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Langebaan is a popular seaside town on the West Coast of South Africa about 120km north of Cape Town. The town was founded in 1922 and was once a whaling station but has now since become a busy tourist destination. Langebaan is famous for its ideal setting, at the edge of the beautiful Langebaan Lagoon. It boasts pristine white beaches and crystal clear waters that would give competition to any Scottish Loch. It is no wonder that tourists from near and far visit the town.

The town boasts a wealth of coastal activities such as kite-surfing, windsurfing, yachting and fishing. However the weather on the West Coast can sometimes be volatile, so when its getting a little too breezy why not visit the modern Country Club, play a round of golf or visit one of the many sea food restaurants that give the town such a great culinary reputation. Langebaan is famous for producing the largest oyster shell deposits in the world.

If you are a nature lover you will be pleased to know of the wonderful flora the area has to offer. During the flower season (July – September) the landscape is transformed into a giant garden as the area explodes into a spectacle of colours when the wild flowers bloom. The lagoon is part of a protected area, the West Coast National Park, a bird lover’s paradise, with migratory birds from as far as Russia stopping here annually. During winter and early spring you might catch a glimpse of one of the newly named “Big 6”, a Southern Right Whale in the lagoon where they return to calve each year.

Due to the town’s popularity there are lots of accommodation types on offer, ranging from self- Catering to Hotels. If you would like to try something different, there is the option of staying in a houseboat!

Image by Michele Neuland

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