Britannia Bay is a little town about 160 km from Cape Town, named after the British ship of the same name that was wrecked just 3 miles west of the present day Britannia Bay. The wreck, originally salvaged by local farmer Martin Melck, was re-discovered in 1998 and artefacts recovered that include valuable porcelain crockery and full bottles of wine and ale.

The beauty of Britannia Bay is in the miles of unspoilt beaches, the quaint character of the older holiday cottages in the original village with its slow way of life and the proximity to numerous water activities that include fishing, diving, surfing, yachting, water-skiing and sail boarding. This part of the coast is notoriously tranquil, despite modern development along the coast. Seal Island is a 10 minute boat ride from Britannia Bay and is perfect for fishing and crayfishing and the shallow waters of Britannia Bay attract Southern Right and Humpback whales as well as resident pods of the rare Heaviside dolphin.