This coastal town and harbour is situated halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

It has a rich association with the Portuguese explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries and boasts the first Post Office in South Africa. Originally called 'Aguada de São Brás' (Bay of Saint Blaise) by Bartolomeu Dias, the harbour and surrounding area was renamed Mosselbaai (Bay of Mussels) in 1601 by Dutch navigator Paulus van Caerden.

The Bartolomeu Dias Museum complex, houses an interesting padrao (stone cross), donated by the Portuguese to commemorate Vasco de Gama's landing, while the Khoisan cave contains artefacts dating back 80,000 years.

The excellent wind-protected beaches of Mossel Bay make surfing a popular activity as well as deep-sea fishing and diving and boat-based whale watching. For something a little more extreme, visitors can go shark cave diving or bungee jumping.