Churchhaven beach house magic
Ever since Condé Nast House & Garden voted Whaler’s Way beach house in Churchhaven as ‘one of the top 10 best places to stay in South Africa’, this humble West Coast cottage has seen families and friends fall in love with it’s simple lifestyle.
At the time – this was way back in October 2006 – Churchhaven was as yet undiscovered by international travellers, but Whalers Way was one of the originals to lead the way, introducing its guests to a simple way of off-the-grid living, with no WiFi or electricity. It’s a traditional Churchhaven beach house that is big on charm and small on environmental impact. The house is built on an entirely green footprint of reclaimed materials, solar panels, locally sourced finishes and rainwater harvesting.
Ecological credentials lend authenticity to the understated rustic ‘French Settler’ style that has been achieved with weathered beams, antique furnishings and fresh natural finishes. A palette of soothing colours, inspired by the gentle hues of the surrounding plants and the ever-changing skies – often coral pink at dawn or dusk – and, of course, the mesmerising Grecian blues of the lagoon.
The perfect off-grid escape
Whaler’s Way is tucked into the unspoilt village of Churchhaven in the heart of the West Coast National Park, which is only an hour’s drive from Cape Town. It is a mere two-minute amble from this charming stoep to the pristine waters of the Langebaan Lagoon. Spend your days swimming, SUPing, kayaking, cycling or snorkelling, or simply laze on the verandah soaking up the views that stretch over the lagoon and beyond. This truly is a magical, off-the-grid hideaway, the perfect detox for multigenerational families, little ones or the best of friends who simply need a weekend of glorious peace and quiet in a truly magical part of the world.
What we love!
- The wonderfully warm lagoon waters with the softest white-sand beaches and very safe swimming for the kids.
- Churchhaven’s utterly unspoilt, pristine surroundings deep in a National Parks Board Nature Reserve up the wilder, less touristy West Coast.
- Its back-to-basics lifestyle in a charming hamlet on the water’s edge.
- The incredible range of things to do and see, from the spring flowers in Postberg Flower Reserve, idyllic beach picnics at nearby Kraalbaai (close to the famous Preekstoel rock formation) and kitesurfing at Shark Bay just outside Langebaan (an excellent place for beginners and to hone your skills). Birders or twitchers will discover a busy shoreline: especially pretty are the flocks of flamingos.
- That it’s so easy and quick to get to from Cape Town: literally leave the office and be here for sundowners.
What you need to know…
- Make the most of life on the lagoon… there are SUPs and kayaks available to rent during your stay.
- Whaler’s Way is only one hour’s drive from Cape Town and there is plenty to do in the area: if you’re making a day trip of the journey up, why not stop along the way at !Kwa ttu, the San cultural centre, to learn more about the heritage of the San or Bushmen. Or, if you’re staying a week, take a trip to the recently refurbished fossil museum at the West Coast Fossil Park, an absolute gem for families and not far from Langebaan.
- Once inside the National Park, you can do Eve’s Footprints trail, to the site where important fossilised footprints were found in 1995 along the shoreline of Langebaan Lagoon.
- This is blissful off-the-grid living, so there is no WiFi, limited mobile phone accessibility (the church steps sometimes have the best reception) and solar power rules supreme. Most houses rely on rainwater catchment or borehole water driven by solar pumps, and gas hobs and gas ovens are used for cooking. In winter, fireplaces and ever-faithful wood-burning stoves keep things cosy.
- We are unable to offer a cleaning service at Churchhaven. The ONLY cleaning service available at any of our Churchhaven properties is a mid-week linen change if you are staying for 6 nights or longer. Due to being off-grid, Churchhaven houses do not have dishwashers. If this is a problem for you please consider our other West Coast options.
- Please take note of the following gate times for entering and leaving the West Coast National Park:
1 April to 31 August 07:00 to 17:30;
1 September to 31 March 07:00 to 18:30.
No entrance into the park is possible after the gates close in the evenings.
- There is a per person, per day entrance fee due to enter the park. Please check the SANPARKS website for the latest fee tariffs. It may be worth investing in a Wild Card membership for a year.
- If Whaler’s Way isn’t available over your dates, browse our signature collection of beach houses in Churchhaven and Schrywershoek, or other accommodation options from our West Coast hideaways collection.
Edited by Michelle Snaddon