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South Africa - Hermanus' hidden treasure

by Andrew Young

About 120 kilometres out of Cape Town, lies the once-sleepy, now mainly touristy seaside town of Hermanus. It's not quite what it used to be, in truth, but there are still magical treasures to be found if you know where to look.

In typical fashion, I had absolutely no idea "where to look", so I just followed my usual methodology, which is to walk along, try little paths and alleyways and see where I end up.

And what a result! I discovered a magical restaurant tucked into the rockface near the old harbour, resplendent with legend, folklore, actual history and a view that knocks spots off any other in Hermanus.

Bientang's Cave is, well, exactly what it says it is - a restaurant set in the cave which was, many centuries ago, home to one of South Africa's last indigenous people, the Koi Strandloper (beachwalker).

Legend has it that Bientang had mystical powers - of that I'm not so sure, but the fact remains that she lived in the cave, and enjoyed an idyllic lifestyle, fishing off the rocks only metres from the entrance, and growing fresh fruit and vegetables in a little sub-terranean garden.

The restaurant itself makes the most of both the legend and the location, with a wine cellar that remains at the perfect temperature due to being hidden in the deep recesses, and with a terrace that juts out over the rocks towards the ocean.

The restaurant is also extremely secluded, and you can't really see it from the pathways that traverse the old harbour and town, which lends the place a secret air.

The menu is, needless to say, heavily weighted towards seafood, and the quality is excellent. Fresh linefish, prawns, calamari, options for some local spicy recipes, as well as the usual burgers etc. mean that the restaurant caters for everyone.

But it's really the location that makes the place what it is - legendary! At certain times of the year, during whale watching season, sitting on the terrace means you could find yourself just yards away from the ocean's largest creatures.

And even when it's just quiet, out-of-season, no whales in the bay time, Bientang's is the perfect place to sit, relax and soak in what remains of Hermanus' sleepy atmosphere.

Find Bientang's Cave [here]