Visiting Arniston

Posted by maryparker on March 11th, 2013

Arniston lies on the shores of Marcus Bay. The name ‘Arniston’ comes from one of many ship wrecks on the area’s jagged coastline.

The Arniston sank in 1815 with wounded soldiers onboard. The ship was headed to England from Ceylon via Cape Town. Heavy winds destroyed the ship’s sail and the ship decided to let go of 3 of its anchors and drift to shore. However, the ship landed on sharp rocks, resulting in the wreck. Six of the original 378 passengers lived to tell of the disaster. 

The village ignores its origin of doom and welcomes all with great delight and excitement. This picturesque seaside settlement is filled with many activities and breath-taking attractions.   

Between April and January and September and October, Whale Watching is an extremely popular event, attracting many visitors. The endless white beaches and intense blue seas, is the perfect holidayspot to relax and unwind.

Arniston is flanked with two nature reserves- De Hoop Nature Reserveand De Mond Nature Reserve.These reserves conserve major wetlands which homes nearly 100 aquatic bird species. The entire coast is a marine reserve, one of the biggest in Africa. Bird watching can be experienced at the De Mond Nature Reserve, for all the bird lovers. 

The beautiful lime-washed and thatched houses in the fishing village are a beautiful sight. One can admire all of this while soaking up the sun on Arniston Beachand watching the fisherman drift off into the water in their traditional 19th century styled fishing boats, similar to what their forefathers used. One may even be able to spot the ancient fish traps used by the Khoisanstrandlopers along the De Mond to Arniston Trail.

Arniston has also been dubbed, Waenhuiskrans because of the limestone cave. You can get to this cave across the dunes to the west of Roman Beach. According to local teachings, the cave is so big that wagons with a full span of oxen could turn around inside it. This is an amazing spot to visit and experience the historical history surrounding the area.

The Cape Agulhas Lighthouse is a popular attraction, just 32km outside Arniston, a national monument. Here, one will find the unique lighthouse museum and a small rustic restaurant.

The tranquillity of the town and the cleanliness of it are all thanks to the Ariston’s Bay belief in sustainable practices to protect the environment.  One such example is the fact that the Bay is in the process of changing their bottles from green to clear to increase the ability for it to be recycled.

Arniston has a Mediterraneanclimate and is the coldest during July. However, Arniston can be enjoyed any time of the year as a peaceful escape is not defined by weather.

Individuals who love nature and enjoy watching whales and admiring aquatic bird species should go to Arniston, an ideal destination for nature enthusiasts. You might also want to check out Cape Town and see everything it has to offer.