Glencairn

Slow down, breathe. The unpretentious suburb of Glencairn is not in the fast lane but has much appeal if you’re keen to be off the main tourist drag.

Conveniently situated on the False Bay coastline between Fish Hoek and central Simon’s Town, Glencairn is en route to one of Cape Town’s top attractions, Cape Point Nature Reserve, and is a 35-km drive to the bright city lights of central Cape Town. It’s also a great base for cyclists in training or Cape Argus Cycle Tour participants.

Glencairn doesn’t have the naval atmosphere and historical charm of Simon’s Town, but the mountainous suburb offers lovely sea views, a wetland nature reserve and pleasant walking trails. The riverine valley is home to numerous birds, Cape clawless otters, mongoose, baboons, small antelope and indigenous plant species.

Glencairn Beach is an attractive long sandy beach, perfect for lazy strolls and sunbathing. Southern right whales can often be seen during whale watching season and in summer great white sharks can sometimes be spotted.

A wide range of excellent shore-based dive sites and deeper reefs and wrecks are scattered along the immediate coastline. Many divers visit Cape Town to dive with sevengill cow sharks and other pelagic and reef shark species. Snorkeling or scuba diving with Cape fur seals is another popular option. Pisces Divers Cape Town is based in Glencairn and offer boat launches several times a week. Contact the shop for their weekly dive plan or for a dive report.