Things to do at Blue Bay Lodge
From beach days and family fun to West Coast adventures just beyond the lodge
Spend the day exactly how you feel like at Blue Bay Lodge, whether that means getting active, keeping the kids busy, or simply taking it easy. And when you feel like exploring, there’s plenty to see and do around Saldanha Bay and the wider West Coast.
Activities at Blue Bay Lodge
Fresh Air and Outdoor Fun
Play a game of tennis
Bring a little friendly competition into your stay with a match on our tennis court. Challenge your partner, get the family involved or turn it into a group game. You don’t need to be an experienced player to join in.
- Free for guests
- Booking required
Get a beach volleyball game going
Round up your group and head down to the beach for a game of volleyball with Saldanha Bay as your backdrop. Keep it casual or divide into teams and make a competition of it.
- Free for guests
- Booking required so that we can set up
- Weather dependent
Stargaze from the lawn
When the sun goes down, grab a blanket and look up. Away from the brighter city lights, the West Coast night sky gives you plenty to see from the lawn in front of the lodge.
Download the free Stellarium Mobile app on the App Store or Google Play and point your phone at the sky to identify the stars, planets and constellations above you.
- Free for all guests
- Weather dependent
See what you can spot from the bird hide
Slow things down with a visit to our on-site bird hide. Find a quiet spot, keep an eye on the surrounding birdlife and see which local species make an appearance while you’re there.
- Free for all guests
- Flexible group sizes
Take a walk along the beach
Step straight from the lodge onto the beach for a morning stroll, an afternoon wander or a walk along the water as the sun starts to go down. With the beach right in front of Blue Bay Lodge, there’s no need to plan ahead. Just head outside whenever the mood takes you.
- Direct beach access from the lodge
- Free for all guests
Take a dip in the heated pool
Start the morning with a few easy laps, cool off after a day out or simply spend some time floating around. Our heated pool is available throughout your stay, so you can swim whenever it suits you.
- Open every day
- No booking needed
Things to Do with The Kids
Get creative at the Arts & Crafts Corner
Need something to keep younger guests entertained between swims and beach visits? Our Arts & Crafts Corner gives children and teens a dedicated space to draw, colour, paint and make their own creations.
- Free for all guests
- Best suited to children and teens
Make s’mores around the boma
Gather around the fire and let the kids toast marshmallows under the stars. Our boma s’mores evenings are a simple but memorable way to spend some family time together after the sun goes down.
- Free for all guests
- Best suited to children and families
- Weather dependent
Join a kids’ movie night
After a busy day outside, children and teens can settle in for a movie in one of our conference rooms. When available, we’ll even bring out the popcorn.
- Free for all guests
- Best suited to children and teens
Borrow a board game
Bring everyone together for a game night without having to pack your own. Choose something from our collection, gather around the table and see who gets bragging rights for the rest of the holiday.
- Free for guests
- Booking required
Plan a movie night in your room
Sometimes everyone is ready for an early night. Browse our DVD collection, choose a film and settle in for a relaxed movie night in your own accommodation.
- Free for guests
- Booking required
Relax, Recharge or Keep Active
Book a treatment at Pearl’s Beauty Salon
Make some time for a massage or beauty treatment without even having to leave the lodge. Pearl’s Beauty Salon is based right here at Blue Bay Lodge, making it easy to add a little pampering to your stay.
- Treatments charged separately
- Accommodates up to two guests
- Subject to availability
Order a braai box
Staying in one of our self-catering units and feel like having a braai? Bay Club and Social can deliver a ready-to-cook braai box straight to your accommodation. All that’s left to do is light the fire and get cooking.
- Paid add-on
- Suitable for different group sizes
Stop for coffee and cake
Slow the afternoon down over freshly baked cake with a cup of coffee or tea. Cup of Cake is run by an external provider at Blue Bay Lodge and makes for an easy little treat during your stay.
- Perfect for the whole family
- Additional cost
- Booking required
Keep active during your stay
If you’d like to keep active while you’re away, you can make use of the on-site gym during your stay.
If you’d prefer some guidance, you can also book a session with biokineticist Heyno Kraft. Speak to reception about availability and arranging a session.
