Langebaan

Langebaan at a glance

Langebaan town originated on a farm called De Stompe Hoek,which was first called Geytenbergsfontein. Langebaan is one of the oldest towns in South Africa, with a history dating back more than 400 years. It has an archaeological history of a few million years. Twelve kilometres east of the farm Elandsfontein, a fossilised skeleton was found that dates back to the Stone Age. This fossil deposit is considered to be one of the richest in the world.

Langebaan was once a safe haven for ships navigating the often treacherous Atlantic Ocean. Seafarers from all over the world were able to safely come to shore via the Langebaan Lagoon, and the stopover provided a chance to obtain fresh meat and agricultural supplies. They also used the safety of the bay to repair their ships. During 1662 Jan van Riebeeck sent scouts to the bay. Their negative report about the lack of fresh water however made him loose interest in the area. The bay was only used to provide the Cape with fish, eggs, and birds and to keep sheep on Schaapen Island, for the use of passing ships

During the 17th century, French seal hunters often used the areas around Langebaan to store their sealskins and whale oil. With the First British Occupation in1781, the Dutch and English battled it out in the bay. The area remained quiet until the guano rush in 1844. For the next few years, hundreds of ships stripped the islands of guano.

In 1909 John Bryde opened a whaling station at Donkergat, when Greenland whales became scarce. The Great Depression of 1930 brought an end to whaling. The town started to prosper and most people made their living from fishing. In 1919 the first town council was chosen.

In World War II, Saldanha was used as a base for the British fleet and Langebaan served as a terminal where supplies could be loaded and unloaded. Catalina Flying boats were used to track German submarines. The problem of fresh water was finally solved in 1943 when a pipeline was laid from the Bergriver. The demand for whale-oil during the Second World War let to the reopening of the whaling station at Donkergat in 1947 - one of the southern hemisphere’s biggest whale stations which was closed down in 1967.

On 19 November 1976 the town received municipal status. The property market in Langebaan really took off in the 1980’s when new developments and improved infrastructure made the town a sought-after residential area and holiday destination.

(Sources - Bokkom & Farmhouse Hotel)

What Langebaan is like right now

Location

Langebaan is a town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa on the Eastern shore of Langebaan Lagoon and right next to the scenic West Coast National Park. Langebaan is situated 120 km north of Cape Town, just off the R27, about 28km from Vredenburg and 20km from Saldanha Bay.

Lifestyle

Langebaan inhabitants are spoilt for choice when it comes to activities and attractions in the region. Water sport enthusiasts can take advantage of the mild climate and the protected and clear waters of the Langebaan Lagoon, which is perfect for kite surfing, windsurfing, wake boarding, tube riding and jet skiing or alternatively to go kayaking, sailing or even enjoy a relaxing boat cruise and fishing.

Those who enjoy a more peaceful lifestyle, or just being in nature, can go strolling on the shore of the Langebaan lagoon or visit the surrounding West Coast National Park, where you can enjoy hiking trails, picnics, game viewing, bird watching and even whale watching. The Postberg area of the West Coast National Park is well known for its spectacular display of flowers between July through to September.

Infrastructure

To protect its culture as a fishing, holiday and retirement village, the town allows no industries inside the town borders. A relaxed resort town atmosphere is enhanced by excellent infrastructure and the commercial center of Langebaan boasts a variety of shops – with all the national retail stores represented – including fitness centres, health clubs, medical and healthcare facilities, plus banks, places of worship and other amenities.

The Laguna Mall shopping centre has a wide range of shopping and leisure options and boasts 60 stores and mainstream tenants.

There is a good choice of restaurants in Langebaan, with many of them offering a variety of fresh seafood. Die Standloper is an informal open-air restaurant located on the water’s edge. Here you can indulge in traditional seafood dishes, while you enjoy the sand under your feet and the blue skies above. The ambience, charm and location of Die Standloper make this a bucket-list item when visiting the Cape’s West Coast.

The popular Club Mykonos is located on the shores of the Langebaan lagoon. This Greek themed resort’s onsite facilities include tennis and squash courts, sauna, swimming pool, a games room and several restaurants, as well as a casino. Club Mykonos Resort hosts a number of annual events, festivals and exhibitions. It is able to accommodate large numbers, so well-known artists are regular performers at this venue. Popular competitions and fundraising events are hosted at the resort.

Two private nature reserves are located close to Langebaan. Elandsfontein is situated next to the West Coast National Park and is home to more than 600 wild animals which roam freely as well as a famous fossil deposit. On Buffelsfontein game drives, you can get to see Lion, Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest, Kudu, Eland, Oryx (Gemsbok), Bontebok, Springbok, Duiker, Steenbok and Caracal. 

Large-scale sporting events such as triathlons, the downwind dash, cycling, car gymkhanas and more are held in Langebaan. A monthly craft market, as well as art exhibitions through the year, showcase the talents of local artists. Community events includes the church bazaar and the annual Langebaan Mussel Festival, which takes place on the first weekend of October. 

