Paternoster, heart of the west coast

Just an hour’s drive from Cape Town, on the rugged west coast, in a quiet bay lined with scattered rocks, lies the pretty fishing village of Paternoster.

With its quaint white houses, gray-green savannah and turquoise water, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve ended up in a remote village somewhere on the Mediterranean coast. Then again, you won’t get anything more authentically South African than the local treat of bokkoms (dried salted fish), the seafood version of that other very South African treat, biltong.

Being close to Cape Town, this predominantly Afrikaans-speaking town is a popular weekend getaway destination for wealthy Capetonians who prefer the unspoiled west coast to the more tourist-friendly south coast. In summer, the nearby Tietiesbaai campsite, in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve, is frequented by hardened fishermen and divers.

Although the water is usually too cold for bathing, the colorful boats baking in the sun are a typical sight on the city’s pristine stretch of beach. On a good day up to thirty ships can be seen across the bay: almost all of Paternoster’s humble permanent inhabitants are still at the mercy of the sea to provide them with food and a means of income.

Legend has it that the name of the city, which in Latin means “Our Father Prayer”, was given by Portuguese sailors who had problems in the rough seas. Grateful for reaching the shore safely, they vowed to build a church and named the town Paternoster.

A visit to the Paternoster Hotel will give you a taste of the city’s colorful culture. The hotel’s infamous “panty bar,” with its walls and ceiling covered in women’s underwear and dirty jokes, is where you’ll find beefy fishermen watching sports on TV while chugging down copious amounts of brandy and coke. Across the street from the hotel terrace, locals sell their catch of the day, either legally Snoek or clandestinely Crayfish (it is illegal to buy or sell West Coast Crawfish or Rock Lobster with a Crayfish Recreational Permit).

Further along is the Paternoster farm stall, where merchandise includes a delicious range of homemade seafood pickles like chilli cilantro mussels or calamari curry. Diagonally opposite is charming Oep ve Koep (the name translates directly from an Afrikaans expression in West Coast slang as “open for purchase”) where typical kitschy tourist souvenirs sit among a large collection of antique enamelware, pots glass and old signs.

At the beachfront market, enjoy the freshest fish and chips from the Seemeeu kiosk or brave the pungent smell and buy plenty of bokkoms, a truly delicious substitute for anchovy.

For the perfect ending to a typical West Coast visit, make dinner reservations at the quaint Die Voorstrandt restaurant. Located right on the beach in one of the oldest buildings in the village, Die Voorstrandt offers a sampling of the freshest local seafood and unsurpassed views of the West Coast’s most beautiful sunset.