5 peaceful coastal villages in SA where life slows down

Sometimes, the best way to travel in South Africa is to do almost nothing, skip the bucket lists, avoid the crowds, and forget the itineraries. Just soak in the slow pace, breathe the salty air, and let the quiet restore your spirit.

Beyond the country’s popular surf spots and resort towns, South Africa’s coastline hides small villages that have perfected the beauty of stillness.

Here are five coastal villages where nothing much happens—and that’s precisely what makes them special.

1. Scarborough, Western Cape, South Africa

Just south of Cape Town, past Kommetjie and over the mountain, lies Scarborough, a pocket of raw beauty pressed up against the Atlantic. This coastal village skips the commercial strips, nightlife, and stress. Tucked beside a nature reserve, it feels like the final patch of civilisation before the wild takes over. Locals spend their days surfing, watching sunsets, and strolling along quiet beaches. There’s not much to “do” here, just pick up a coffee from the local deli, watch the wind sweep across the sea, and notice how much inner noise you’ve been carrying.

2. Jacobsbaai, West Coast

Jacobsbaai is a fisherman’s coastal village disguised as a dream. Located between Vredenburg and Saldanha Bay, it feels untouched by the clock. The architecture sticks to a strict West Coast style: low, white cottages with blue trim and thick stone walls.

What do people do here? They walk. They fish. And they stare at the horizon. In spring, the fields explode with wildflowers, and in winter, the mist turns everything cinematic. There’s no rush because there’s nowhere else to be.

3. Koekenaap, Namaqualand Coast, South Africa

Koekenaap sits about 10km inland, not directly on the beach, but it belongs to a wild coastal stretch near Strandfontein and Doringbaai where open space seems infinite. This is Namaqualand, dry, dramatic, and deeply still. Tourism barely touches the area, and that’s exactly what makes it special. Visitors come for the quiet, the dusty roads, the Doringbaai lighthouse, and wines from nearby Fryer’s Cove. If you’re after nightlife, look elsewhere. But if you need to breathe, this is where you stay.

4. Vermaaklikheid, Garden Route

Most South Africans haven’t even heard of Vermaaklikheid. Tucked inland from Still Bay, it lies at the end of quiet dirt roads that seem to lead nowhere, until you find a village embraced by bush, birdsong, and stillness. Its name means “entertainment,” but that’s the joke; there is none, and that’s exactly the charm. A few homes and cottages sit along the Duivenhoks River, where life moves at the pace of a paddle. Here, you sketch, read, cook over an open fire, and forget your phone exists. If you’re looking for excitement, move on. If it’s peace you’re after, you’ve found it.

5. Suiderstrand, Agulhas National Park

Tucked inside South Africa’s Agulhas National Park, Suiderstrand is literally at the bottom of Africa. There’s no mall, no gas station, and almost no signal. What it does have: dunes, rocks, shipwrecks, tidal pools, and the kind of raw coastal energy that clears your head whether you want it to or not.

The village is made up of a few scattered houses, some barely visible from the road. It’s the kind of place you rent for a week and end up staying a month, not because there’s a lot to do, but because you stop needing to do anything at all.