I was invited to the Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay in August and again just over a week ago for their media tourism event. Now I’ll admit, I don’t usually venture into the southern suburbs of Cape Town as traffic and parking are usually a nightmare that side but it was definitely worth the step out of my comfort zone!
On my initial visit to the market I was already fascinated by the variety of vendors offering a wide range of food and gifting options. We tucked into everything from lamb burgers, pizza and poppers to chocolate chip cookies. The market has made sure that no two vendors are exactly the same so your selection process is not made any easier either! However, I felt that this relates perfectly to the diverse culture of Cape Town and I immediately felt a connection to the Bay Harbour Market. Besides browsing the traders’ stalls and listening to live music, be sure to look around (and up!) so you don’t miss the unique artworks created out of everyday items. This market surely is a feast for the eyes and taste buds!
At last week’s event Anthony Stroebel, founder of the Bay Harbour Market, shared some interesting stats with us. The market is one of the few permanent ones and welcomes about 6000 visitors every weekend with the current record sitting at 10800 visitors stepping through the doors in a single weekend! The objective was to put Hout Bay on the map, so to speak, and with 280000 people visiting the market last year I think they’ve certainly achieved that! Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, also noted that they aim, from a tourism side, to support all events in Cape Town so as to give people a greater choice of things to do on weekends in the city. And with markets like these, there really is no reason to sit at home bored!
The market is situated at the Hout Bay Harbour so you can expect incredible sea and mountain views with the popular Fish on the Rocks restaurant right across from it. So when you’re satisfied that you’ve fully explored the market (which is no mean feat!) take a walk or drive down to the harbour and soak it the ambiance of this seaside village.
Love the market, but it is usually a bit too busy for my liking :P (And the calamari and chip roll at Fish on the Rocks is to die for!)
It is quite a popular market both amongst the locals and tourists. I’m sure nobody makes a calamari chip roll like Fish on the Rocks!