Saldanha Bay derives its name from the Portuguese explorer Antonio de Saldanha, who visited the Cape in 1503. He is credited as the first European to climb Table Mountain. Later mariners called the present Table Bay `Saldanha Bay´. Centuries later, sailors erroneously thought that the present day Saldanha Bay was Antonio's place - and the name stuck.

But long before all of this, the CochoQua people had embarked on a subsistence lifestyle, living off the ocean´s bounty. Early European settlers named the CochoQuas the ´Saldanhars´.

The picturesque seaside village of Saldanha Bay is situated on the northern corner of the largest natural bay in South Africa. Its ideal location makes it a paradise for the watersport enthusiast, and its local economy being strongly dependant on fishing, mussels, seafood processing, the steel industry and the harbour.

Furthermore, its sheltered harbour plays an important part in the huge Sishen-Saldanha iron-ore project at which Saldanha Steel, a state of the art steel mill, takes centre stage. With strong historic military links, Saldanha Bay is also host to a Naval training base and the South African Military Academy.

The popular SAS Saldanha Nature Reserve offers a display of wildflowers during late winter and spring while Southern Right Whales also visit the safe waters in and around the nature reserve.