Betty's Bay and Stony Point penguin colony

Betty's Bay is a quiet coastal village in the Overstrand Municipality of the Western Cape, about 90 km south-east of Cape Town on the R44. The drive takes about 1 hour 15 minutes each way along Clarence Drive, which runs between mountains and the sea from Gordon's Bay and is regarded as one of the most scenic coastal roads in the province. A hire car is the most practical way to travel, and the trip is often combined with Hermanus, about 45 minutes further on.

The village's best-known attraction is the breeding colony of African penguins at Stony Point, where boardwalks pass the nesting areas alongside ruins of an old whaling station. Entry costs about R50 to R80 per adult. The Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, on the edge of the village, protects coastal fynbos and forest in a valley with waterfalls, a swimming pool and short walking trails; entry costs about R60 to R90 per adult. Clarence Drive itself has several lookouts and pull-offs for photographs, and the beaches along the coast offer rock pools and quiet walks.

A suggested day leaves Cape Town by 08:30, takes the N2 and then Clarence Drive from Gordon's Bay, and stops at viewpoints on the way. Stony Point is best visited in the morning, followed by an hour or two at the Harold Porter garden, where its tea room serves light lunches. The return can include a detour to Kleinmond or Hermanus before heading back in the afternoon.

The best season runs from September to April, when fynbos is flowering and the weather is mild, though the penguins are present year-round. Clarence Drive can be closed or slow in strong winds or after rockfalls. Food options in the village are few, so lunch at the garden tea room or in Kleinmond is practical, and fuel should be topped up before leaving Gordon's Bay.