Learn about the lifestyle in Blouberg, Cape Town.
Living in Blouberg is all about the ocean, the smell of sea air, daily walks and runs on the beach-front, getting out on the water before and after work, and grandstand views of stunning sunsets all through the year. Stretching up the West Coast from Dolphin Beach to Big Bay with that beautiful view of Table Mountain as a permanent backdrop, it’s a paradise not just for the watersports enthusiasts who fill the sky along Blouberg beach with colourful kites on most windy afternoons, but for anyone who enjoys big skies, open spaces and an outdoor lifestyle.
Tucked between the R27 and the beach, most of Blouberg is residential, with quiet roads of spacious houses behind the busy beachfront with its luxury apartment buildings, restaurants and bars. For shopping, residents have the shortest of drives to the adjoining suburbs of Table View, Parklands and Sunningdale, where a new high-end mall is due to open in 2017 to rival Table View’s Bayside Mall, which is currently the main movie and retail therapy spot for the whole area.
Families move here for the space and freedom. Kids can learn to sail, canoe, surf, join the sea scouts, as well as more traditional team sports. Prestigious private schools (Elkanah House, Parklands College and CBC St John’s Parklands) and government schools in Table View and nearby Milnerton offer plenty of schooling options. Transport is easy too with MyCiTi buses well-established throughout, relieving traffic congestion somewhat for those commuting into the CBD.
Kleinbaai is sheltered from the wind and a prime sundowner spot. Kids enjoy bucket and spade play, and Capetonians flock to the area for sundowners and seafood at the Blue Peter Hotel or historic Ons Huisie restaurant. Further along, vibey Eden on the Bay is another prime sundowner spot after an exhilarating day at the beach.
My home is about a three-minute walk from the beach, and one of my favorite things is walking on the beachfront with my dog, who enjoys swimming in the ocean. I love the smell of the sea air, the freedom of wide roads and open spaces.
Mignon Hattingh, resident
Best in food:
- The Indian Chapter Restaurant: for excellent Indian food
- Homespun: for casual fine dining
- Carlucci’s: for breakfast coffee and lunch
- The Fue: for monster milkshakes, burgers and lunch
- Petits Fours: for decadent cakes and coffee with sea views
Things to do:
- Kitesurfing, surfing, stand up paddleboarding
- Windsurfing and sailing at Rietvlei Nature Reserve
- I Love Big Bay evening market on the last Wednesday of the month
- Full moon beach walks
- Golf at Milnerton or Atlantic Beach golf clubs
Top schools nearby:
- Blouberg International School
- Blouberg Ridge Primary School
- Elkanah House
- Parklands College
- CBC St John’s Parklands
- Table View High School
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
Take a phenomenal journey through the Western Seaboard area here:
