6. Focus on … The Village itself

Approach Jacobsbaai over the ‘Bult by our water tower and be enthralled by the picturesque village hugging the coastline below.  Come down the hill into town and you’re captivated – a feeling to which most residents will attest. 

The size and layout of the village calls you to explore and wander the roads. Armed with a map of the area, and knowing some of the history and background turns a stroll into a few hours of discovery.

Jacobsbaai is renowned for its traditional West Coast architecture—white-washed walls, thatched roofs, and stone accents nestled against the deep blue of the Atlantic. 

Architectural guidelines require white or stone walls, smaller windows for traditional climate control, and 45° pitched roofs of thatch or grey metal. The multi-roof pitch of larger homes is specifically designed to resemble clusters of smaller units, and low property walls and open verges result in visual harmony throughout the village.

Jacobsbaai origins date back to hunter-gather days of the San people. For archaeologists, this is rich territory – all the way from Moeriesbaai to the West Coast Fossil Park.  Back in the 17^th century, trading ships heading to Cape Town used to drop their ill sailors in Hospital Bay for quarantine purposes.

Early establishment of the settlement here was sometime in the early 1800’s by the West Coast trading company Stefan Bros. The name “Jacobsbaai” probably evolved from Jacques Titius, a French colonial trader, who also gave his name to the famous Tietiesbaai near Paternoster.

The town was formally established in the late 1980s, with development starting in 1992 between Kiron Holdings and Forellendam.  Mauritzbay (Moeriesbaai) was launched in 2003, and Toothrock in 2009. Stand prices were originally advertised from R70 000, and today these sea front properties can cost over R4 million – if you can find one.

Located an easy 150km from Cape Town International Airport, the town consists of about 600 plots sized between 300–1200m², with around 500 homes built and more underway. Real estate is scarce, but future developments will offer new plots. Commercial properties are limited to a superette, doctor’s office, and a few restaurants; there are no fuel stations nor ATMs – the nearest commercial facilities are 15 km away in Saldanha or Vredenburg.

The ‘old town’ comprises most erfs, and streets here are named after town founders.  The southern ‘tail’ comprising Moeriesbaai and Toothrock, is less densely developed with only two roads parallel to the coastline and are quieter as there is no through-route. Here, streets are named after regional flora and fauna.

The town is laid out with numerous cul-de-sacs called “Keeroms”, creating pedestrian-friendly spaces. The town has roughly 4km of sea frontage across the seven small bays, with pedestrian/ floras/fauna friendly greenbelts for a village feel.  Several roads in the old town remain unpaved, adding rustic charm.