We have fallen in love with Pringle bay in the few years that we have been coming to this wonderful seaside village only an hour away from Cape Town.  There has been considerable change over the last twenty years or so, growing from only a few houses with no electricity or tarred roads to a vibey holiday place suitable for all ages.  Swimming in the river mouth is warm and safe for the toddlers with the older kids preferring the more robust boarding in the waves of false bay.  Weekends will see many divers, rubber ducks and kayaks in the bay catching their quota of crayfish in one of the great diving spots for this activity. A great place to spend the most relaxing weekend you could have..

Some great restaurants are available. The more established pizza place, Gators, now trading as PeriGators with live entertainment on weekends and Miems still going strong with @365 providing a great dinner or Sunday breakfast.  For seafood lovers there is the well known Hook Line & Sinker.  Recently established is the very popular and thoroughly enjoyable Italian restaurant, Bella Donna.  If you prefer to entertain at home then Lemon & Lime are a great deli to purchase some luxury foods, ready made meals and great wine.

Weather

The weather in any seaside town is critical. Have a look at our weather page for tides, wind forecast and details of other sites with weather info.

The Kogelberg Biosphere

is recognized as perhaps world's greatest biodiversity hot-spot.Size for size, this 100 000 hectare UNESCO registered Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve is home to the most complex biodiversity on our planet! This reserve has approximately1 800 plant species. The next richest is the South American rainforest with just 420 species per 10,000 sq kilometres.

Many spectacular members of the protea family occur in the reserve. These include the endangered marsh rose, Orothamnus zeyheri, once on the brink of extinction and now known to occur on a few inaccessible peaks. Kogelberg has three patches of relic indigenous forest, Louwbos, Platbos and Oudebos. These patches are similar to the Knysna forests and includes yellowwood, stinkwood and boekenhout trees.

The Kogelberg does not have many large animals. There are a few leopards; the Cape clawless otter may be seen in or near water; smaller antelope include klipspringer and grysbok; and baboons, dassies and hares are fairly common. Peregrine falcons, black eagles and fish eagles hunt and nest in and around the reserve. An endemic freshwater crab and the endangered micro-frog are found in the area. A herd of wild horses roam the flats of the Bot River estuary at Rooisand.

There are a number of great hikes in this area ranging from short 3hr trips up to a two day excursion.  The Palmiet River walk, starting 100m or so on the Betty's Bay side of the bridge, is a good introduction.  The walk is an easy three hour walk up the river.  Permits are required.  During the day they can be purchased at the offices at the start of the trail.  A 5-6hr mountain bike route starts at the same point.  Contact Cape Nature for more details (028) 271 5138 or visit their website.