Betty's Bay

Betty's Bay is a small holiday town situated on the Overberg coast of South Africa's Western Cape province. It is located 96 km from Cape Town beneath the rugged Kogelberg Mountains and is on the scenic R44 ocean drive between Pringle Bay and Kleinmond. This village is the longest in South Africa at over 13 km. Tourism plays a large role in the town's economy due to its popularity with holiday makers from across the Western Cape and Cape Town in particular. During Colonial times Betty's Bay was a favourite place for runaway slaves, but in 1912 Betty's Bay became a formal whaling station running up until the 1930s. Remains of the whaling station can still be seen at Stony Point. The area is named after Betty Youlden, daughter of the first developer of the area Arthur Youlden. Betty's Bay contains the well known Harold Porter National Botanical Garden as well as a Jackass Penguin colony.