Camping at Cool Bay should definitely be on your list of things to do this year. If you are looking to go camping near Somerset West for a bit of a summer holiday. Then this beach campsite will definitely be an interesting place for you to visit. If sunbathing, swimming and surfing are some of your favorite activities to take part in during the warm months. Contact Kogel Bay for their prices during the time you would like to visit.
However booking in advance is definitely a must. Because this popular campsite fills up pretty quickly in the holiday seasons.
There are other campsites in Somerset West, Strand and Gordons Bay that one can choose from. But you haven’t experienced proper beach side camping until you go and pitch a tent at Cool Bay.
Sunbathing for hours at a time. Lying at your beach campsite on the golden sand. Reading a book or just relaxing while watching the others surfing the hollow waves. If this sounds like the perfect holiday for you, then Kogel Bay is the place for you to be this year.
The prices of the campsites depends on many factors. Such as the amount of people going. How many days you’d like to stay for, what time of the year, etc.
Kogel Bay or Cool Bay as it’s Known
Kogel bay or Cool bay as most people call it has a popular surf spot about 20-30 minutes drive from the Strand beach.
The way to get there is by taking the coast road from Gordons bay which winds its way around the mountains on route to a small coastal village called Rooi Els.
The journey to this beach offers a wonderful view of the local mountain scenery. And the ocean and is a popular place to watch the whales from during the South African whale season. Which starts every year round about August or September and lasts for a month or two.
Those wanting to surf at Cool bay need to be experienced. Because this stretch of beach has very strong currents and rips that can easily land the beginner surfer in trouble.
Due to the fact that deeper water becomes very shallow water suddenly here the waves are powerful and you can be standing in waist deep water looking up at a 5-6 foot wave about to crash on your head.
Camping at Cool bay is ideal for surfers because it makes it a short walk to the surf.
Why is Cool Bay a Popular Surf Spot?
It’s the powerful waves that make this stretch of beach a popular surfing spot for keen surfers from all over the Cape peninsula. In actual fact it is the most open to what they term the “swell window” meaning that it picks up the most swell in the Cape area and almost always has a rideable wave.
The popular area to surf and hang out is by the caves. Which involves parking your car in the car park at the top and negotiating your way along the path through the bushes and down the cliff side.
Also because this particular beach is protected from the Cape South Easterly wind. The campsite gets crowded at Kogel bay, or Cool bay, during the summer season.
In Summary
Camping is an activity that every family should take part in, if not every year then at least once every few years.
It is fun for the whole family, so you don’t have to worry about the children being bored and not enjoying themselves while you are away.
Camping at cool bay is relatively cheap especially if you go slightly out of season. So it’s a good place for a weekend getaway.
As we mention above, just be careful of the rips in the sea at this location.
Other activities and places to visit within this beautiful area include the Crystal Pools hike on the R44 drive from Gordon’s Bay.