- Free gym access for all Blue Bay Lodge guests
- Biokineticist sessions must be booked separately, are subject to availability and carry an additional fee
Find your next holiday read
Pick something from our book corner and find a comfortable spot to read for a while. We also run a book exchange, so if you finish something during your stay, you can leave it behind for another guest and take a new read with you.
- Free for all guests
- Best suited to adults and teens
Romantic Experiences for Two
Have dinner with just the two of you
Skip the busy restaurant table and enjoy an exclusive candlelit dinner overlooking the ocean. Bay Club and Social can arrange a private dinner for two, giving you the view and the evening to yourselves.
- Additional cost
- Hosted by Bay Club and Social
- Weather dependent
Create the perfect proposal
Thinking about popping the question during your stay? Bay Club and Social can help set the scene with a romantic dinner package designed to make it an unforgettable moment.
- Additional cost
- Hosted by Bay Club and Social
- Subject to availability
Watch the sunset with sundowners on the beach
Grab a drink and find a spot overlooking Saldanha Bay as the sun starts to go down. Hosted by Bay Club and Social, sundowners on the beach are a relaxed way to round off the day together.
- Hosted by Bay Club and Social
- Adults only
- Additional cost
- Weather dependent and subject to availability
Add a romantic surprise to your room
Celebrating an anniversary, birthday or special weekend away? We can prepare a romantic room setup before you arrive, complete with flower petals and a luxury towel swan for your partner to discover.
- Complimentary for couples
- Champagne can be added at an additional cost
Celebrating with a Group?
Plan a pool party
Turn an ordinary afternoon into a poolside get-together with swimming, music, food and drinks. Speak to us beforehand, and we can help you arrange the details for your group.
- Free for guests
- Booking required
- Weather dependent
Activities Near Blue Bay Lodge
Get Out on The Water
Kayak on the Langebaan Lagoon
See the lagoon from a completely different perspective on a guided kayak trip or hire a kayak and paddle at your own pace. Gravity Adventures offers routes around Langebaan Lagoon, including trips around Schaapen Island and longer paddles into West Coast National Park.
- Suitable for beginners and more experienced paddlers
- Guided trips and kayak hire available
- Booking required for guided trips
- Weather dependent
Try stand-up paddleboarding
The calm waters of Langebaan Lagoon make it a great place to try stand-up paddleboarding, whether you’re a beginner finding your balance or already comfortable on a board. Cape Sports Center offers SUP lessons and rentals, along with plenty of other ways to get out on the water, including kitesurfing, windsurfing, wingfoiling, e-foiling, surfing and kayaking.
- Lessons and board hire available
- Suitable for beginners
- Booking recommended
- Weather dependent
Provider: Cape Sports Center
Cruise around Langebaan Lagoon
Sit back and take in the lagoon from the water aboard a Tropico boat cruise. Cruises depart from Club Mykonos and are suited to anything from a relaxed outing together to family trips and group celebrations.
- Departs from Club Mykonos in Langebaan
- Advance booking required
- Weather dependent
Bookings: Tropico Boat Cruises
Head out on a fishing charter
Spend a few hours fishing the Langebaan Lagoon or venture further out on a West Coast fishing charter. Langebaan Fishing Charters caters for newcomers as well as experienced anglers and offers family-friendly inshore trips alongside other seasonal West Coast charters.
- Suitable for beginners and experienced anglers
- Booking required
- Weather and fishing conditions apply
Bookings: Langebaan Fishing Charters
Explore West Coast National Park
Spend a day in West Coast National Park
There’s far more to West Coast National Park than its famous spring flowers. Drive alongside the turquoise Langebaan Lagoon, stop at viewpoints and bird hides, follow walking or cycling routes and make time for some of the beautiful beaches and picnic spots along the way.
- Day visitors welcome
- Park conservation fees apply
- Allow several hours if you want to explore properly
- Some areas and activities are seasonal
Official information: SANParks West Coast National Park
Spend the day at Kraalbaai
Pack your swimming things and a picnic and make a day of Kraalbaai. Set on the Langebaan Lagoon inside West Coast National Park, this sheltered stretch is known for its clear turquoise water and sandy shoreline and is a lovely place to swim, picnic and spend a slow day beside the lagoon. SANParks specifically highlights Kraalbaai as one of the park’s picnic spots.
