Kalk Bay (Afrikaans: Kalkbaai) is a fishing village and suburb of Cape Town.

Kalk Bay is adjacent to the historically connected suburb of St James, with the division between the two being largely formal.

They share the Kalk Bay & St. James Ratepayers and Residents Association, which manages a heritage committee and co-operates with the government on matters of safety and conservation.

[6] Middens found under cliff overhangs in the mountains on which Kalk Bay sits indicate they may have been used for shelter.

The early fishing population of Kalk Bay consisted primarily of slaves from the British colonies of Bengal, Indonesia, and Ceylon.

[6] The railway line to St. James & Kalk Bay was opened in 1883, with construction beginning on the formal harbour walls in 1913.

The arrival of the railway line in 1883 jeopardized this practice, as it drastically reduced available space on the beach and disconnected it from the main road.

Combined with the arrival of larger fishing vessels in False Bay, pressure mounted to construct an artificial harbour.

This housing was largely inhabited by the Coloured fishing population due to its proximity to the harbour.

[13] The historically dominant fishing industry of Kalk Bay has largely been replaced by tourism,[14] driven by a few notable attractions.

It is known for heavy barrels and the associated shallow reef, which makes it more hazardous than most popular surf spots.

In addition, the mountains above Kalk Bay contains multiple hikes, being Echo Valley and Trappieskop (which translates from Afrikaans as steps hill).