Thoughts and Stories

Living in beautiful Knysna, South Africa: a grounding experience

From October 2021 until February 2022, I had the privilege of living in beautiful Knysna, South Africa. Speaking of remarkable places, Knysna immediately comes to mind. Therefore, living here couldn't have done anything but make up for interesting experiences and observations.

In this article, I share what Knysna looks like, how it feels, what one can find here, and what it has done to my soul. Especially now that I have been back home again in the Netherlands for a while, the difference between the places emphasizes Knysna's characteristics even more.

Lushness

To begin with, I had forgotten that any place could be so lush. Living in Knysna means living amidst many trees, flowers, bees, different types of birds, butterflies, geckos and frogs, oh and spiders of course...haha. Abiding in this natural environment reminded me of my early childhood, when the Dutch neighbourhood that I grew up in was still far more untouched, pure and natural. Therefore it has felt in ways like coming home to something familiar, while at the same time it has shown to be the polar opposite of everything I had known so far. After all, a lot of South Africa's nature is truly untouched and wild instead of cultivated, trimmed or refined.

Culturally, moreover, the South Africans and the Dutch have such a different approach to many things. Even though the people that I encountered as I grew up were still more down to earth and relaxed than many 'bigger city people', Dutch people still live for duties quite a bit, and often within the framework that history and governments have created.

Without insinuating that people in South Africa aren't dutiful or that every Dutch person lives within the described framework, South Africans simply seem to be reminded more - by their land, their complex history, the mix of opposite cultures, and social issues - that there is more to life than a career, and material wealth. They appeared to be more in touch with the earth and with each other than the majority of Dutch people. Even though the latter should of course be said carefully, as this differs everywhere.

Our annex life in Belvidere

Amidst the wilder nature, my then boyfriend - who is from Knysna originally - and I lived in the annex of a family friend's house. It's located at the 'bel-étage', and therefore had direct access to the beautiful garden around it. Additionally, the owner's own upstairs house had a lovely terrace from which we could look over the lagoon and see the mountains. Climbing up there from the downstairs flat was a great way to remember that life's vast.

Generally, living in Belvidere for quite some time shaped my perspective on life in Knysna. In this neighbourhood, that was so beautifully green and peaceful, life felt so pure, simple, and safe too. As a woman, this safety allowed me to go out for a run or walk by myself. The only threat I encountered was a cheeky sausage dog that didn't like my presence at all, and actually followed me through the neighbourhood to bark me back into my own garden, hahaha!!

Even though the whole of Knysna - at least when I lived there - was considered rather safe in contrast to many other places in South Africa, I still felt a sense of security in Belvidere that I didn't feel as much in other parts of town or the rest of the country. Living like this made life in South Africa feel easy and comfortable.

Everyday life in Knysna

A day in our Knysna lives could start with a walk through the beautiful nature, and/or a coffee and a nice breakfast at one of the lovely cafés nearby. When we weren't working and wanted to spend the day outside, we often enjoyed some time at the beach, a hike on a beautiful trail, a walk around the Knysna mall, or a drive to one of the nearby towns. Plettenberg Bay, Sedgefield, Wilderness, and George all make lovely destinations for a day trip by car. The George Mall is a great place to go for shopping, and it has a cinema too.

Some lovely hiking trails in and around Knysna to explore include:

To work, I often stayed at home. As I was mostly doing writing jobs during my time in Knysna, I was able to focus best in the quiet of our own living space. However, there are several cafes in town that offer a nice environment for working, and there was even a public work space where you could sit for only a small fee. Something we did a couple of times, which was pleasant too. I believe more workspaces have emerged since.

After work, I often enjoyed relaxing, some cooking, or a session at the gym. I went to the one that was closest to our home, which was at the Knysna Mall. I believe this gym no longer exists, or moved after I left. However, I believe Knysna still offers a variety of clubs to join for fitness activities, or sports like pilates, yoga, and martial arts.

