Bettys Bay, Cape Overberg

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Bettys Bay, Cape Overberg

Bettys Bay
Betty's Bay, Cape Overberg

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Although less developed than her neighbour, Hermanus, the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens and the resident penguin colony at Stony Point alone make a visit to Bettys Bay worth it. The botanical garden of Harold Porter, which stretches from the mountain-top down to the sea, is known as ‘little Kirstenbosch’ and contains some of the best examples of local fynbos, including proteas, restios and over 50 species of ericas. Only an hour’s drive from Cape Town, Betty’s Bay is a picturesque seaside village situated along the scenic Clarence Drive Route (R44) between Pringle Bay and Kleinmond. The pretty town is positioned in a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Kogelberg Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, and bordered by fresh water lakes and the Palmiet River.

Bettys Bay Sunset
Bettys Bay lies within the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve; the first UNESCO declared Biosphere in South Africa and is fiercely protected by the town’s occupants.

This part of the world is considered the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom due to the exceptional examples of fynbos and has largely remained unspoilt and isolated.

Although the Cape Floral Kingdom is the smallest of the world’s six plant kingdoms, it nevertheless has the 2nd largest diversity. The reserve stretches along the coast from Gordon’s Bay through to the town of Kleinmond and inland from the farms of the Elgin Basin through to Grabouw - a total of some 100,000 ha.

Penguins at Bettys Bay
Locals venture here predominantly during the flowering season from October to February where a glorious array of gladioli, watsonias and the rare red disas are on display. The garden can easily be covered in three to five hours along pretty laid-out paths and hillside trails. For the more adventurous, Leopard’s Gorge offers a more taxing hike.

The penguin colony at Stony Point is one of four mainland colonies in South Africa and declared a municipal nature reserve in July 2002. Since then this important seabird colony has grown in size due to the breeding of both the endangered penguins and cormorants. The best time of day to view them is in the late afternoon, when the penguins return from fishing.

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Bettys Bay Reviews

average visitor rating: 5/5"Whenever we get a chance to visit the Cape we go to Bettys Bay. We love the tranquility, the beaches, the Penguins of course and hiking in the Reserve is ..." - Charlene, Bloemfontein

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Visitorials: We Love South Africa

Bettys Bay Visitorial

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Featured Attractions in (or near) Bettys Bay

Arabella Golf Course

The course is 6381 metres in length and has a SAGU rating of 72. It borders the largest natural lagoon in South Africa, and the 9th, 17th and 18th run parallel to the lagoon. Choosing a signature hole proves to be an extremely difficult task as all of the holes are well designed with spectacular ... more information

Harold Porter Botanical Gardens

The Harold Porter National Botanical Garden lies in the epicentre (heart) of the Cape fynbos region - a dedication to this natural shrubland vegetation with 10 hectares of cultivated fynbos garden, and a further 190 hectares of natural fynbos to gratify the visitor. The peaceful ... more information

Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve

Lying within the southern extension of the Hottentots Holland Mountain range about 90 kilometres south-east of Cape Town and 8 kilometres from Kleinmond, the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve has managed to remain largely unspoilt, in no small part due to its ability to remain relatively ... more information

The Whale Coast Route

The Whale Route begins in Cape Town and follows the particularly pretty R44, also known as Clarence Drive, through the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. It is a popular drive that easily rivals Chapman's Peak in Cape Town as one of the most scenic in the country - views over False Bay are incredible ... more information

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Things To Do in Bettys Bay

Sandboarding

Where: Bettys Bay
How much (per person): On Request

The wind swept Blesberg dune in Bettys Bay is a prime location to experience down-hill adventure to the max. At 200 m atop the dune one can ... more information

Visit the Harold Porter Botanical Garden

Where: Bettys Bay
How much (per person): On Request

Frolic in fynbos (native 'fine leafed' bush); 190.5 ha of natural fynbos and 10 ha of cultivated fynbos flower from Cape coastline to mounta ... more information

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Events and/or Festivals in Bettys Bay

Kleinmond Spar Half Marathon

Location: Kleinmond
Duration: 1 day

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event date to be confirmed
April
TBC

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