Britannia Bay is part of the beautiful West Coast and has the perfect setting with white rocks and a cobalt sea. Britannia Bay, consisting of Old Britannia Bay, Flagship, Golden Mile (Boulevard), and Shelley Point forms the epicentre of St. Helena Bay, is situated on a peninsula and is rightfully named the Jewel of the West Coast due to its unsurpassed beauty. Vasco da Gama discovered the St Helena Bay in 1497, and named it in honour of Saint Helena. A memorial was erected in 1969 to mark this occasion. Da Gama was on his pioneer voyage to the East when he weighed anchor in this Bay and remained here for a week. Visitors can enjoy long sandy beaches, pristine coastlines, natural beauty, and quaint living. This area is also notorious for its wildflowers. People come here to relax in the peace and quiet of a tranquil country village with a bustling fishing harbour. Along the shores, you can catch crayfish, snoek, yellowtail, stumpnose, hake, and galjoen. This beautiful area is also home to whales and dolphins and a birdwatchers paradise, with the Berg River estuary in the north and West Coast National Park and Cape Columbine Nature Reserve in the south. 90 miles north is a Cape Gannet colony at Lambert's Bay where a state-of-the-art bird hide, with its one-way window, allows the viewer to get within 10cm of the birds. Day visits can easily be done to the Cederberg in the east, Elands Bay and Lamberts Bay in the north, Paternoster, Langebaan, and Saldanha Bay in the south. The West Coast National Park offers hiking trails, recreational zones, and plenty of wildlife to explore. It is also famous for its abundant wildflowers during spring. A visit to the Fossil Park - West Coast National Park where one of the world's richest paleontological dig-sites provides a peek into the past, completes a visit to the West Coast. The Shelly Point Golf Estate offers a pristine golf course, a Spa, and a restaurant. Make Absolute Beach your base from where to explore, discover, and enjoy the West Coast.
