20 things to do in Malgas in the Overberg

​By Roxanne Reid
The little settlement of Malgas lies on the southwest bank of the Breede River in the Overberg, about 30km southeast of Swellendam. It’s perhaps best known for its pont across the Breede River but there are many other things to do in Malgas and the surrounding area too, from wine tasting and whale-watching to canoeing and fishing. Here are some of them.

​Where does the name come from? Malagas was a Khoikhoi chief who used to live in the area. The story goes that the name of the settlement was changed to Malgas (without the extra a) because way back when, post for the little village went astray and ended up in Malaga, Spain. Only the Malagas Hotel, opened in the 1990s, retained the original name.

Just a three-hour drive from Cape Town, Malgas has a church, a hotel, a shop and a sprinkling of holiday homes so it’s not even a one-horse town, although the wider Malgas district includes a number of other small settlements like Lemoenfontein and Diepkloof.

1. Cross the Breede River on the Malgas pont 

Malgas had the last hand-drawn pontoon ferry in South Africa until March 2020, when it was taken out of service. The spanking new motor-driven version was opened for full service nine months later. The pont is the fastest way to get to Witsand on the other side of the river. The alternative is to drive all the way round via Swellendam or Buffeljagsrivier, which is about 110km. When we visited in November 2020, the pilots were still practising to control the new yellow monster and it was apparent that skippering and controlling the thrusters isn’t as easy as you might think.

2. Go wine tasting ​

Don’t miss a visit to Sijnn Wines at the end of a dusty gravel road. Sijnn is a Khoi word that means riverbank. Winemaker Charla Haasbroek took us for a short vineyard walk to see the river and cellar from the distance and give us a taste of the cooling winds that blow across the vineyards from the sea and the Breede River. She told us they have 23ha of bush vines and 2ha of olive trees. She started working here for owner David Trafford in 2014. He chose the location for its rocky shale soils, suitable for Mediterranean varietals like trincadeira and touriga nacional.

We tasted two vintages of Sijnn White. A blend of chenin blanc, viognier and roussanne, it’s whole bunch pressed for elegance – a very different and interesting wine. Some 60% of the vineyards are given over to red varietals. The Sijnn Red is made from syrah, mourvedre, trincadeira and touriga nacional. We tasted three vintages, all served with a vintner’s platter of olives, nuts, salami, parma ham, cheese and bread. These aren’t cheap-and-cheerful wines, but really worth tasting for those who enjoy something classy and a little different. We couldn’t resist buying a few bottles to take home with us.

Sijnn Wines is open for drop-ins from 10:00 to 15:00 on Saturdays, but you’re welcome to contact them to make an appointment during the week.

3. See Malgas church 

The Dutch Reformed Church was built in 1856 and is still used today. Believe it or not, back then Malgas was a lively social and business centre thanks to its inland harbour and pontoon ferry service, which meant that goods could be transported from the Breede River to Cape Town far more quickly than using ox wagons overland. The tragic sinking of the steamer the Kadie at the river mouth in 1865 was the beginning of the end for Malgas.

The little church was nearly destroyed during a flood in 1906, when water rose to a height of 2m inside and destroyed the pulpit bible and some valuable antiques.

4. Shop at the Breede River Trading Post 

The Breede River Trading Post is the place to shop for groceries or little treats like cold drinks or chocolate. They bake fresh bread, rolls and pies every day, and sell ice and firewood. There’s a rustic pub-style restaurant serving meals like burgers and pizzas.

5. Enjoy a river cruise
If the idea of drifting slowly up and down the Breede River for about 90 minutes appeals to you talk to the Malagas Hotel about their cruises, which happen daily unless it’s too windy for safety. You don’t have to be staying at the hotel to join a cruise. This is a good way to see the holiday houses that line the river, as well as otters and birds. It’s not unheard of for seals and dolphins to come upriver from the mouth too. Living the Breede also offers cruises.

