From the wild West Coast to the lush shores of the North, South Africa offers one of the most diverse coastlines in the world: it is bordered by two very different oceans, which shape an exceptional marine and coastal diversity. On the West Coast, the Atlantic Ocean dominates, with cold waters brought by the Benguela Current flowing up from Antarctica. The landscape is often arid and dramatic — long, empty beaches bordered by dunes and rocky outcrops, set against a semi-desert backdrop. These cold waters support a unique marine life: Cape fur seals, southern right whales (mainly visible from June to November), dense kelp forests, and culinary treasures like crayfish and snoek — a long, firm-fleshed local fish highly prized in South Africa. Traditional dishes such as Waterblommetjie Bredie (water lily stew) also have their roots in this coastal region.

The French Huguenots came to South Africa seeking refuge and ended up planting the roots of one of the country’s most famous agricultural industries: its world-renowned wine industry. The French Protestants—known as Huguenots—were fleeing persecution after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 by King Louis XIV. They arrived in South Africa at the end of the 17th century and transformed South African agriculture by bringing vine cuttings perfectly suited to the Cape’s Mediterranean climate. With its rainy winters, hot and dry summers, and cool ocean breezes, this region proved ideal for grape cultivation, producing wines globally recognized for their complexity and balance.