Tergniet is one of a handful of little seaside villages between Klein Brakrivier and Groot Brakrivier that function at once as suburbs of Mossel Bay and as seaside holiday towns - busy during summer, particularly over the festive season.
One can well imagine that Tergniet, in similar fashion to its neighbours, functioned historically as a beachside holiday getaway for inland farmers, and those without access to the sea.
Today Tergniet and its neighbours, Fraaiuitsig and Reebok - the other two towns between Klein and Groot Brak rivers - virtually merge into one long strip of seaside town, continuing to serve as a beachside holiday location for visitors.
Tergniet and Reebok are separated only by a small strip of green, a decidedly small coastal nature reserve that lies in the block between Blesbok and Le Roux roads. Other than the size of homes, neither village is much affected by commercialisation – the beach is endless, the rock pools provide hours of entertainment, and the tidal pool is perfect for swimming.
People head here to unwind, hang loose, walk the beaches and smell the salt air. Tergniet, like Reebok, offers an alternative to Mossel Bay, away from the big town's hustle and bustle, although you can distinctly see the lights of the bigger town across the bay from Tergniet, and it takes only 10 minutes to drive there.
Nearby Klein Brakrivier has a good swimming beach and tidal lagoon, whilst Mossel Bay offers restaurants, coffee shops, antique stores, historical buildings, walks and St Blaize lighthouse