If this sounds too lazy for you, hire one of the Malagas Hotel’s two-man canoes or pedal boats for a more active experience. Again, day visitors are welcome for these activities.

6. Go birdwatching 

Bring your binoculars and bird book with you to Malgas. On your drives in the area, look for blue cranes along the farmland and fields and water birds along the river. Some of the 200-odd birds that you can find include Denham’s bustard, white stork, red bishop, rock kestrel and African fish-eagle.

7. Go fishing
The Breede River mouth and estuary are extremely popular with fisherfolk, offering some of the best fishing in the Western Cape. Infanta and Witsand (see points 18 and 19) are also within easy reach for a day with your rod. Think kob, grunter, garrick (leervis), steenbras, bass, carp and more.

8. Photograph canola fields and hay bales 

If you drive to or from Malgas in the Overberg in August and September you’re bound to see fields of electric yellow canola. If you visit in October or November you’re more likely to see crust-coloured fields and hay bales, which are also fun to photograph and always make me think of Vincent van Gogh.

9. Go river rafting
Feel like some outdoor fun and adventure? Then sign on for a river-rafting day trip along the Breede River with Felix Unite. Climb into a two-man inflatable Croc and set off on the river with your guide. The Breede is classed as grade 1 and grade 2, so it’s fun for the whole family. For heightened adventure, book in winter or spring when the river is higher. Although the river still flows in summer, the level is low. Minimum booking size is six people.

10. Hire a houseboat 

Hire a houseboat and spend your days on the river fishing or just relaxing. See lots of water birds, perhaps even an otter or dolphin. There are bull sharks in the river too. At night, sleep on the houseboat while rocking gently on the water. You can cruise 30km towards the Breede River mouth or about 15km upstream. If you don’t have a skipper’s licence, they’ll give you some orientation training to make sure you’re competent before letting you loose at the helm.

11. Go horse riding
Love horses and riding? Whether you’re an inexperienced, intermediate or expert rider wanting to get out into nature, book a trail with Milkwood Horse Trails. You’ll find them 8km from the pont along the road towards Infanta. The three shorter trails take about 90 minutes each, and there are longer trails too. Experience the beautiful Potberg mountains or do a trail along the Breede River. Most of the horses are rescues and your fee helps to care for them.

12. Eat out
The Malagas Hotel has the only restaurant and bar in Malgas that’s open every day of the week. You don’t have to be staying at the hotel to enjoy an a la carte lunch on the terrace or dinner but you do need need to book for dinner. They do a five-course dinner which is a lot of food, or you can choose to have only a main course, such as calamari or pork chops with chips and lashings of veg. Servings are generous. ​

​The Boathouse in the Diepkloof settlement of Malgas – on the road to Infanta – has a pub and a great setting on the river’s edge. It serves good pizzas with really thin, crisp bases, just the way I like them. It’s only open on the weekends (except in the Christmas and Easter season when it opens every day).

If you’re making a day trip from Malgas to De Hoop Nature Reserve (see point 16) – and you really should – plan to have lunch at the Fig Tree Restaurant in the reserve. Sit under umbrellas on the stoep or the lawns with a view over the De Hoop Vlei, where you might see water birds like flamingos. If it’s windy, sit inside where you’ll still have a good view. The food is freshly prepared and tasty.

And remember that there are lots of nice restaurants in Swellendam only 46km away.

13. Stay over at the Malagas Hotel 

The Malagas Hotel, opened in 1996, has a high-pitched green roof and wooden windows and balustrades. The entrance courtyard and garden is packed with flowers in shades of pink and mauve, with bird-filled trees. They offer double rooms or family rooms, and hire out houseboats for those who want to spend their days on the river (see point 10). There are also two self-catering rooms each sleeping ten people on a double-decker houseboat that now permanently sits on the riverbank near the pool.

