Stilbaai guide
Stilbaai and the Goukou
Stilbaai (Still Bay) sits where the Goukou River meets the Indian Ocean, at the western start of the Garden Route. The town is ten minutes from the farm.
Stilbaai (Still Bay) is a quiet holiday town where the Goukou River meets the Indian Ocean, at the western start of the Garden Route, about four hours from Cape Town. Stonehouse Lodge is 10 minutes upriver, off the R305 on the Spuithoek gravel road.
Getting here
How far is Stilbaai?
| From | Distance | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | About 340 km | About 4 hours on the N2 |
| George Airport | About 150 km | About 1¾ to 2 hours |
| Riversdale | About 30 km | About half an hour |
| Stilbaai town | On the R305 | About 10 minutes |
Navigate to the farm gate
From Cape Town take the N2 past Riversdale (about 340 km). Turn right onto the R305 towards Stilbaai. After 19 km turn right onto the Spuithoek gravel road. After 1.3 km the Stonehouse Lodge gates are on your left.
Plus Code M9P9+9M Still Bay. Phone signal can drop on the gravel road, so save these before you leave the R305.
When to come
Stilbaai through the year
- Summer (December to February)
- Beach season and the busiest time in town, especially over Christmas and New Year. Book early for December; Stonehouse has a 7-night minimum then.
- Autumn (March to May)
- Quieter, with Easter the main busy weekend. Migrant birds are still on the estuary until about April, and the olive harvest starts in May.
- Winter (June to August)
- Whale season begins in June, the olives are picked by hand and evenings are for the fireplace. The quietest time of year in town.
- Spring (September to November)
- Whales peak from July to October, the aloes and fynbos flower, and migrant birds arrive from late August.
The town
The Goukou divides Stilbaai into West and East. The river is tidal and navigable for about 15 km inland, which is how the farm has its own jetty so far from the sea. The estuary stays open to the ocean all year.
Stilbaai is a quiet holiday town: a small harbour, long beaches and the kind of pace the name promises. December and Easter are busy; the rest of the year is calm.
Cradle of Human Culture
Blombos Cave, west of town, produced engraved ochre around 75,000 years old, among the oldest known art in the world. The finds gave their name to the Still Bay industry in archaeology. Replicas are on show at the Blombos Museum in town.
Getting to the farm
From Cape Town take the N2 past Riversdale (about 340 km). Turn right onto the R305 towards Stilbaai. After 19 km turn right onto the Spuithoek gravel road. After 1.3 km the Stonehouse Lodge gates are on your left. The drive from Cape Town takes about four hours.
The last 1.3 km is on gravel. Google Maps and Waze sometimes struggle with the farm tracks, so follow these directions to the gate rather than the satellite pin, and send Alison a WhatsApp when you are on the Spuithoek road.
From George Airport, take the N2 west past Albertinia to the R305 turn-off before Riversdale, then follow the same directions. The nearest long-distance bus stop is Riversdale.
Beaches and the coast
Lappiesbaai in Stilbaai East is the main swimming beach, with lifeguards in season. The limestone coast either side of town has rock pools, the stone tidal fish traps at Skulpiesbaai and the whale lookout above the harbour. Jongensfontein, west of town, has a natural tidal pool that is safe for children.
Eating out and shopping
Stilbaai has a handful of good restaurants and cafés on both sides of the river, from seafood and steakhouses to a deli and a café on the river, plus supermarkets for self-catering. Inverroche makes fynbos gin in town. The farm is close enough to come back for a braai under the stars. Alison keeps a current list of where to eat; ask when you arrive.
Plan your days
- Things to doBird watching on the GoukouYes. BirdLife South Africa records at least 230 species around Stilbaai, and a single summer day usually turns up about 90. On the farm, fish eagles circle the dam and the river, and the three indigenous canyons hold forest and fynbos birds.
- Things to doHiking trailsStart on the farm: a trail climbs from the river up towards Riethuiskraal through fynbos and canyon. Around Stilbaai there are easy coastal walks to the Preekstoel rock and the tidal fish traps, and longer routes like the 11 km Noordkapper whale trail.
- Things to doMountain bikingYes. Ride the farm tracks through the olive orchard and out onto the gravel roads through the farmlands. Singletrack in the Geelkrans and Pauline Bohnen reserves is a short drive away.
- Things to doPaddling and boating on the GoukouFrom the farm's private slipway and floating jetty you can swim, take out one of the farm's two kayaks, water-ski, join a river cruise or hire the speed boat with a skipper. The Goukou is tidal and navigable for about 15 km inland, down to the estuary and the sea at Stilbaai.
- StayStonehouse LodgeThe stone and thatch main house on the hillside, with a wrap-around veranda over the Goukou River, a bar, a pool table, a swimming pool and the slipway below.