The Gem on the Far Side of Cape Town – 12 Reasons to Visit Muizenberg

Muizenberg is the little place that could. So many times over the past decades people have believed that the  beach village way on the other side of Cape Town, the surfer’s corner, one of the oldest resorts in the country, might be on the rise. Well, now it finally seems to be coming true.

Countless cars and buses used to pass by without stopping, heading instead to the penguins in Simonstown, the coffee shops and antiques stores in Kalk Bay, the iconic beach cottages of St. James, or the nature reserve at the tip of the continent. But now they are stopping in Muizenberg more and more, and we’ve found some reasons why.

1. It’s the gateway to False Bay, with views, views, views – and possibly the most beautifully located train line in the world.

2. It has a dress code that is easy and very simple.

3. There is an old-worldliness about the place, a previous golden era that got stuck under its skin. Think old houses, cobbled streets, Victorian facades.

4. And then, of course, there’s the surfing – this is Surfers Corner, after all – which includes prominently displayed instructions on how to do it…

Learners of all ages…

Seriously cool cats…

Eye-catching murals…

And surfing buddies.

5. It offers great brew to drink when you come out of the water, at places like the Empire Cafe…

…or from people like the Ethiopian lady who roasts beans and serves it from a stand on the sidewalk in Muizenberg village.

6. It has colourful beach cottages that rival the more famous ones in next-door St. James.

7. There are hidden-away funky stores you stumble on when moseying down the narrow side streets.

8. It has one of the most iconic railway stations in South Africa.

and a place with a view to wait for the train.

9. It has history, like the second-oldest building in South Africa (1673) after the Castle in Cape Town – called Het Posthuys.

10. There is also a village not many people know about…

…with even more funky shops like the print-making, candle-making Sparrow Society…

And more…

11. It has been a longtime home for an alternative culture that offers yoga, dance, organic produce.

12. And it still retains plenty of grandeur like the Casa Labia, named after the count who lived there and once dreamed of turning Muizenberg into a little Venice. There’s grandeur both outside…

…and inside. Whether it’s in the museum,

… in the regularly updated gallery …

… or in the cafe/restaurant.

So, there you have it. Now the choice is up to you. Just make sure to stop by.