The name Gansbaai – Bay of Geese – originates from the flocks of Egyptian geese that used to breed here.

Gansbaai is renowned for the tragedy of HMS Birkenhead. In February 1852, this ship hit a rock off Danger Point, 9 kilometres away, and sank with 445 men – all the women and children were saved. To this day, the phrase Birkenhead Drill describes the custom of favouring women and children in crisis situations.

From Gansbaai there are several boat trips to Dyer Island, where you can watch great white shards feed on the seals that breed on nearby Geyser Island. This area is also home to large numbers of African penguins, another food source for the great whites that congregate here. Nicknamed Shark Alley, the channel between the islands and the mainland is a popular destination for water safaris and shark-diving expeditions.