To fill our fridge, we visited supermarkets like the Food Lover's Market, Woolworths, and Spar. South Africa's food quality is generally amazing, with fresh produce and great meat quality. We enjoyed many nice homecooked meals, and profited from the wonderful restaurants when we preferred a night out. In one of the chapters below, I will share some of my favourite restaurants and cafés in Knysna.

Spacious and peaceful Knysna versus lively Amsterdam city

What I enjoyed so much about Knysna, after living in Amsterdam for years, was the space and peacefulness of the place. Life here has offered everything that my boyfriend and I were looking for after spending so much time in our twenty square meter rooms and in an urban environment. (Something that I write without insinuating that Amsterdam's not a very special, beautiful city).

The whole of Belvidere was made up of beautiful streets with thick trees and many flowers on both sides of each road, as well as of many big, old houses with verandas. When it comes to the population, most of its inhabitants were at least fifty years old (no offence haha). This made it a fairly quiet and well kept neighbourhood. Many houses, moreover, were empty for a good period of time, as Knysna is also quite the holiday destination. Arriving in Belvidere in the off season was rather overwhelming at times, because of the emptiness and quiet.

In October and November, when the weather was not yet the best and the skies were grey more often, I would miss the liveliness of Amsterdam. However, when the summer season began and the sun broke through fully, the whole place was lit up, and more young people arrived too. As time went by, I noticed that what had initially felt as too quiet, became normal quiet, and a quiet which I highly appreciated. When the holiday season was over, I didn't go back to missing the bustle as much.

Instead, I truly felt peace in the silence. What helped too was that we had made some friends in town of our own age. This way we reached a perfect balance between adaptation and new, fresh interactions. Knysna had really become home at this point. Last but not least, it was also my own schedule that had changed. The peace and quiet had allowed me to pick up some online work and a course in web development, and most importantly, it had invited me to relearn how to entertain myself by being creative. Even though in the long run, I would love to live somewhere with more balance between cultural city life and nature, Knysna has offered such valuable insights, as well as true nourishment.

Not just a quiet place

However, it would be incorrect to portray Knysna as a completely quiet place, because it certainly is not, haha. Like I wrote before, it was mostly the neighbourhood that we lived in that was particularly peaceful. When you enter Knysna's center, on the other hand, you oftentimes find a nice flow of people around the shops in the mall or on the side streets. Next to this, there are multiple lovely cafés and restaurants where people love to get their cup of coffee, smoothie or something a bit stronger.

Moreover, there's quite a bit of development and expansion going on as well, which also contributes to the movement of people. At night, there are enough restaurants to enjoy a beautiful meal at, as well as some interesting bars. When I say interesting, I mean: psychedelic, purely African, trendy and Afrikaans.Contemporary South African stone sculpture from Knysna I guess that these bars in Knysna actually represent the coexistence of South Africa's different cultures very well, haha.

A couple of nice places to visit during the day or at night are:

  • Île de Pain an amazing bakery and café, where you can enjoy many different beverages and delicious meals. The bakery is located in the center of Knysna, and is a great place to go for breakfast or lunch. The bakery is also known for its delicious pastries and bread, which are made fresh daily.
  • The Foundation, a small warehouse-like building where you can find unique items of local artisans, enjoy a float tank or yoga session, have a coffee and a small meal or eat at...
  • Boa Wow also at The Foundation, a restaurant that serves very tasty bao buns and other Asian-style dishes.
  • The Node Cafe
  • Oakleaf cafe, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, and some delicious food. They also have a lovely garden and veranda from which you can enjoy some delicious meals.
  • The Heads Cafe
  • Caffe Mario , a real Italian restaurant where you can enjoy a delicious Italian pizza or pasta and a glass of wine.
  • MUSE Fusion Food
  • Tapas & Oysters , a tapas bar where you can enjoy a glass of wine or a beer, and some delicious tapas. The bar is located in the center of Knysna, and is a great place to go for a drink or a meal, to enjoy the beautiful view of the lagoon or a football game on the big screen.
  • The Bell The smallest tavern in Knysna, where you can enjoy a beer and a great meal. It's a very cosy place, with an old English pub vibe.
  • Lindy's Table a cute little restaurant and terrace, nestled between the beautiful thick trees of Leisure Island. Perfect for a coffee, a small meal or a tasty piece of pastry.
  • Knysna Hollow Country Estate
  • The Riverdeck Café

Please know that this is only a small selection of places. There are many more lovely restaurants and cafes in Knysna. Have fun exploring them all!

