortage of places to stay. Choose from swanky four- and five-star guesthouses or more affordable self-catering options. For the budget conscious visitor there’s camping right next to the sea at Tietiesbaai in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve. Just don’t go in the summer holiday season, when it’s packed and a bit short of ablutions for the multitudes. Out of season, it’s wonderfully peaceful and beautiful.
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