July 2024
We couldn’t pass up an opportunity to show off the beauty of Langebaan while we were there for a quick visit.
No visit to Langebaan is complete without a visit to the beautiful lagoon. Towards the end of our visit we were lucky to enjoy a few sunny days. We couldn’t get in the car fast enough to drive to one of the many beaches to see the lagoon display its Winter colours.
View over Langebaan lagoon
Saldanha Bay beyond the rocks
Shiny rocks in the winter sun
Seagulls enjoyed rocking on the small waves
View of Postberg Nature Reserve across the lagoon
Small waves at the Langebaan lagoon
If there’s one place we don’t miss when we visit Langebaan, it’s Shark Bay. Here the water is always calm and the beach is ideal for a long walk.
Marine protected area at Shark Bay
Houses on the shore of the lagoon at Shark Bay
Even in winter the colours of the sky and lagoon are mesmerizing
On the way back from Shark Bay we discovered a lookout point we hadn’t been to before. At Stompneus Lookout is a small parking area. From here it is about a five-minute walk on a narrow footpath that leads to high rocks with an incredible view over Shark Bay.
We saw the lovely native African daisy on our way to the lookout point
Stompneus Lookout
View over Shark Bay and Langebaan lagoon
Shark Bay Hotel & Spa on the shore of the lagoon
The shallow waters of Shark Bay
View towards the town of Langebaan
Panoramic view of Shark Bay and the Langebaan lagoon
To end this beautiful day, we enjoyed dinner at one of our favourite restaurants in Langebaan, Kokomo Beach Bar & Restaurant. After all, it was Berto’s birthday and we were looking forward to not cooking (or washing dishes) for a change.
As always, we had a great evening – Kokomo has never disappointed when it comes to great food and friendly service.
Our starters of crumbed mushrooms (left) and deep fried Camembert
While eating, we watched the sun set over the lagoon in various bright colours. The sunsets on the West Coast are truly some of the most beautiful in our country.
Spectacular sunset over Langebaan lagoon
Although we have had a house in Langebaan for a few years now, we get excited with every visit by how beautiful this town is. Next week we will conclude our visit to Langebaan with a lovely walk. And surprise – it’s not going to be on the beach.
To read about our beautiful nature walk, click here.
Wet and Dusty Roads 
Beautiful view.
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Thank you! The view of Langebaan Lagoon is always stunning.
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Beautiful captures. It’s amazing how much more vibrant the water looks when the sun is shining. How fun to discover a new lookout point. The views from it look lovely.
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Thank you Linda. Oh yes, the sun on the water always brings out the bright turquoise colour of the Langebaan lagoon … in fact, the sun makes everything more beautiful and better (at least, that’s my feeling while we’re in the middle of winter). I’m really glad we found that lookout point – I’m sure we’ll go there again when we’re back in Langebaan.
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Your incredible photo of the sunset is a perfect ending to your blog. Shark Bay and the Lagoon are absolutely stunning, and I can completely understand your eagerness to get there quickly. Happy belated birthday to Berto!
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To be able to capture that beautiful sunset, we were in the right place at the right time! Shark Bay and the lagoon are definitely our favourite spots for a tranquil stroll — all four seasons of the year! Thanks for Berto’s birthday wishes Tricia – he is of the opinion that age is now just another number …
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The colour of the water is so beautiful, Corna. There’s something about spending time on the beach that helps melt stress and put you in a better mindset – listening to waves is soothing. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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The water at Shark Bay is always so clear and lovely (and in summer it has that typical Mediterranean turquoise colour). You’re right Aiva, a stroll on the beach does wonders for one’s mind!
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🥰🥰🥰
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What beautiful coastal scenes, and lovely colours of both sea and sky! It’s easy to see why you love this place 🙂
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Thanks Sarah. Although the coastline around South Africa is equally beautiful, it is the fact that the West Coast is still quite pristine (and the beautiful sunsets of course) that makes us love this part of our country so much.
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How beautiful it is. Makes me long for a sight of the ocean. Sunset especially lovely…is that snow? Happy birthday to Berto!
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Snow? You mean in the sunset photo? No, it’s the sea sand on the beach. We don’t get snow in Langebaan (the closest Langebaan will get to snow is on the highest peaks of the mountains about 200km/125 miles inland). Berto says thanks for the birthday wishes – he enjoyed celebrating it at the West Coast.
