Taking Children to Gansbaai
Families in Gansbaai get the most from the town when they plan around age and budget. This page groups the options that way. Prices are in South African rand (R).
Any Age, Free or Cheap
The penguin sanctuary
The African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary in Kleinbaai costs nothing to enter and opens daily from 09:00 to 16:00. Public feeding happens at 15:00, which is the best time to arrive. The Dyer Island Conservation Trust looks after rescued penguins and other seabirds there, so the animals on show change, and a particular bird is never certain. Donations are welcome.
Stanford’s Cove
The cove at De Kelders has a lawn, swings, toilets and outdoor showers, with rock pools that suit children who stay close to an adult. Keep small swimmers in the shallows. The Perlemoenbaai tidal pool on Kus Weg is another calm place, while the open sea has cold water, rips and sharks.
Saturday market
The Gansbaai Market runs on Saturdays from 09:00 on Kapokblom Street, in Market Space. Check with Gansbaai Tourism that it is on before you go.
School Age and Up, With Some Cost
Platbos Forest
Entry is R50 for adults and R20 for children, dropped into an honesty box at the Info Hut. The forest is open from 08:00 to 17:00 every day, holidays included, with no booking and no dogs allowed. Its operator calls it Africa’s southernmost forest, with trees more than 1,000 years old. Loops run from 1 to 2.5 hours, so pick a short one for little legs.
Walker Bay Nature Reserve
Children aged 4 to 17 pay R50 and adults from R70, by card or mobile payment only. The Klipgat Cave boardwalk involves some rock-hopping, so wear shoes with grip.
A museum for shipwreck fans
The Strandveld Museum at Franskraal is a private museum with relics from the Birkenhead. Call 028 388 2414 for opening times and the entry fee.
Boat Trips
The Marine Big 5 from Kleinbaai takes about 2 to 2.5 hours and passes seals, penguins and dolphins, with whales in season, roughly June to November. Under 5s go free. A child under 12 pays R1,725 as an international visitor or R864 as a South African citizen, plus the R150 conservation fee. Dress warmly, because the wind on the water is cold even on a bright day.
Shark cage diving has child fares of R2,070 for international visitors under 12 and R1,188 for South African children. The dive is breath-hold from a surface cage in cold water, so ask the operator whether your child is ready.
Not for Children
Grootbos tours accept guests aged 12 and over. Dyer Island and Geyser Rock allow no landing, hiking or kayaking, so you can only look at them from a licensed boat.
Read more: more things to do around Gansbaai , or the Cape Town guide for the drive in.
Compare family boat trips on GetYourGuide , and check the Platbos trail page and the Dyer Island Conservation Trust page on the sanctuary .