Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

WHAT YOU VISIT
Bartholomew Dias Museum
Anchoring in Mossel Bay in1488, Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Dias became the first European to land on South African soil. Relive those days with a tour of the Diaz Museum, a maritime complex that celebrates landing. Outside stands the famous 500-year-old Post Office Tree where sailors would write notes and letters, tuck them into old shoes or iron pots and hang them from the tree for passing ships to collect and deliver. Inside, you'll find a full-size, functional replica of a Portuguese caravel (view from outside) used during the 15th century and the Shell Museum and Aquarium, which houses the largest exhibit about mollusks in Africa! An interactive tank at the counter allows children to touch and feel different specimens.

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
The museum offers views of the bay and is a prime spot for whale watching from June to November. Stroll around the grounds and you'll find the "Aguada de São Bras," a picturesque freshwater spring that's flowed for centuries.

SHOPPING
Commemorate your visit with postcards, stamps, books, souvenirs and small gifts inside the museum's Gift Shop.

WHAT YOU SEE ALONG THE WAY
Just minutes from the pier, the Bartholomew Dias Museum sits directly on the shores of the Indian Ocean.