- Located inside West Coast National Park
- Great for swimming and picnics
- Picnic and braai facilities available
- Park conservation fees apply
Official information: SANParks West Coast National Park
Picnic and explore the rock pools at Tsaarsbank
For a wilder side of the park, head across to Tsaarsbank on the Atlantic coastline. Explore the rock pools, pack something to eat and enjoy the views out over the ocean. It is also noted by SANParks as a whale-watching spot during the season.
- Located inside West Coast National Park
- Picnic and braai facilities
- Rock pools along the coastline
- Whale sightings are possible in season
- Park conservation fees apply
Official information: SANParks West Coast National Park
See the West Coast wildflowers
If you’re visiting during flower season, set aside time to see one of the West Coast’s most famous natural displays. The Postberg section of West Coast National Park opens during August and September, when seasonal flowers transform the landscape. Exactly when and how strongly the flowers bloom depends on the weather.
- Best known for displays during August and September
- Postberg is seasonal
- Flower displays depend on weather conditions
- Park conservation fees apply
Official information: SANParks West Coast National Park
Go hiking in the national park
If you’d rather explore on foot, West Coast National Park has several trails ranging from shorter walks to longer, bookable hikes. Seasonal options include the Steenbok and Postberg trails during flower season, while Eve’s Trail offers a longer guided experience through the park.
- Routes vary in length and difficulty
- Some trails require advance booking
- Certain trails are only available seasonally
Official information: West Coast National Park hiking trails
Explore the park by bike
Bring your bikes and see more of the park on two wheels. West Coast National Park has cycling and mountain-bike routes, ranging from rides towards Geelbek and Kraalbaai to circular mountain-bike routes around the Seeburg area.
- Different route lengths available
- Bring your own bicycles
- Park conservation fees apply
- Check current route access before setting out
Official Guide and Routes: Visitor Guide with Cycling Routes
Go birdwatching
With 281 bird species on SANParks’ West Coast National Park checklist, it’s worth bringing your binoculars. Stop at one of the park’s bird hides and see what you can spot around the lagoon, wetlands and surrounding fynbos.
- Several bird hides around the park
- 281 birds to spot with checklist available online
- Suitable for casual and keen birders
- Park conservation fees apply
Official information: SANParks’ 281-species bird checklist is available online
Take a Day Trip Along The West Coast
Visit Paternoster
Spend a few hours wandering through one of the West Coast’s best-known fishing villages. Walk along Paternoster’s beach, watch the fishing boats, browse around the village or stay for lunch before heading back towards Saldanha Bay. The village is also a good spot for birdwatching and seasonal whale and dolphin sightings.
- Great for a half-day or full-day outing
- Beach, restaurants and village exploring
- Whale and dolphin sightings are possible in season
Official visitor information: Visit Paternoster
See the West Coast on horseback
Ride through West Coast farmland before making your way down to the beach with Paternoster Horse Trails. Beach and sunset rides are available, making this a particularly memorable way to see the coastline.
- Located between Paternoster and Stompneusbaai
- Beach and sunset rides available
- Booking required
- Minimum age restrictions apply
Bookings: Paternoster Horse Trails
Walk out to Stompneus Point Lighthouse
Head towards Shelley Point in St Helena Bay for a coastal walk to the white Stompneus Point Lighthouse. The lighthouse itself is closed to visitors, but the surrounding coastline and beaches make it a worthwhile little sightseeing stop, particularly if you’re already exploring St Helena Bay.
- Located at Shelley Point, St Helena Bay
- Site can be viewed from outside
- Pair it with a beach walk around Shelley Point
Visitor information: Stompneus Point Lighthouse
Unique West Coast Experiences
Step back in time at the West Coast Fossil Park
Take the family to West Coast Fossil Park and discover what this part of the world looked like around five million years ago. The National Heritage Site is home to exceptionally well-preserved fossils, including remains of sabre-toothed cats, short-necked giraffes and other animals that once roamed the West Coast.
