Gansbaai nestled at the foot of Duyenefontein Mountains, also known as the BIG-2-TOWN after the numerous Great white sharks that cruise in the waters and the many Southern Right Whales that hang out around the shores between July and December. Gansbaai is also very well known for its beautiful coastline where you will find the magnificent "Fynbos" vegetation. In 1881, one Johannes Cornelis Wessels, an 18 year old fisherman, walked all the way across the dunes from Standford to the now Gansbaai.Fishing was so good that he decided to settle here in a hut he made from stone, daub and reeds. Soon other families followed and built primitive dwellings amoung the dunes close to the sea.

Gansbaai is still regarded as the fishing village it has always been. The harbor is still the point of gravity in town and every local in Gansbaai, whatever his profession, is also a fisherman. Locals call the occasional typical smell from the fishmeal factory the "smell of money". The Abalone farm, just outside Gansbaai, immediately on the shores of Danger Point Peninsula, produces this traditional local culinary delight in large quantities for the Asian market.

Newcomers, guests and travellers to Ganbaai are traditionally welcomed with open arms and there are various restaurants and bars dotted around Main Street, in the backstreets and in the harbor of Gansbaai. Gansbaai is strongly connected to the sea - a working fishing village that will maintain its character. Boasting a history that dates back to the 1800’s when the first permanent fishing cottages had been built by Khoi-descendants under ancient Milkwoods in Stanfordsbaai, a secluded cove in De Kelders. Archeological excavations have shown that Klipgat Cave in neighboring De Kelders was inhabited by early modern man 80'000 years ago at a time when Neanderthal man was still the only representative of the genus "homo" in Europe.

Klipgat Cave as well as the more inland Bijnekrans Cave have also shown evidence of a thriving Khoikhoi community of about 2000 years ago. During the ages many people must have walked along the coast from the fresh water fountain in "Gansgat" to Klipgat Cave. Today, the hike from Gansbaai harbour to Klipgat Cave, the "Klipgat Trail", is not only a stunning nature walk along small and larger caves, rocky outcrops and the very special coastal limestone vegetation, but also a walk in time. Maps and information on the Klipgat trail can be obtained from the Tourism Bureau. Where the coast from Gansbaai to De Kelders is dominated by caves, coves and limestone rock formations towering above the ocean, the coast in an easterly direction is less dramatic and is typified by the rockpools of the shores of Danger Point Peninsula and the endless white sand-beaches beginning at the mouth of the Uilkraals estuary of Franskraal, a popular birding hot-spot. The empty beaches from Franskraal onwards to Pearly Beach, Buffeljagsbaai and Quoin Point are the dream of anyone who wants lonely walks on the beach, but also a paradise for shore- and sea- birds; the rare and endangered Black Oyster Catcher is a common sight. It is no exception to see a Cape fur seal or a Cape clawless otter on these beaches in the early morning. Dyer Island and Geyser Rock, home to 10'000ths of Cape seals and African penguins, can be seen from these shores. Boat-tours from the harbour of Kleinbaai take you around these islands, where a cheerful and noisy group of seals awaits you.

The vast hinterland of Gansbaai can easily compete with the richness of the marine-life in the local waters. Whether you leave Gansbaai from the east or the west, you will quickly hit the "Fynbos-Road", the 100km long scenic stretch of floral abundance from Stanford to Africa's southernmost point, Cape Agulhas. The Fynbos-Road crosses one of the richest parts of the Cape Floral Kingdom, itself the richest (though the smallest) Floral Kingdom on earth. Of the thousands of plant-species along this road, many are strictly confined to this area and some of them are amongst the rarest plants on earth. Thousands and thousands of hectares of plains and mountains in this area are protected in private-and public- conservancies and reserves. Many of these fynbos-estates are open to the public, either for day-visits, hiking-trails, horse-trails and 4x4-trails or for residential guests. Special hiking tours are regularly organized for small groups of local enthusiasts and visitors, but personalized guided tours can also be arranged. Ask the Tourism bureau or at Café on Main at the beginning of town for details.

Closer to Gansbaai proper, experienced guides will take you on a tour through Masakhane, the rural and peaceful township of Gansbaai, which you can conclude with a traditional Xhosa culinary experience under the ancient milkwood trees at the local restaurant. From there it is only a short drive to Franskraal where you will find the local museum on the shore. The Strandveld Museum is a little gem in an original fishing cottage with a treasure of stories and relics of the local history. A visit to the lighthouse at the tip of Danger Point Peninsula is also a historical trip; a short distance out to sea is where the famous HMT Birkenhead was wrecked. The Lighthouse is open to the public and one can climb the many steps to the top for a fantastic view.

Gansbaai is a popular holiday resort for boating and fishing enthusiasts and whale watchers. Dyer Island near Gansbaai is a breeding colony for jackass penquins while seals breed on nearby Geyser Island.A warder, stationed on Dyer Island, protects the birds breeding there. A number of these are endemic species, such as the Oyster Catcher and the Swift Tern. There is a narrow channel in the sea between Geyser Rock and Dyer Island which is home to up to 60 000 Cape Fur Seals.The sea around these islands have become the feeding ground of the endangered great white shark and regular shark safaris are undertaken from Gansbaai. Since the area around Dyer Island has been declared a nature reserve, boats may only enter this area with a permit given by the Department of Nature Conservation