| Strand
beach front
The
town of Strand is situated on the shores of False Bay at
the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, an easy 40
minute drive from Cape Town. It is a bustling metropolis
of some 50 000 residents and forms part of the picturesque
Helderberg Basin, along with Somerset West and Gordon's
Bay.
Strand
originated some 200 years ago as a holiday and fishing resort
and was founded in 1714. Strand's main attraction is "the
strand" -
5
kilometers of beautiful white sandy beach lapped by the
warm waters of False Bay.
The
beach is known to be one of the best and safest bathing
areas in the country. Facilities on or nearby include Dune
Park with a supertube and mini-golf and Harmony Park which
boasts a huge tidal pool. Watersports may be conducted from
various points along the beach front.
For
the sporting enthusiast Strand offers a wide variety of
organised sport including a brand new golf course capable
of hosting international events; tennis, rugby, squash,
jukskei, athletics, and watersports like surfing, sailing,
power boating, paddleskiing and boardsailing.
Strand
also boasts an olympic sized, covered, centrally heated
swimming pool which is open all year round. The coast between
the Lourens river mouth and up to Rooi Els is very popular
with beach fishermen and rock anglers, whilst organised
and social diving activities beckon the more adventurous.
Strand
forms an ideal base from which visitors can explore the
Cape Peninsula and its environs:
The majestic Peninsula with its renowned coastal drive from
Muizemberg to Cape Point to Hout Bay via the magnificent
Chapmans Peak to Sea Point; Cape Town itself with Table
Mountain brooding over the city and the vibrant V&A
Waterfront; The West Coast and Swartland;
The scenic Boland with its pinotage of wine routes and with
its heart, Stellenbosch a mere 25km away; The coastal road
past Gordon's Bay to Betty's Bay and Hermanus, one of the
greatest sites for whale watching.
Strand
offers a wide variety of restaurants guaranteed to appease
even the most selective palate. The choice of shopping facilities
is simalr - from the comprehensive Somerset Mall situated
just outside the town to the local Dorpsmeent Centre, one
would be hard pressed to find a service which is not locally
available. |