Hout Bay

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Hout Bay
Hout Bay (South Africa)
Hout Bay
Hout Bay
Coordinates 34 ° 2 '24 "  S , 18 ° 20' 59"  E Coordinates: 34 ° 2 '24 "  S , 18 ° 20' 59"  E
Basic data
Country South Africa

province

Western cape
metropolis City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality
surface 28.4 km²
Residents 17,900 (2011)
density 630.7  Ew. / km²
founding 1681
Website www.houtbay.org (English)

Hout Bay ( Afrikaans Houtbaai ) is a district of Cape Town in the province of Western Cape in South Africa . In 2011 there were 17,900 residents. In addition, the bay where the place is located has the same name.

The name of the place goes back to the Dutchman Jan van Riebeeck , who in 1652 founded a settlement on the Cape on behalf of the United East India Company , which served the seafarers as a stopover on their way from Europe to India . The original name was Hout-Bajken, German: "small wooden bay" because the settlers covered their wood needs here. Since the end of the 19th century, Hout Bay has developed into an important location for South African fishing due to the local fish stocks. In the 1980s, Hout Bay was discovered as a holiday and tourist destination due to its location, which is why the proportion of non-South African residents is relatively high. The growing popularity of the place led to sharply rising real estate prices.

There are numerous restaurants, a small shopping center and a flea market on Sundays. The World of Birds is one of the largest bird parks in Africa, financed by entrance fees and donations. Various companies offer boat tours from the port to the seal island Duiker Island . The Bay Harbor Market, which is located directly at the harbor, is also known here.

A curiosity is the fact that at the entrance to the village there is a sign pointing to the "Republic of Hout Bay"; There is also a “consulate” that can even issue a passport upon request.

Chapman's Peak Drive , built in 1922 and leading south on the Cape Peninsula, begins in Hout Bay . It is one of the most spectacular coastal roads in the world, but is occasionally closed because landslides can occur in heavy rain. It is a toll road that has been secured by extensive measures.

Web links

Commons : Hout Bay  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Wikivoyage: Hout Bay  Travel Guide

Individual evidence

  1. 2011 census , accessed November 19, 2013