Knysna Markets

Apart from Knysna's shops, cafes and restaurants, there are also some weekend markets to visit. We often went to the Friday Market at Knysna Montessori and to a Saturday market in Sedgefield, where lots of people gather for food, fresh produce, coffee, decorations, jewellery, and souvenirs. The photo of the sculpture that I show here, is one of the beautiful things I found on the Saturday market in Sedgefield. It was made by a community of people who all make beautiful sculptures and other fantastic decorations and utilities. George, who sold me this piece of art, was a properly trained market salesman. He, as well as some other people who we got to know there, were so friendly. People who represent the beautiful soul of South Africa so well by their warmth, humour, and a cleverness to make things work.

A few markets in and around Knysna to explore:

  • Friday Market at Knysna Montessori: a Friday evening market on the school's fields, with food, craft stalls and live music.
  • Wild Oats Community Farmers’ Market, Sedgefield: a Saturday morning stop for local produce, breakfast and coffee.
  • Mosaic Market, Sedgefield: a Saturday market with arts, crafts and handmade goods.
  • Scarab Village, Sedgefield: another arts-and-crafts destination to explore alongside the nearby Saturday markets.
  • Harkerville Saturday Market: on the N2 between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, with food, fresh produce and crafts.

For details and opening times, see Visit Knysna's market guide and check with the individual markets before visiting, as schedules can change.

Knysna's people

The people in general were definitely what contributed to Knysna's special vibe. Seeing that it's not the biggest place, you really get to know people well. I think that in the Netherlands you can also experience this, albeit it more unique when that happens. In smaller Dutch towns or even when you're a regular at a place in one of the bigger cities you'll find a sense of this. Overall, however, Northerners just seem to be a bit more inwardly and reserved. In South Africa, you feel more of that deep warmth between people. There's a caring nature within people, that I have always seen more clearly the more southern I would travel from the Netherlands.

It felt like Knysna as a town was one big family, rather than a collection of strangers who merely know each other vaguely. It was a beautiful vibe. I will never forget Christelle from the Oakleaf café, Gabe and Sam from Boa Wow at The Foundation, and Genaro from Caffe Mario, among others.

Important to note, is that Knysna can surely be rowdy and tough too. It certainly is not all butterflies and daisies down there, so to speak. Which place isn't, one can of course ask. South Africa as a whole is dealing with many issues, and of course these find their way to the surface in Knysna too. On a daily basis, one's confronted by poverty and division. The fact that there are still so many people who work as maids or gardeners for low enough wages, is also a part of the socioeconomic structure.

Location and connection

What balances Knysna's tougher side of life, is again the warmth and connection between people, as well as the sense of hope. As I wrote in my other article, people in South Africa are resilient, as well as innovative. At least, that's my personal observation. Besides this, Knysna's general peacefulness is also reinforced by its location. It's situated in the middle between west and east, enveloped by beautiful mountain ranges and the coast and lagoon, and close enough to some forests. Anyone who lives here has access to this natural world. People are as equal as possible when they engage with nature. Whether that's by a walk in the forest, a run through fields or a swim in the ocean.

The closeness of such beautiful nature grounds and heals people. At least it did for me, but I'm sure that it does the same to most people who live amidst or close to it. From several different spots in the Knysna area, one can overlook the center, the lagoon and the Knysna Heads. Of course, this view and the nature are by itself no solutions - or not seen as such - to the severe difficulties that the country faces, but I'm sure it helps a little bit. It gives back to people in many different ways. Visit Knysna yourself and you'll feel it.