Kalk Bay Luxury Vacation Rentals

Kalk Bay is an unassuming bohemian fishing community nestled between mountains and water, about 25 minutes from Cape Town.

Not only can you meet the returning boats for the day’s catch at midday, but the little cobbled streets, shops, and restaurants make this an easy area to while away the time and forget about the hectic pace of city life. Antique shops, used book stores, art galleries, and a vibrant theatre have contributed to the development of a genuine sense of community in Kalk Bay.

Originally settled by shipwrecked mariners and deserters, the bustling community is named after lime-burners who used kilns to collect lime from sea shell deposits for use in building construction. The 72-seat theatre/restaurant on Main Road was erected in 1876 and is housed in the historic Kalk Bay Dutch Reformed church, a national heritage site.

The holiday homes here are perched on the mountain, providing sought-after views of the port and False Bay. Ambling around the distinctively English lanes is a delight in and of itself, since a number of well-known South African families resided in the region or had holiday houses here, and opportune repairs have revitalized the old village.

Kalk Bay is served by the Simon’s Town railroad line, and there are four tidal pools for safe swimming. Continue on to Fish Hoek from here, or take sharp right after passing through Kalk Bay from Cape Town and make your way up Boyes Drive for some fantastic vistas and whale watching.