South Africa’s high crime rate is one of the country’s leading challenges and some South Africans are emigrating in order to once again feel secure. However, not everyone can afford to move abroad and some areas in the country are proving to be a haven for those who wish to remain in the country indefinitely.

One such location is St Helena Bay on the West Coast.

“The town has a low crime rate and few traffic jams. The bay is an all round peaceful place,” says Martie Nel, St Helena Bay resident and Fine & Country estate agent.

The bay is 150km from Cape Town, 37km from Saldanha and 27km from Vredenburg. Vredenburg has both private and public English and Afrikaans schools and a school bus commutes daily between St Helena Bay and Vredenburg. In addition to St Helena Bay Centre, the Marine Shopping Centre is currently under construction and due for completion in November this year.

Entry level home prices in St Helena Bay range from R850 000 to R1-million, mid-level houses from R1.1-million to R3-million and top-end homes can fetch up to R7.8-million. There are stands available in the area priced between R300 000 and R2-million.

The bay also has a golf estate named Shelley Point which has a club house, spa, restaurant, hairdresser and nine hole golf course. Kobus Wiese, former Springbok and a well known personality, owns property in this estate.

A newly built, four bedroom house in Shelly Point with three bathrooms, open plan lounge, dining room and a kitchen with separate scullery sells for under R3-million. Such a house would also have a double automatic garage and an outside balcony with braai area and beautiful sea views.

At the nearby Sunset Lodge, there is a wellness centre, gym, heated pool, squash court and conference facilities.

The bay is one of only three natural bays on the world’s mainland coastlines and it is also recognised as one of the calmest bays in the world.

St Helena Bay has the highest concentration of fish processing factories in South Africa. The eleven factories situated within the region are responsible for over half of the fish that is produced in the country annually.

“The Western Cape is a popular tourist destination. The tourism industry is a key growth sector in terms of investment, employment and, less directly, the stimulation of the property market,” concludes Nel.