- Located at Langebaanweg
- Exhibition and fossil site
- Good option for families and curious kids
- Check tour and booking times before visiting
Visitor information: West Coast Fossil Park
Wander through The Plot in Jacobsbaai
For something a little different, head to The Plot in Jacobsbaai. Wander through the Pixie & Fairy Village, find your way around the seven-tier labyrinth or spend some time beneath the trees before heading down towards the nearby beach
- Located in Jacobsbaai
- Pixie & Fairy Village
- Seven-tier labyrinth
- Contact The Plot before visiting to confirm day-visitor access
Visitor information: The Plot Jacobsbaai
Pick your own flowers at The Cutting Garden
Take a drive out towards Long Acres in Langebaan and spend some time among the flowers at The Cutting Garden, where guests can pick their own seasonal blooms and put together a bouquet to take home.
- Located around Long Acres, Langebaan
- Seasonal and weather dependent
- Confirm availability before travelling
Visitor information: Call +27 79 678 1025 or check their Facebook page for more info.
Taste Something Local
Book a table at Wolfgat
For a special meal, make the trip to Paternoster for a tasting menu at Wolfgat. Set in a historic cottage overlooking the coast, the restaurant showcases the flavours of the Strandveld through locally sourced seafood, seasonal produce, indigenous ingredients and ingredients foraged from the surrounding landscape.
- Located in Paternoster
- Seven-course seasonal tasting menu
- Only 20 diners accommodated per sitting
- Advance booking essential
- Guests under 16 are not accommodated
Bookings: Book Wolfgat
Feast on seafood right on the beach
Kick off your shoes and settle in for a proper West Coast seafood feast at Die Strandloper in Langebaan. The open-air restaurant sits right on the beach, where a multi-course meal is prepared over open fires and served in a relaxed, rustic setting overlooking the water.
- Located on the beach in Langebaan
- Multi-course seafood menu
- Food cooked over open fires
- Booking essential
- Weather dependent
Website: Die Strandloper
Taste West Coast wines and spirits in Saldanha
Stop in at Saldanha Wine and Spirit Co. for a taste of wines and spirits produced right here on the West Coast. The tasting venue at 35 Main Road is associated with winemaker Adi Badenhorst and focuses on fortified and sweet wines alongside other local offerings. Current opening days can vary, so booking ahead is a good idea.
- Located in Saldanha Bay
- Tastings available
- Booking recommended
Official social page: Saldanha Wine & Spirit Co. on Instagram
Try a locally brewed beer in Langebaan
Craft beer fans can make a stop at Black Eagle Brewing Co. in Langebaan. The taproom pours a selection of its own beers, including year-round and seasonal brews, making it an easy addition to an afternoon in town.
- Located in Langebaan
- Local craft beers and seasonal brews
- Check current taproom hours before visiting
Visitor Information: Black Eagle Brewing Co.
Tee Off in Langebaan
Play a round at Langebaan Country Estate
Golfers can book a round at Langebaan Country Estate, home to an 18-hole golf course, driving range and other sporting facilities. The estate also offers a Mashie course for anyone after a shorter round.
- Located in Langebaan
- 18-hole golf course
- Driving range and Mashie course
- Booking recommended
Visit Information: Langebaan Country Estate
Browse, Shop and See What’s Local
Visit the end-of-month Saldanha Market
If you’re staying at Blue Bay Lodge towards the end of the month, ask reception whether the Saldanha Market is taking place during your visit. Browse local food stalls, handmade crafts and products from small businesses while getting a little taste of the local community.
- Usually held from 09:00 to 14:00
- Primary venue: Dial Rock Hall, Albatros Street, Saldanha or White City Multi-Purpose Centre
- Contact Sheena Truter on +27 76 083 3668 or Yolanda Pieterse on +27 76 375 8280 to confirm the next market date
Shop at Weskus Mall
Need to stock up during your stay? Weskus Mall in Vredenburg has more than 70 shops, along with places to eat and useful everyday services.
- Located in Vredenburg
- Shops, supermarkets, restaurants and services
- Useful for groceries and holiday essentials as well as shopping
Visitor Information: Weskus Mall
Stop at Laguna Mall
Laguna Mall is another convenient option if you’re already spending time in Langebaan. You’ll find supermarkets, fashion and speciality stores as well as restaurants and takeaway options.
- Located in Langebaan
- Shopping, groceries and places to eat
- Convenient to combine with other Langebaan activities
Visitor Information: Laguna Mall
