West Coast

Feel the pace slow down as you leave Cape Town and head up the open road of the West Coast. Here there is room to breath, a place where you can find or recreate yourself. With huge open spaces, no crowds, a never-ending expanse of skyline, acres of renosterbos, rolling green hills in winter, golden wheat fields in summer, fields of colorful flowers, vistas of sheep, seabirds, windmills and vineyards, and sunsets that are totally awesome, you may begin to realize what ‘s really important in your life.

The coast is renown for snoek, galjoen, yellowtail, mussels and crayfish.

Yzerfontein is a popular weekend getaway with its quaint little fishing harbour and fresh fish market.

 Here you can view the Southern Right and Humpback whales in the spring when they come inland to calve.

Walk along The Sixteen- Mile beach that extends to the West Coast National Park and explore the white sand dunes and sandveld bos.

 The dassie, mongoose, guinea fowl, francolin, quail and tortoise form part of the natural wild life and can be viewed in amongst the natural fynbos that has been retained.

 The rare oystercatcher, seals, dolphins, penguins, gannets and black- backed gulls can be spotted along the shores.

Enjoy a long, leisurely lunch at the Strand-Kombuis, a spectacular setting on the beach amidst dunes, sand and vygies.

Explore the quaint village of Darling, the wildflower jewel of the West Coast as it explodes in a seasonal kaleidoscope of beauty with exotic species such as kukumakranka and nemesia strumosa.

Home to many local artists, our favorite and one-and-only Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout, aka Pieter-Dirk Uys at his own Evita se Peron.

The best orchids in the west are from Duckitt nurseries.

Picnic, lunch or taste wine at Groote Post, 18th century farm.

Visit Rondeberg nature Reserve, Buffelsfontein Game and Nature reserve and the West Coast Fossil Park.

The West Coast National Park, a wetland of international importance provides a safe haven for thousands of sea birds that roost on the protected islands and pristine beaches. Over 250 bird species and the largest oyster graveyards in the world.

The largest colony of kelp gulls is found on the neighboring Scaapen Island.

Here one can swim, picnic, braai, kite surf, board sail, water ski, snorkel, dive, kayak, fish, sail, walk, hike, and cycle in designated areas.

Follow the restricted Postberg flower trail in the early spring when it is open to the public and the overnight hike is a particular favorite.

Bird watching at Geelbek and Seeberg and whale sightings at Tzaarsbank are prolific.

Spend an enchanting night on a house -boat in Kraalbaai and awake to the true blue of the lagoon.

Other good wine estates are Darling Cellars, Ormonde Vineyards and Cloof Wine Estate.

Pay a visit to the seriously well-stocked Darling Museum.

Langebaan and its intoxicating lagoon never ceases to entice visitors back to its cerulean colored shores and sheltered coves. It is a true slice of paradise.

The tidal mudflats of the lagoon provide a perfect summer pit stop for thousands of migratory birds such as stints, sandpipers, greenshanks and the bar-tailed godwit.

It is the land of the ‘slow five’, that is the tortoise, porcupine, dune mole, sand shark and whale.

Churchhaven is situated within the lagoon, and with astonishingly beautiful views, is now a private settlement. How these people ended up retaining their homes in the park is most extraordinary. They have lived relatively isolated for years and protect their rights to privacy.  The story goes that it was once the hide out of pirates who would remain concealed -way up the lagoon, and attack cargo ships that entered the bay. 

Saint Peter’s church was built here overlooking the lagoon at the beginning of the1900’s, hence the name Churchhaven.

Rent a cottage at Churchaven, and although tough to come by, once you are there you will understand exactly why!

The West Coast Fossil Park is still one of the richest sites in the world and relics from late Miocene and early Pliocene epoch can be surveyed.

Spend a day or two at Buffelsfontein game reserve.

Equestrian trails from the Windstone Stables can be arranged.

Saldanha is South Africa’s biggest bay and is associated with the milling and shipping of steel and iron-o