Stilbaai

Stilbaai
Stilbaai, with the Dutch Reformed Church in Stilbaai West, looking east
Stilbaai Show map of Western Cape Stilbaai Show map of South Africa Stilbaai Show map of Africa  Stilbaai shown within Western Cape
Coordinates: 34°22′06″S 21°24′40″E / 34.36833°S 21.41111°E / -34.36833; 21.41111Coordinates: 34°22′06″S 21°24′40″E / 34.36833°S 21.41111°E / -34.36833; 21.41111
Country	South Africa
Province	Western Cape
District	Eden
Municipality	Hessequa
Established	1894
Area
• Total	25.48 km2 (9.84 sq mi)
Highest elevation	18 m (59 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	3,514
• Density	140/km2 (360/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	3.5%
• Coloured	3.2%
• Indian/Asian	0.1%
• White	92.3%
• Other	0.8%
First languages (2011)
• Afrikaans	84.5%
• English	13.7%
• Other	1.8%
Postal code (street)	6674
PO box	6674
Area code	028

Stilbaai, also known as the Bay of Sleeping Beauty, is a town along the southern coast of South Africa about four hours by car from Cape Town. It is part of the Hessequa Local Municipality in the Western Cape province. Alternate spellings of the town's name include Stillbay, Stilbay and Stillbaai.

Stilbaai has a temperate climate and receives almost the same amount of rainfall in all four seasons, with peaks in autumn and spring. Temperature averages between 20° and 28° Celsius in the summer and between 12° and 20° Celsius in the winter. Rainfall is 639,2 mm per annum on average.

Stilbaai owns a large selection of nature reserves. To the east is Pauline Bohnen Nature Reserve, a large reserve with various hiking routes. The Skulpiesbaai Nature Reserve is situated near the harbour and reaches up to the "Noordkapperpunt" fishponds. The Geelkrants Nature Reserve is situated next to the "Pulpit".

Stilbaai is host to a number of interesting archaeological sites, including ancient fish traps thought to have been built by early ancestors of the Khoi people of the Southern Cape, and a shell landfill that has been carbon dated to around 1000 BC.

Another archaeological site is situated in a group of caves at Blombos cave, about 12 kilometers from Stilbaai. Artifacts found at Blombos have been carbon dated to around 77,000 BP, making it the oldest known human settlement today.

A view of the Goukou River that separates the eastern and western halves of Stilbaai.

Stilbaai, viewed from the lookout above the harbour.