​The Malgas accommodation made me nostalgic for the family holidays of my childhood. There’s a lot to do here for families, from river cruises and swimming to fishing in the estuary. The area is part of the Lower Breede River Conservancy so fishing is carefully monitored and you need to have a permit/licence. Some people hire houseboats and spend the whole day fishing from the boats. There are also two-man canoes and pedal boats, or you can bring your own boat. Away from the river there’s a trampoline, pool, jungle gym and children’s play room.

If you’re staying in the rooms but you really feel like a braai, buy braai packs and cook them in the special braai room area. Don’t forget to ask the barman to show you where the flood waters came up to in 2008 – it’ll blow your hair back.

The coast around Malgas is one of the top places in the country to see the southern right whales that come here to breed. High season is June to November. Some of the best vantage points include De Hoop Nature Reserve (see point 16), Infanta (see point 18) and San Sebastian Bay at Witsand (see point 19).

15. Feel the music
Feel the vibe, enjoy the music and carnival atmosphere at the Up the Creek Music Festival on the banks of the Breede River about halfway between Malgas and Swellendam. The 2020 lineup included Cross Current, the Blue Broers, Hot Water, the Flying Bantu, the Van Der Mentals and The Kiffness but had to be cancelled because of Covid-19. The next one is scheduled for February 2022.

16. Take a drive to De Hoop Nature Reserve 

De Hoop Nature Reserve is less than 20km from Malgas and well worth visiting. It’s crammed with some 1500 plants of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the vlei is a Ramsar wetland of international importance and whale-watching from June to November is excellent. Around 40% of southern right whales breed in the Marine Protected Reserve that stretches 5km out to sea. Go hiking, mountain biking or game driving to see animals like Cape mountain zebra, eland and bontebok. Find lots of water birds like flamingo along the vlei or go on a guided tour to see Cape vultures that breed in the Potberg mountains. A fabulous guided marine walk along the beach at low tide will reveal a wealth of anemones, urchins and limpets in the rocky pools.
More things to do at De Hoop Nature Reserve

17. Visit the Bontebok National Park

The Bontebok National Park near Swellendam is about a 50km drive from Malgas. It was originally established to conserve the bontebok when their numbers were alarmingly low, but nowadays you can also see red hartebeest, grey rhebok, steenbok and Cape mountain zebra, with Cape clawless otter along the edges of the Breede River. Go hiking or mountain biking along the dirt roads, have a braai or picnic along the riverbank at Die Stroom, look out for birds like blue crane, Denham’s bustard, Klaas’s cuckoo and malachite sunbird.
More things to do at Bontebok National Park

18. Drive to Infanta 

Take a drive along gravel roads from Malgas to Infanta about 30km away. Infanta is all about beach and sea, with the winds to match. There’s a good chance of spotting whales because it’s right near the eastern edge of the De Hoop Nature Reserve, which has some of the best whale watching in the country. The rocky shoreline makes for good fishing. Surfing, paddeboarding and kite surfing are also popular. Take a walk along the riverbank from the Infanta slipway to the slipway at Moddergat. Mosey along the roads and ogle some of the beach homes with quirky names like Baithoven.

19. Take the pont to Witsand
It’s fun to put your car on the ferry for the river crossing from Malgas towards Witsand (see point 1). And there are plenty of good reasons to visit Witsand, including nice beaches and good snorkeling. Fisherfolk will enjoy the spear-fishing, deep-sea and river fishing. San Sebastian Bay is considered one of the best nurseries for southern right whales (see point 14). Visit one or two of Witsand’s restaurants with wonderful views over the river mouth and ocean.

20. Don’t miss a visit to Swellendam 

Just 46km from Malgas, Swellendam lies at the foot of the Langeberg mountains and is much more than a pitstop on the way between Cape Town and the Garden Route. Visit its museums or get your nature fix by hiking, mountain biking and horse riding in the surrounding nature reserves. Visit art galleries, potteries and antique shops. Go cheese or honey tasting, visit a berry farm. Get an insight into township life with a tour of Railton in the company of one of the local residents.
More things to do in Swellendam

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