Camping at Perdeskoen caravan park in Strandfontein turned out to be quite enjoyable as we entered the tail of the Cape winter and the early appearance of the Namaqualand flowers.
The name Perdeskoen or horseshoe reflects the form of the campsite and it is one campsite in Strandfontein. The other campsites are Block A with 51 stands on the beach next to the NSRI station, and Block T with 20 stands (smaller campsites for tents).
Rates are higher at block A than at Perdeskoen.
Strandfontein
Strandfontein is a small coastal town on the West Coast about 300km (3,5 hours) drive from Cape Town.
With the last census it registered 491 full-time residents.
Buying things is more difficult with Lutzville 25 km away with an OK shop and the main town in the area, Vredendal, with a good standard mall 50km away offering a Checkers, Clicks pharmacy and other popular shops.
In Strandfontein itself there is a smal shop/café and a beachfront restaurant, Kommetjie. The shop was not well stocked and quite expensive but the restaurant was good with a nice menu.
Doornbaai (originally Thorn Bay which some Sir Thorn named after himself) has a “handelshuis” that stocks general dealer items where you can buy necessities.
We preferred the restaurants in Doringbaai, especially the Fryer’s Cove Bamboes Bay wine cellar’s Jetty Restaurant.
They have a good menu, a chef that prepares superb dishes, and if you get the very friendly Kathleen as a waitress, your day will be relaxed and most enjoyable while looking out over the sea and the old fishing harbour.
If you feel like Strandfontein Take-aways on a Friday you can buy askoek and skuinskoek from the two aunties in front of the first office on the right when you enter Strandfontein.
There is also a home industry called Die Waffel Skuur where you can buy Belgian Waffles, pancakes on rainy days, and homemade pizzas.
Image slideshow at the bottom of this page
Strandfontein Caravan Park is a municipal park and the office is at the entrance of the town.
Matzikama Municipality of which Strandfontein is a local municipality suffers from the childish politics that many towns experience. At the moment the ANC is in control and as can be expected there are no systems that work.
We lost a microwave oven thanks to electrical disruptions and electricity supply spikes.
But the positive women at the Strandfontein Campsite didn’t allow that to disrupt them. When we were there, they devised their own spreadsheet booking system. Most campers did not even notice a problem.
So, if you visit Strandfontein Campsite be nice to the office staff because they not only do their best, they are always friendly and most helpful.
We did not book at Strandfontein to see the Namaqualand flower bloom, but thanks to the early rains in July, we saw patches of flowers when we travelled in the area.
On the road to Vanrhyns Pass we saw nice stretches of early Namakwaland flowers. We enjoyed the trip up the scenic pass although we were too early for the Nieuwoudtville flowers.
Between Vanrhynsdorp and Vanrhyns Pass you unexpectedly come to Bagdad Café, a delightful venue where you are welcomed by the café cat and where you can take a breather while you kill time by enjoying this special place.
Doringbaai
Doringbaai is a picturesque little town 8km from Strandfontein.
It is here where you can get fuel and supplies at the Handelshuis, visit the The Cabin Restaurant or Fryer’s Cove Winery (Bamboes Bay Wines) with its Jetty Restaurant which is tucked away behind the old Doringbaai fish factory next to the abalone farm.
Between Strandfontein and Doringbaai there are different cycling routes which offer exciting hiking opportunities with great views over the ocean and in the many little bays.
This is where you can drive to the maze and get a birds-eye view of the little bay called Die Hel.
Many of the routes can be sued by vehicles.
Picking up Pebbles
On one of the (rare) sunny days, we took a stroll North along the beach.
Sometimes, you see something from a distance and you smell a story. This was the case on that day.
I saw people bent over on a part of the beach that was covered in pebbles, and realised that is was the pebble pickers we were told about by a Strandfontein resident.
This is where we met Kamie and her team of pebble harvesters who work for West Coast Pebbles who are contractors for Atlantic Pebbles.
If you buy pebbles for your garden in Gauteng, it is quite possible that you are buying some of Kamie’s West Coast Pebbles, harvested on a rocky beach at Strandfontein.
Anyone can order pebbles from them for a garden or the popular hobby, pebble painting.
Call the manager of the community organisation who runs the pebble project, Denise at 063 512 5929 or email her at doringbaaiatlanticpebble00@gmail.com, and get your pebbles right from the source.
They courier Strandfontein pebbles all over the country.
On the gravel road between Doringbaai and Lambert’s Bay we also saw early flowers and encountered farmers busy with their daily chores.
Lambert’s Bay municipal campsite received some attention, and when we passed there the gate was guarded and the camping grounds were neat. The guard told us that they were fully booked for December 2024.
There are many small towns and places to visit on a day tour around Strandfontein.
Courier Services in Strandfontein
Courier services were a challenge as Strandfontein does not appear on many courier and online services’ websites.
I wanted to renew my vehicle license but none of service providers had Strandfontein Matzikama on their lists. There are a variety of Strandfontein suburbs in Mitchells Plain in the Cape.
I was able to order from Takealot as they have a function where you can plot your location on a Google map.
Getting hold of your chronic medicine can also pose difficulties as the nearest Clicks is in Vredendal which is 52km, and Dischem is even further away. The mall at Vredendal offers a Checkers and other shops you usually need.
The nearest town of Lutzville offers very little in terms of shops. There is an OK shop that was fairly well stocked when we visited.
What Does Strandfontein Perdeskoen offer?
Safety: Safe although no fences.
Wi-Fi: No
Private ablutions: Yes
Standard of ablutions: Old but neat. Toilets and Showers. Provide own toilet paper. The communal ablutions at the bottom section of the Perdeskoen wasn’t in a good state when we were there.
Wheelchair accessible: No
Plugs in bathrooms: Razor plugs in private bathrooms.
Laundry: No
Condition of access roads: Good tar road from Lutzville. DO NOT use the GPS and Google Maps dirt road from Lamberts Bay.
Nr of stands: Perdeskoen – 66, Block A – 51, Block T – 20.
Paved stands: No.
Unpaved stands: Yes
Shade: No.
Shop on-site: No.
Nearest town: Lutzville.
Pet Friendly: Yes. Arrange before.
Load shedding: Yes.
Hot swimming pools: No.
Pensioners rates: Yes
Long-term camping rates: Yes.
Location:
Cnr Kreef and Suid Street,
Strandfontein.
8149.
Map
Contact
Cell: 027 201 3437 and 027 201 3300
Email: strandfontein@matzikama.gov.za
Website
Where is Strandfontein Caravan Park?
