Cruise the contours of False Bay along one of South Africa’s most scenic drives

Turquoise waves kiss the base of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, while tufts of cloud brush the peaks. Beneath them, one of the world’s most stunning routes cuts through the rugged terrain. Clarence Drive forms part of the R44, stretching for a little more than 20 kilometres from Gordon’s Bay to the rustic hamlet of Rooi Els. The area is renowned for whale-watching in the Western Cape, with this course offering many stops along the way. 

Begin in Gordon’s Bay, a fishing town where residents have long benefited from the waters of False Bay. Members of Gordon’s Bay Yacht Club set sail from the old harbour, while on the other side of the pier, Bikini Beach tempts sunbathers with its Blue Flag status. 

You have the chance to spy southern right whales breach from multiple lookout points on Clarence Drive. With 77 bends, the drive along this road mimics the ebb and flow of the waves. Just after the first major curve, the mountain splits. 

Beneath the bridge at the Steenbras River Gorge, the salty ocean slips between a rift in the mountains to meet with the river. Crystal Pools Hiking Trail crosses the water’s course. Get a permit from Steenbras Nature Reserve and follow the path to a series of secluded basins. Featuring opportunities for cliff-jumping along the way, the trail culminates in a view of Steenbras Dam. 

Less than 10 minutes away, crushing waves call to surfers at Kogel Bay Beach. It forms part of the extensive Kogelberg Nature Reserve, which is considered the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom. Fynbos-covered mountains shield the shoreline from the blustering South Easter, and tidal pools further away allow you to enjoy the saltwater without battling the roaring tide. At Sparks Bay Day Camp, there’s a little area for fishing and a larger grassy spot for picnicking. 

If you haven’t packed a lunch, a feast awaits just over the Rooi Els estuary. The Drummond Arms dishes out tantalising battered hake, and their calamari keeps diners coming back for more. Rooi Els signals the end of Clarence Drive, but why stop here? Just 15 minutes away, a boardwalk in Stony Point Nature Reserve takes you to a colony of penguins who have turned an old whaling station into their home.