Kleinmond
Kleinmond refers to the little mouth of the river. By the middle of the 19th century, a small fishing community had established themselves at Jongensklip - today the fishing harbour in Kleinmond. Farmers from Caledon and nearby area began making this their annual pilgrimage to camp near the Palmiet Lagoon and the Klein Botriver mouth.

Kleinmond is in the middle of an area known as the "Heart of the Cape Fynbos Floral Kingdom" that is included in the world- renowned Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. It's historical background is rich with stories of shipwrecks, pirates, runaway slaves, cattle-thieves and strandlopers. The area from the Bot River Vlei to Gordon's Bay, and inland to the Groenlandberg is considered of such ecological significance, that in November 1998 it became the first UNESCO-declared Biosphere Reserve in Southern Africa. This means that the whole area is to be managed according to international principles that aim to combine conservation, sustainable use of natural resources and wise development.

The coastline is an absolute paradise and for the outdoor enthusiast there is a choice between 25 hiking trails, rock angling, scuba diving, snorkeling, river-rafting, abseiling, mountain biking, sand and surf sports as well as many mountain orientated activities. The Kleinmond Nature Reserve is criss-crossed by a network of trails. Look out for the rare Strawberry Rain Frog, the endangered Cape Platanna or even the micro frog in the estuaries and marshlands around town. Harbour Road, a "shopping street" with an open market feel that leads down to the Kleinmond harbour, is two blocks of local crafts, art gallery, wines, food, gifts and even an Abalone Museum (learn more about the life and taste of abalone from hatchling to adult size at the Abalone Aquarium) Crayfishing is strictly seasonal with permits only, that can be obtained from the local Post Office.

Just a few kilometers from Kleinmond, The Western Cape Hotel & Spa at Arabella Country Estate overlooking the Botriver Lagoon boasts with an 18-hole golf course where the Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup has been held before and 5-star treatment. There have been wild horses in the vlei (wetlands) between the present parking area in the Rooisand Reserve and the river mouth at Kleinmond. This is a distance of about 6kms and the group of free roaming, feral horses use this area as their grazing grounds. They never venture outside the wetland and the adjacent dunes and they can be seen either from the tarred road or more closely observed, if one walks along the beach towards Fisherhaven.

Hangklip
With an overview of False Bay with Cape Hangklip marking the transition to the Atlantic Ocean, Bartolomeu Dias, the Portuguese explorer, in 1488 first referred to the bay as "the gulf between the
mountains". Sailors returning from the east initially confused this bay with Table Bay near Cape Town because they confounded Cape Point and Cape Hangklip, which are somewhat similar in form. They thus sailed into the wrong bay. Hence the Portuguese called this point Cabo Falso or False Cape. Sailors returning from the Dutch East Indies similarly called it Valskaap, and the bay Valsbaai, Dutch for False Bay. Cape Hangklip (east) and Cape Point (west) are about 32 km apart. Hangklip is also a holiday destination with the Hangklip Hotel as a famous place for rock festivals. One man even built a house right on the front of the rocky shores and turned it into a guesthouse.

Betty's Bay
Betty's Bay is a coastal town located 96 km from Cape Town beneath the rugged Kogelberg Mountains on the scenic R44 ocean drive between Pringle Bay and Kleinmond. This village is the longest in South Africa at over 13 km. During Colonial times Betty's Bay was a favourite place for runaway slaves, but in 1912 Betty's Bay became a formal whaling station running until the 1930s when the price of whale oil had fallen to such an extent that the Whaling station finally closed. Remains of the whaling station can still be seen at Stony Point. The land was later sold to a consortium of Arthur Youldon, Jack Clarence and Harold Porter, who called this the Hangklip Beach Estate. Three towns were established namely, Rooiels, Pringle Bay and Betty's Bay.

Harold Porter laid out the present Botanical Gardens and the street plans for the towns in the mid 30's. Arthur Youldon's daughter, Betty, gave her name to Betty's Bay. Italian prisoners of war during the Second World War did construction and worked on the road from Gordon's Bay, which is now known as Clarence Drive. During the War, Cape Hangklip assumed strategic military importance as a sentinel guarding the Eastern shore of False Bay from the lurking menace of the U-boats. Betty's Bay also contains a colony of African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus), also known as the Black-footed Penguin, is found on the south-western coast of Africa, because of their donkey-like braying call they were previously named Jackass Penguins. Since several species of South American penguins produce the same sound, the African species has been renamed African Penguin, as it is the only penguin species that breeds in Africa.

Pringle Bay
Pringle Bay is a small coastal town of ca. 2000 inhabitants in the Overberg region of the Western Cape, in South Africa. Pringle Bay is situated between Betty's Bay and Gordon's Bay, where many of the houses in this small community are used as holiday houses by their owners. It is accessed by the R44, which connects it to the N2. The earliest traces of habitation have been found at Cape Hangklip. Stone hand-axes from the Neanderthal era dating back 20 000 years have been unearthed.

The town and surrounds are part of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO Heritage Site. Kogelberg Biosphere reserve is often referred to as being the 'heart of the fynbos kingdom' and hiking through these mountains you have the opportunity to see 1600 different plant species which can be found within the reserve.  Permits are required, and these can be obtained at the Oudebosch Office in the reserve.

The bay is named after Rear-Admiral Thomas Pringle, of the Royal Navy, who commanded the naval station at the Cape in the late 1790s. His legacy as commander of the navy on the Cape station was commemorated in the naming of the bay. The beach is exposed to strong winds but folks still enjoy short walks along it. The town is family friendly and is home to a number of good restaurants, accommodation establishments and curio shops which serve locals, holiday-makers and passers-by.

Rooi Els
Rooi Els is named after the Red Adler Tree. The Dutch named many animals and plants after the European species they knew from home. The Rooi Els tree (Cunonia Capensis) is in fact quite unrelated to the real Red Alder. This picturesque area with its rocky shoreline and small beaches offers dramatic views across False Bay to the Cape Peninsula, perfect swimming and fishing opportunities and numerous walks and trails for hikers.

The richness of natural beauty is equaled by its richness in history. Evidence of settlements by the Khoekhoe people are still visible and runaway slaves took refuge in caves in the inaccessible mountain slopes. Discover the wonders of the Kogelberg Biosphere with the Rooiels Biosphere Eco-Centre. Bird-watching is quite rewarding if you spot the Cape Rock jumper, orange breasted sunbird, Cape Sugarbird and the Verraux's eagle to name a few.