Preekstoel Beach

About Preekstoel Beach

Stilbaai is a scenic little coastal town that is on the edge of the Garden Route. More than this, it is home to a collection of really pretty beaches that enjoy magnificent views of the ocean. One of these beaches has been named Preekstoel Beach as it boasts the famous preekstoel rock formation.

Stilbaai, literally translated to “quiet bay,” is just that. It is a tranquil little town that has handy amenities (including a number of shops and restaurants). It is about five hours from Cape Town and two hours from Knysna.

“Preekstoel” is the Afrikaans name for a pulpit, like the ones found in churches. And, apart from this iconic rock formation, the beach of this name boasts little more than kilometres of unspoilt sandy stretches, wave upon wave of blue waters, and the remains of a shipwreck. The preekstoel rock is dynamic too, as the ocean continues to wear it away by its unrelenting waves. So, the preekstoel that you see today will not be the one your children enjoy in years to come.

Preekstoel Beach has earned itself the status of a Blue Flag Beach and is situated in a Marine Protected Area. It is characterised by expansive white dunes, the mouth where the Goukou River flows into the sea, and exquisite yellow rock formations that fire up the imaginations of little ones and the young-at-heart.

Stilbaai and the area around the Preekstoel Beach offer visitors plenty of variety in terms of the hiking and walking trails around them. In fact, this beach is part of the Geelkrans Hiking Trail, and is sometimes the finishing point for the hikers that have tackled this trail. This hike usually takes around three hours and is eight kilometres long. The Geelkrans Nature Reserve showcases this part of the South African coastline perfectly.