Stilbaai

Stilbaai, also known as the Bay of Sleeping Beauty, is a town along the southern coast of South Africa about four hours by car from Cape Town. It is part of the Hessequa Local Municipality in the Western Cape province.

Stilbaai
Stilbaai, with the Dutch Reformed Church in Stilbaai West, looking east
Stilbaai Stilbaai Stilbaai
Coordinates: 34°22′06″S 21°24′40″E
Country	South Africa
Province	Western Cape
District	Garden Route
Municipality	Hessequa
Area
• Total	25.48 km2 (9.84 sq mi)
Highest elevation	18 m (59 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	3,514
• Density	140/km2 (360/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	3.5%
• Coloured	3.2%
• Indian/Asian	0.1%
• White	92.3%
• Other	0.8%
First languages (2011)
• Afrikaans	84.5%
• English	13.7%
• Other	1.8%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	6674
PO box	6674
Area code	028

The town is one of the most visited coastal destinations within South Africa, and home to many travellers experiences. The Goukou River and warm Indian Ocean are some of the most prominent natural features. As part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the town also holds great Fynbos diversity.

History

Stilbaai is host to a number of interesting archaeological sites, including ancient fish traps thought to have been built by early ancestors of the Khoi people of the Southern Cape, and a shell landfill that has been carbon dated to around 1000 BC.

Another archaeological site is situated in a group of caves at Blombos cave, about 12 kilometres from Stilbaai. Artifacts found at Blombos have been carbon dated to around 77,000 BP, making it the oldest known human settlement today.

Geography

Climate

Stilbaai has a temperate climate and receives almost the same amount of rainfall in all four seasons, with peaks in autumn and spring. Temperature averages between 20 and 28 °C in the summer and between 12 and 20 °C in the winter. Rainfall is 639.2 mm per annum on average.

Parks and greenspace

Stilbaai owns a large selection of nature reserves. To the east is Pauline Bohnen Nature Reserve, a large reserve with various hiking routes. The Skulpiesbaai Nature Reserve is situated near the harbour and reaches up to the "Noordkapperpunt" fishponds. The Geelkrants Nature Reserve is situated next to the "Pulpit".

• 
  A view of the Goukou River that separates the eastern and western halves of Stilbaai.
• 
  Stilbaai, viewed from the lookout above the harbour.

See also

• Stillbay period around 71,000 BP in the Middle Stone Age named after an archeological site.
• Oswego-Guardian/Texanita collision

External links

• Stilbaai Facebook Group
• Stilbaai Facebook Group
• Stilbaai-Tourism & Business info
• Directory of businesses in Stilbaai
• Stilbaai Tourism
• Stilbaai Business Chamber
• Stilbaai Information Website