A getaway for the soul: Pure Sea Lodge, Gansbaai, South Africa

South Africa has countless amazing getaway spots, many of them within road-tripping distance from Cape Town — one of the reasons I love living here so much, and why I love planning trips for my lovely Adventurelust clients here as well!

But some places are just in a league of their own, delivering an experience that just has to be lived to be understood, and Pure Sea Lodge is definitely one of those places.

The lodge is located in Gansbaai just 2.5 hours from Cape Town (40 minutes past Hermanus) in a utopia known as Romansbaai Beach & Fynbos Estate. Upon entering the gates I was greeted by several zebras — a dazzle, if you will (where my collective noun peeps at?!) — and already knew I was in for a treat.
But the real welcome comes in pulling into the Pure Sea Lodge entrance. I think I had to scrape my jaw up off the ground to make it through the front door.

The attention to detail and care infused into every inch of this lodge is obvious as soon as you walk in. The lovely Björn & Pichyanee greet you with warm smiles, my man Nico (who whips up a mean g+t might I add) was there to retrieve our bags, and the floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows reveal the panoramic view of Walker Bay below that will make you feel like you’ve just entered the seaside sanctuary your brain never knew existed but your soul kinda did.

The lodge is curated with biophilic design — a celebration of nature and its healing potential, influencing modern design by “promoting design with natural materials such as wood, stone, coco and rattan, as well as natural fabrics.” Every touch is incredibly thoughtful and tasteful and doesn’t miss a beat, right down to the soothing jazz playing softly in the background (I obv sneakily Shazamed immediately and now all I play in my flat is the song radio for Blue Moon by Billie Holiday, channelling my Pure Sea energy all day while working from home).

The lodge is set up on the hill just a 2-minute walk up from a white-sand beach that is technically public but basically private, as no one but the Pure Sea guests really access it. The beach is framed by turquoise blue water, perfect for a refreshing cold dip, a craggy coastline and kelp leaves framing rock pools along the wonderfully rugged shores. To the right is De Kelders, the most insane whale-watching spot I have ever seen (check out my reel here!) and across the bay is my beloved Hermanus, which we all know is a favourite spot of mine (view the Hermanus love here and here).

The bliss is palpably felt as you settle in here. The only sounds are the waves caressing the beach, the cicadas buzzing during golden hour, and birds chirping softly — you are truly immersed in nature. The lodge is artfully designed to maximize this immersion, featuring a cushioned netted hammock, a pool area with body-conforming lounge chairs looking out towards the sea, as well as a kolkol (wood-fired hot tub) and sandy path weaving through the fynbos down to the beach. I swear I’ve never been on a hammock that comfy OR been in a kolkol that is actually hot before (trust me I’ve tried! thought they were a scam 😅) but Pure Sea somehow delivers on every single aspect. Sunsets are on special here, and the staff even organizes beautiful picnics for beach sundowners and bubbly & tapas platters for glorious soaks in the kolkol. 

The rooms are inspired by the earth as well, with neutral tones and soothing strokes, giving thoughtful touches like motion-censored lighting in the bathroom, Japanese-inspired alkaline “Kangan water” (extra healthy, fresh, and restorative), foot faucets outside of each room to wash off the sand, custom-branded eco-conscious sunscreen and beauty products, and a set of high-quality binoculars in each of the rooms for marine viewing. The TV magically rises out from the end-of-bed ottoman (a requirement for the lodge’s star rating but designed not to distract us guests from the real entertainment, the natural scene in front of you)… this place is A DREAM.

We had an exquisite few days here at Pure Sea Lodge and although there could never be enough time here, my stay left me feeling so incredibly recharged and refreshed. Truly a seaside refuel for the soul.

I am so so over the moon to be able to offer this amazing stay to my Adventurelust travellers who are looking to truly disconnect from the day-to-day clutter, connect with nature, and elevate their soul by the sea. Get in touch to book your stay!