6 reasons to visit Langebaan on the West Coast

16/12/2015

By Roxanne Reid
About eight years ago I enjoyed a fun weekend of rubber ducking and go-karting in Langebaan. On a more recent visit, I barely recognised the town because it's grown so much. But it’s still a kick-ass destination with lots of fun stuff to do. Here are my top 6 reasons to visit Langebaan on the West Coast.

1. West Coast National Park

The town of Langebaan borders the West Coast National Park. Although you won’t find the Big Five here, it does have what Langebaan Tourism calls the Slow Five: tortoises, whales, sand sharks, porcupines and dune moles. This is the place to drink your fill of wildlife and waders. Apart from being beautiful to look out, with its turquoise lagoon and spring flowers in August and September, there are lots of things to do. See 12 things to do in the West Coast National Park.

2. Food

Langebaan is all about laid-back beach restaurants and West Coast seafood specialities. Among the restaurants worth trying are Geelbek for traditional Cape cuisine overlooking the lagoon inside the West Coast National Park, Die Strandloper for a traditional West Coast seafood braai right on the beach, Pearly’s for pizza, pasta, grills and seafood overlooking the beach, and Windtown Lagoon Resort and Spa’s Breeze Restaurant for seafood, steaks, lamb shanks and burgers. Breeze also does a great breakfast, whether you’re into the full Monty bacon & egg platter or a fruit/granola/yoghurt health breakfast.
Tip: If Pearly’s is full and you desperately need to people watch, Driftwoods next door also has a great beach view. We once had front row seats there, sipping milkshakes and watching boeresport activities on the beach (like egg throwing and other useful skills).

3. Beaches

From Langebaan beach to the wild stretches of sand at Tsaarsbank and 16-Mile Beach in the West Coast National Park, the area is a beach walker’s delight – a perfect chance to feel the sea breeze in your hair and the sand between your toes. Think creative thoughts or empty your mind completely, it doesn’t matter.

4. West Coast Fossil Park
Imagine a time when African bears, short-necked giraffes and sabre-toothed cats roamed the West Coast. Find out about them at the West Coast Fossil Park 30 minutes’ drive north of Langebaan along the R27. Take a journey 5 million years into the past on a guided fossil tour to a dig site, hike a nature trail or go mountain biking. Check opening hours and tour times, tel 022-7661606, email [email protected].

5. Watersports

If watersports get your heart pumping, you’ll love Langebaan. Waterskiing and kayaking? Check. Snorkeling, diving and fishing? Check. If you’ve never kitesurfed but you’d like to, sign up for a one-hour ‘taster course’; if you want more, there are longer beginners’ and intermediate courses too.

6. Staying over

With so much to do in Langebaan, you’ll probably want to stay over for at least a night or two. We stayed at the Glenfinnan B&B, owned by Jim and Kay Law. Our big garden-facing room had tiled floors, crisp white bed linen, a TV, coffee station, and easy chairs for relaxing. Touches like luggage racks and white cotton gowns elevated it above the usual in its price range. Another asset is Kay herself. She’s active on the local tourism association, so there’s little she doesn’t know about the area and she’s happy to chat if you’re looking for ideas. I asked her for some insider tips of the best things to do in Langebaan.

‘A visit to the West Coast National Park is a must. One of our favourite things to do there is to go walking on the beach at Tsaarsbank,’ she said. ‘There are lots of birds and you can have a braai or picnic overlooking the Atlantic. And of course you have to go to Pearly’s for coffee or a late afternoon drink,’ she said. ‘It has the best view in Langebaan.’

Of course there are plenty other reasons to visit Langebaan – like golf, horse riding, going for a spa treatment, or hitting the slots and tables at the Club Mykonos casino. But let’s not get too carried away; you can’t do everything in one weekend!

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