Saturday lunchtime, children jumping off the rock shelf into the surf, parents waiting for their coffee on the terrace above the beach. Herolds Bay lies a good half hour east of Mossel Bay. You leave the N2 and drop down to the sea on the R404. The village has around 700 residents and a single beach, sheltered between two rocky headlands, with houses from the early twentieth century, back when people still camped here. The first permanent building went up in 1895.
- east of Mossel Bay, about 35 minutes
- 40 km
- residents (2011 census)
- 704
- to George Airport
- 6 km
- the first permanent house
- 1895
Up on the plateau, at Dutton’s Cove, sits the Oubaai golf estate with a view over the ocean; the green fee is on the club’s website. And George Airport is only six kilometres away, which makes Herolds Bay the place for your last morning: breakfast at the beach, a swim, then the flight. Coming from Mossel Bay, you can combine the cove with George or carry on to Wilderness.
- Time needed
- half a day
- Cost
- free
- When
- all year, swimming in summer
- From Mossel Bay
- 40 km, 35 minutes
Our tipOn your last day before the flight home: Herolds Bay instead of the departure lounge. The cove is about ten minutes from the terminal, and at low tide the sand is wide enough for a proper walk.
Herolds Bay: frequently asked questions
How far is Herolds Bay from Mossel Bay?
About 40 kilometres east, roughly 35 minutes on the N2 and the R404. George Airport lies six kilometres from the cove.
Is Herolds Bay worth a trip from Mossel Bay?
As a swimming cove for half a day, yes, and above all on your departure day: Herolds Bay is about ten minutes by car from George Airport. The beach is sheltered between two rocky headlands, and the Oubaai golf course sits on the plateau above.