It’s name means “little bowl” for the circular, bowl-like basin called “Die Kom” that this charming little oceanside village sits in, but there’s a lot more to Kommetjie than just a quaint name!

It’s one of Cape Town’s most sought after surfing and kite surfing destinations and offers world-class windsurfing in the waves off Long Beach. In fact, there’s one of the biggest drops in the entire Cape pensinsula just off shore!

Kommetjie is also home to history, with one of the tallest cast iron lighthouses left in the country – Slangkoppunt Lighthouse. You can take a tour of the site and climb to the top of the lighthouse to get amazing views over Hout Bay and the Cape Point nature reserve. And the wreck of the SS Kakapo is another historic hotspot. This 665-ton schooner rigged steamship floundered on the treacherous rocks on 25 May 1900 after mistaking Chapman’s Peak for Cape Point. What’s left of her hull can now be seen on the beach.

Another great drawcard for visitors to this lovely little village is Imhoff Farm, up on the Kommetjie Road. With amazing views, first-rate food and a range of fresh, organic produce, shops, beach rides and animal encounters, including a traditional farmyard and snake park, this historic Cape farmstead is one of the most popular tourist spots around.

Also try Mashiphumelele where you can enjoy an interactive walk-in township tour and Ocean View where walking tours can be arranged through this vibrant fishing community.

Hope to see you soon!

An absolute must during your stay at Fin Whale Beach House is a visit to Boulders Beach to see the colony of African penguins that have made their home there and marvel at the white sand beach and crystal clear azure water, as well as enjoy the antics of these appealing little birds!

The penguins have been at Boulders since 1982, when a couple of them settled on the soft white sand between the large granite boulders that protect the beach from the legendary winds and storm surges this stretch of the Cape coastline is famous for. Today, there’s around 3000 penguins in residence and the African penguin is now classified as an endangered species. So the Boulders Beach colony is protected, courtesy of SANParks – South Africa’s national parks agency, which looks after the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area of which Boulders Beach and its surrounding beaches are part.

This means that you will pay a conservation fee to get access to the beach, which is both safe and clean and well taken care of, for both humans and penguins alike.

Wheelchair friendly boardwalks accommodate the 60,000 or so visitors the beach receives each year, winding their way through the dunes and coastal vegetation and helping to protect the nesting penguins and their chicks. The boardwalks offer great viewing points over the penguin colony, but you still get the odd penguin taking a stroll through the car park, so keep an eye out!

Besides being a penguin colony, Boulders Beach is a popular swimming beach – being one of the few in Cape Town and its surrounds where the water is warm enough to enjoy a dip in the crystal clear waters of ocean! The surrounding rocks are extremely picturesque, as is the beautiful turquoise sea and soft white sand, so don’t forget a camera. And a picnic lunch if you want to spend the day.

So you’ve spent a few days relaxing and unwinding at Fin Whale Beach House, have explored the amazing beaches on your doorstep, have soaked up the ambience of the wonderful seaside village of Kommetjie and cozied up in the luxurious surroundings the house provides… Now what? It’s time to visit South Africa’s beautiful and iconic “Mother City” of Cape Town, that’s what!

The good news is that there’s absolutely no shortage of amazing things to do in Cape Town, so it’s more than worth spending a couple of days out and about exploring what it has to offer.

A visit to the amazing Two Oceans Aquarium at Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred (V&A) Waterfront is an absolute must. This world-class aquarium is renowned for its incredible displays and interactive exhibits – you can even arrange to dive with ragged tooth sharks while you are there! While at the V&A you can explore its amazing variety of shops and restaurants, and take a water-taxi across the harbour (watch out for the “seals on wheels”!) There are also amazing views out over Table Bay. The V&A is also the departure point for the tours to Robben Island, which can be seen in the distance across the bay.

You can also explore the wonderful Company’s Garden in the heart of the city. Located at the back of Parliament and the President’s official residence, Tuynhuys, the gardens offer amazing views of Table Mountain and is home to the South African Museum, Planetarium and South African Art Gallery, as well as a lovely restaurant. It’s the oldest garden in the country and has its origins in Jan van Riebeeck’s vegetable patch, which was grown to feed the original colony in 1652.

Of course, Table Mountain itself is a major attraction and you can choose to either climb it (there’s a good route from Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens) or ascend via the cableway (truly spectacular). The views from the top of this global icon are incredible, so be sure to take a camera and give yourself lots of time to explore.