Hondeklip Bay

Hondeklipbaai/Hondeklip Bay is a coastal village in the Namaqualand district of the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It lies about 95 km south west of Springbok. The town got its name from a rock next to the police station that resembled a sitting dog.

This village was originally used as a harbour to export copper ore from the mines around Springbok but was later replaced by Port Nolloth, which had a safer harbour as well as a railway line. Today Hondeklip Bay is a popular regional holiday destination and serves the fishing and diamond-mining community. The town is rich in marine resources, especially the rock lobster, for which permits can be obtained at Springbok.

ATM:
Remember to get cash in Garies or Springbok, there is no ATM in Hondeklip Bay.

FUEL:
There is no petrol station in Hondeklip Bay. Remember to fill up with fuel in Garies or Springbok.

TO KLEINSEE:
From Hondeklip Bay you take the road to Koiingnaas. From there you take the tar road all the way to Kleinsee. No permit required, the road is now open to the public.

There are tracks leading off this main tar road towards the sea and which generally have gates on them, which you are not allowed to enter. This sand track that hugs the coast from Hondeklip Bay to Kleinsee, passes through a section that has been declared a nature reserve, and requires "permission". There are some new mining concessions along the coastal route and access requirements can change at any time. (You can try to contact the Strandveld Conservation Club for permission to enter: +27(0)27 877 0028 / +27(0)76 642 0868). (2018).

“Hondeklipbaai is a small fishing community along the coast of Namaqualand. The village was original to export copper in Namaqualand. Simon Van der Stel, the governor of the Cape, discovered copper in Namaqualand. As early as 1852, the first copper shipping by the “Bosphorus” to Wales. The first copper exported was a whopping 11 tonnes of copper ore. Hondeklip was the port for copper shipping to the United Kingdom. The town never developed, as it was too far from the Springbok Magistrate. The small village or harbour point never seem to be able to expand. The semi-desert environment and limited water resources have strained Hondeklipbaai from any substantial growth. After the copper rush in 1925, Hondeklipbaai built a crayfish factory and started exporting crayfish. The local fishing communities are still living a simple and traditional lifestyle. Today the local fisherman still makes a struggling existence from the sea. There are some prospecting diamond concession holders in Hondeklipbaai. It is a traditional West Coast community that lies next to the newly proclaimed Namaqua National Park. It is an excellent escape from the bustling lifestyles of our cities. Hondeklip is the perfect place to visit for travellers that enjoy minimalism and traditional communities. Hondeklipbaai has some of the best beaches in Southern Africa.(Tsidi Mzansi Historian)” - Chris Smit, 2025/05/12

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