The Ultimate Guide To Paternoster

The West Coast is where time moves slowly and days are spent combing windswept beaches and enjoying bountiful feasts of seafood. Its irresistible allure – of ocean and salt, whitewashed walls and the scent of woodsmoke – is what keeps people coming back year after year.

It’s a coastline that captures the imagination: from the first glimpse of the Aegean-blue Langebaan Lagoon from the R27 highway to Velddrif’s flamingo-flecked saltpans and the colourful fishing boats returning with their catch in Paternoster. It’s also not a place of citified convenience, nor is there a concern for the opinions of outsiders – the West Coast is unapologetically real, unpretentious and unfiltered. For the visitor, the area opens up a series of evocative experiences that will spark an unshakeable desire to return.

📍PATERNOSTER

Setting foot in Paternoster is like going back in time. One of the oldest villages in the area, it is still home to numerous fishing families – generations later. It’s a beacon for travellers; the cluster of whitewashed cottages makes it one of the most photographed towns on the West Coast, and the burgeoning foodie scene is drawing new fans.

Wolfgat

Needing little introduction, the award-winning restaurant and chef-patron Kobus van der Merwe epitomise the West Coast dream. Having adopted a unique approach to the region’s food, his cuisine is a mix of foraged botanicals, local ingredients and just-caught seafood. Recipes pay homage to Khoi-San hunter-gatherers, Cape Malay and Afrikaner fare – all combining to create the chef’s signature Strandveld style of cuisine. While the wait for a reservation is lengthy, the experience is a lasting one.
Good to know Pop in at Kobus’s charming shop/farmstall, Oep ve Koep (corner of St Augustine Road and R45) – it has a little eatery in the garden for light meals from the bakery, and a bistro serving a 3-course Strandveld set lunch menu (same times as Wolfgat).
Opening times Wednesday – Saturday, 12.30pm; Sunday, 12pm
Friday + Saturday, 7pm
Oep ve Koep: Monday – Saturday, 9am – 4pm; Sunday, 9am – 3pm
Contact diewolfgat@gmail.com, Oep ve Koep: 072 741 3709
Where to find it 10 Sampson Street, Kliprug, Paternoster

Voorstrandt Restaurant

If you’re after fish and chips with a fantastic view, look no further than this popular spot. Housed in a century-old building with an iconic red tin roof, right on the beach, the restaurant serves up the catch of the day alongside West Coast classics – thee smoked snoek samoosas with a secret sauce are a particular highlight. Sit seaside and enjoy a glass of local wine, or kick off your shoes and stroll down to the ocean while you wait for your food to arrive.

Cape Columbine Nature Reserve

Whether you’d like to fire up a lunchtime braai, pitch a tent or simply take in the scenery, Cape Columbine offers a 263-hectare stretch of untouched rocky coastline to the south of Paternoster that includes hiking trails and multiple sheltered coves ideal for kayaking or taking a dip (if you can handle the chilly water). A walk to the only manned lighthouse in SA may be rewarded with a guided tour of the interior – and simply stunning views from 80 metres up. FYI: This is the furthest west you can get in the country.

Britannia Bay 

Fringed by beautiful holiday homes, Britannia Bay is a great getaway destination that’s the right kind of remote. This stretch of coastline 20km north-east of Paternoster is known as the “Golden Mile”, and it truly lives up to its name. Powdery soft, pristine white sand and bracing seascapes make walks here a blissful experience. For a sweet reward, visit Lammies Bakery (newly arrived from Cape Town), or treat yourself to a facial and lunch at The Shelley Point Hotel & Spa (the next headland east of Britannia Bay), then explore nearby St Helena Bay’s harbour and myriad coves.
Contact 022 742 1065, info@shelleypointhotel.com
Where to find it Follow Stompneusbaai Road out of Paternoster
Beach at the end of Ecklonia Street, Britannia Bay
Lammies Bakery: 7 Watsonia Street, Britannia Bay
Shelley Point Hotel: Golden Mile Boulevard, Shelley Point

Weskus Spens Padstal

WHERE TO STAY

Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel

The Oystercatchers’ Haven

This characterful guesthouse on the beach in Paternoster’s Bekbaai combines rustic reed ceilings, stable doors and antique sash windows with chic décor, Persian carpets and African art. There are just four rooms, each completely different, plus a wonderful verandah with a lap pool and front-row seats to the spectacular sunsets in this part of the world.
Good to know Smugglers Cottage is a pet- and kiddie-friendly option next door.
Cost From R2 299 per room (R1 800 single occupant)
Where to find it 48 Sonkwas Road, Bekbaai, Paternoster