South African Hotels

Mossel Bay Tourism Information

Quick Facts: Mossel Bay

  • Bartolomeu Dias arrived in 1488 proving that Africa had a southern tip
  • Dias Museum Complex
  • Maritime Museum
  • Blaize Hiking Trail
  • Mossgas Refinery
  • Fine beaches – Santos Beach safe swimming
  • Cruises take visitors to Seal Island
  • Dives – Mossel Bay Divers offer a shark cage dive or snorkelling and certification diving courses
  • Blaize Hiking Trail: a 15km trail winds along the unspoilt stretch of coastline from Bat’s Cave to Dana Bay
  • Kiwi Extreme – Bridge and bungee jumping at Gouritz Bridge 35km from Mosel Bay
  • Real Cape Adventures offer kayaking on the ocean

Distance to Airport: 43 km

Distance to City: 2 km

Introducing Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay forms part of South Africa's magnificent Garden Route. Bartolomeu Dias arrived in 1488 proving that Africa had a southern tip.  The town's original name was Aguada de Sao Bras but was renamed in 1601 by Dutch navigator Paulus van Caerden as he found the bay full of mussels.  Khoisan people were the first inhabitants of this area and they traded with Dias on Santos Beach. 

Dias erected a cross and a large milkwood tree served as a post office. The first settlers were granted land in 1729. Just outside of Mossel Bay natural gas was discovered offshore. The gas is piped ashore to the Mossgas refinery which was built in 1980.  The harbour of Mossel Bay has been used extensively for servicing these oil operations, including the maintenance of oil platforms.