West Coast Sanctuary
Churchhaven is a lovely fishing village hidden away inside the West Coast National Park, just outside Kraalbaai and the Postberg Flower Reserve section of the park that is only open to the public during August and September.
Set upon the estuary’s tranquil shores, some beautifully restored whitewashed fishermen’s houses stand guard between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the indigo blue Langebaan Lagoon and its white sandy beaches to the east.
And yes, you’ve guessed it – the climate is gorgeously Mediterranean with indigo skies and turquoise seas virtually year-round.
Colourful fishing boats, a 100-year-old church near the stunning beach, an area extremely rich in fossils and reported remains of human occupation dating back to the Holocene Age and an internationally acclaimed Ramsar site are all within ‘walking’ distance.
Did You Know? The Curlew Sandpiper flies around 15 000km every year from Russia to come and see, well, actually breed, close to Churchhaven in the West Coast National Park.
By Jacques Marais