As a popular tourist attraction, Langebaan is home to various B&B’s, self-catering units, hotels and guesthouses.

Types of Real Estate available

Some of the most sought-after seafront properties on the West Coast are found on the Lagoon. The Langebaan property market has been identified by property experts as a real estate market with great investment potential, with over 2700 permanent residential properties to be found across the town.

Various types of property are for sale in Langebaan, such as flats or apartments, town houses, houses, security complexes, golf estate property, vacant land or erfs to develop you own home, guest houses, beach front homes, small holdings and farms, as well as older character homes.

The proximity to Cape Town makes Langebaan a thriving coastal resort town that is a firm favourite with holidaymakers and locals alike, who flock to the area in search of prime Langebaan properties. Over the last few years, there has also been an obvious influx of people from other provinces, especially from Gauteng, which strengthened the property market as Langebaan, Saldanha and Vredenburg have slowly but surely developed into a business hub. This will gain momentum when the proposed Saldanha Industrial Development Zone takes effect. It is estimated that this development will bring a massive change in the local property market, as many homes will need to be provided for a new workforce, adding to the 5378 full-title units and 898 sectional title units.

Vacant stand prices range from R135 000 up to R3 280 000 with views of the Langebaan Lagoon or Beachfront stands or at the Langebaan Country Estate. Medium three-bedroom homes are currently selling in the high R900 000s. On the high end of the market, properties are available up to R16 000 000.

The Langebaan Country Estate is situated on a 400 hectare golf and leisure estate, and offers a redesigned Black Knight golf course, a Gary Player design, as well as bowling green, tennis, swimming and various other activities. This estate is a big drawcard for the town of Langebaan.

If you want to make a property investment, to enjoy a care-free Cape West Coast and country lifestyle, contact the CCH team in the area to learn more about our fine selection of Langebaan property.

Suburbs in Langebaan:

Langebaan property for sale includes real estate in suburbs such as Middedorp (Mid Town), which lies nestled on the sandy beaches of the lagoon; Langebaan Country Club providing a secure golf estate lifestyle with a variety of upmarket facilities (tennis court, club house etc.); Myburgh Park with its unobstructed views over the Langebaan lagoon; Calypso Beach and Blue Lagoon, which are ideally situated near the beach; Paradise Beach and Mykonos, which lie close to the famous Club Mykonos resort as well as Laguna Shopping Centre; as well as Long Acres country smallholdings, which lie within the municipal boundary, close to both the beach and the mall.

General Interest Information

Whale watching is possible from Tsaarsbank and there are picnics for day visitors. The park is located along the shore of the lagoon. This area is a protected wetland and provides a safe haven for thousands of birds, thus forming part of the Flamingo Birding Route.

Swimming and picnicking are very popular activities at Kraal Bay, where the water is sometimes as much as 10 degrees warmer than the sea.

Important fossil deposits are found within the West Coast National Park, with “Eve’s Footprint” near Kraal Bay estimated to be 117 000 years old.

Langebaan Lagoon

The Lagoon stretches for 17km from Saldanha Bay, past Langebaan, to Geelbek in the South, and in places is up to 4km wide. The Lagoon has channels of differing depths and this leads to the different shades of turquoise colouring. Some days, it really looks like the Lagoon has turned itself into a turquoise peacock posing for a photograph. Thus Langebaan is aptly known as the “Turquoise Jewel” of the West Coast.

The Langebaan Lagoon is one of only three lagoons in the world that is nourished by the sea and not rivers. The Lagoon was shaped by the rise and fall of sea levels during pre-historic times. This is quite unlike typical lagoons which form where fresh water rivers enter the sea. The result is a purely salt water lagoon. 

The way in which the southern winds blow surface water into the sea, has led to a welling up of deep nutrient-rich water from the Benguela current which replaces the surface water. This plankton-rich water streams into the Lagoon twice a day with the tides. With the tide streaming in and out at the Saldanha Bay entrance, as fast as 1 meter per second, the Lagoon, which is at the end of this stream, is constantly well-fed.

The shallow waters in the southern tip of the lagoon have developed into a salt marsh which means that it has a salt content of up to three times more than sea water. This type of wetland provides essential decayed plant material which is needed in the food chain. The Langebaan Lagoon is in fact one of the most developed salt marshes in South Africa.

The lagoon, with its strong winds and flat waters, was the perfect venue for the 2008 Hobie Tiger and Dragoon World Championships. Seventy-four teams, representing fourteen countries took part in this exciting international sailing event that showcased Langebaan as a world-class venue.

Climate

Langebaan has a Mediterranean climate with most of the rain fall during the winter. Summers are pleasant with temperatures of 26 degrees Celsius on average. June is the coldest month with 8 degrees Celsius on average. Langebaan is drier and warmer than Cape Town. However, a wind-chill is responsible for a colder feel. During the winter months a thick fog may cover the sea.