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Looks like you had a lovely visit to your hometown. Nothing like an invigorating walk on an empty beach on a sunny winter’s day. Happy birthday to Berto but what came after those delicious looking starters? And where was the wine? 😂
Super sunsets – we get those here in the autumn and early winter if we are lucky to have clear skies.
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It’s always nice to spend time in our hometown (I think we appreciate it more because we don’t stay there permanently). Ha, you bet there was wine on the birthday table (and definitely more than just starters) … it turns out I forgot about the camera after the starters (probably because we had such a great time). I remember seeing some lovely sunset photos on your blog too – it’s always a good time of day to be outside (if it’s not too cold).
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It’s too hot here for much walking except at the beach. We’ve developed the lazy habit of pulling up a chair, with an umbrella for shade, and just gazing for an hour or two. Fabulous sunset, Corna.
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That’s the best of a beach: A great place for a stroll in both summer and winter! And sometimes one needs the luxury of just sitting in a chair, under an umbrella … all of this while doing nothing. Thanks Jo, that was a lovely sunset indeed!
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It looks beautiful in winter. What would the temperatures be there in winter?
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You’re probably going to laugh when I tell you what the day temperatures are in Langebaan during winter – does 15°C/59°F sound like winter to you? And it never goes below freezing during the night … so, I reckon we can’t really complain about a cold winter!
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You hide your homesickness very well while you’re not there, Corna. But a beautiful home like Langebaan must surely leave you homesick sometimes!?
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Hmm, I’m usually quite homesick during the first week after we leave our hometown, but then it gets better again. At least the weather is much better here in East London during winter than on the West Coast (while they freeze their butts off, we’re looking forward to a weekend of 30°C/86°F). And we make an effort to explore new places (which we probably never would have visited otherwise). And we know, if all goes well, the West Coast is where we’re going to retire one day. Always look on the bright side, right?
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Always!
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The turquoise color of the water is so beautiful!
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It’s special, right? And during summer it’s even brighter … then it resembles the Mediterranean Sea (and the water in the lagoon is also much warmer than in the sea). Perfect!
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What a lovely seaside walk. The lagoon views are beautiful even in mid winter Corna.
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To me, the lagoon is beautiful in any season – it doesn’t matter how cold or how hot it is! I think it’s the place in Langebaan that I miss the most when we’re not there.
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Beautiful photos, South Africa must be a really spectacular place. It has beaches very similar to those in Andalucia. (Costa de Cadiz and the Portuguese Algarve coast). Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you so much, I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. We walked the Portuguese Camino in 2018 and followed the coastal route from Porto … those beaches reminded us a lot of our South African beaches. South Africa has its problems (probably like any other country), but the beauty is stunning – there are so many different regions and each one is unique in its own way.
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Happy Birthday to Berto!!! What beautiful pictures, were there any people, it look’s deserted. Even the hotel and spa look all alone on the lagoon. Sounds like a great place for a birthday dinner too.
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Thanks Diane – he enjoyed celebrating his birthday in our hometown. Haha, there were people (but very few) … most of them enjoyed the warmth of the inside of restaurants. It’s just crazy people like us who ventured outside (and it really wasn’t that cold – South Africans are just spoiled with warm weather).
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What a gorgeous beach with incredible views.
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Langebaan’s beaches are some of the most beautiful on the West Coast – pristine, white and soft sand … you can’t ask for anything better!
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Happy Birthday to Berto! Beautiful photos of the wintry beach, the colours are mesmerising. Finding a new spot in a familiar place is always a special experience. The photos you took from that viewpoint truly showcase the beauty of the lagoon with different shades of blue and green waters. And a fabulous sunset to accompany your excellent dinner.
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Thank you so much for Berto’s birthday wishes Leighton – he says that age is just a number from now on! We were very surprised by this lookout point which is almost a hidden secret – in fact, to be honest, I wonder how many residents know about this. The colours of this lagoon are the most intense I have ever seen at any mass of water (and that includes the Mediterranean sea we saw on our visits to Malta) … it says a lot of Langebaan lagoon’s beauty!
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It really is just so beautiful – you could make a calendar out of Langebaan with pictures for each month and they’d all be beautiful. A perfect spot to celebrate a birthday too 🙂
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You just gave me a great idea Hannah … I’m going to keep that in mind for a Christmas present to my brother in the UK! You’re right, Langebaan is the perfect venue for any birthday party (even if there is no party 🙂)!
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