Fish Hoek, Fish Hoek

The village of Fish Hoek lies at the eastern end of a long shallow valley that runs right across the Cape Peninsula and faces the warm Indian Ocean in False Bay. It is situated between trendy Kalk Bay and historical Simon's Town, but has a salty flavour all of its own and a strong sense of community.

Originally a whaling and fishing base, the village expanded rapidly after the First World War and today is especially popular with retirees and holidaymakers, although its peaceful atmosphere, good schools and relatively inexpensive real estate also make it very attractive to Cape Town homebuyers with families.

For those who need to commute to work in the CBD, the journey only takes about an hour by Metrorail train from the Fish Hoek station, and about 50mins by road via Ou Kaapse Weg or Boyes Drive and then the M3, or via the recently repaired Main Road along the coast and then the M5.

The main attraction in Fish Hoek is of course its long, flat white-sand beach on the edge of a sheltered bay, which is a favourite among swimmers, windsurfers and canoeists, as well as residents who come to buy freshly netted fish from the local "trek" fishermen. A promenade along the coast at the southern end is also a very popular spot for dolphin and whale-watching.

The bay is sheltered by the Kalkbaaiberg headland (Trappieskop) to the north and by Elsie's Peak to the south, and the village itself now spreads up the slopes of the surrounding mountains, with many of the elevated homes here offering spectacular sea views.

Primary schools in Fish Hoek include Laerskool Paul Greyling, Fish Hoek Primary and Capella House, and the village also has its own highly-rated high school.

Fish Hoek is also very self-contained when it comes to convenience shopping, with a Shoprite, Woolworths and Pick 'n Pay and many other stores in the retail precinct along Main Rd, and in the Valyland Centre. It also has branches of all the major banks, a pharmacy, Clicks, a hardware and several service stations. The nearest large shopping centres are Sun Valley Shopping Centre and Longbeach Mall, just a few minutes' drive away in Sun Valley.

Local sports facilities include the Fish Hoek Bowling Club and the Fish Hoek Sports Grounds, which are home to a soccer club, athletics club, cricket and hockey club and a baseball team. For keen golfers, the Clovelly Country Club has one of the finest 18-hole courses in Cape Town.