Western Cape, South Africa

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Western Cape, South Africa

Last Updated on Monday, 03 May 2010 08:10 Written by Helga McLeod Friday, 26 February 2010 09:00

In Cape Town holiday accommodation ranges from budget to exclusive and attractions and activities will satisfy nature, cultural or shopping enthusiasts as many game and nature reserves are nearby, the shopping centres are world-class and the city has a wealth of museums and art galleries. There is also the must-see Table Mountain, V&A Waterfront and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.

Cape Point National Park in Western Cape, South Africa

Nearby lies Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl – the beautiful winelands. Here the visitor will enjoy breathtaking nature, old estate houses of Cape Dutch architecture and grandeur. To the west one will find drier landscapes with charming and authentic fishing villages and further into the interior is the flower-viewing capital of the world, Namaqualand. Eastwards, the Garden Route will take you to indigenous forests, beaches and lakes towards towns such as Knysna. More inland one can visit the amazing Cango Caves outside Oudtshoorn. Plus the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Robben Island - prison of Nelson Mandela, near Cape Town and The Cape Floral Region, famous for its fynbos and especially the Protea (the national flower of RSA).

Western Cape Fast Facts:
Major Cities - Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Paarl, Worcester, Knysna, Mossel Bay and George.
Airports - Cape Town and George
Languages – Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa

Health Requirements None.

Useful Numbers South African Police 10111; Emergencies 021-107; Medical Emergencies 082911; National Sea Rescue 082911; Fire 021-5351100; Cape Town International Airport 021-9371200; Airport Bus 021-9344440; Airport Taxi Service 021-9192834

The Western Cape tourism areas are:

The West Coast (hiking, rock formations, Swartland Wine route and Olifants River Wine region, coastlines and strandveld fynbos).
The Winelands (wine-tasting, scenic drives and hiking).
The Garden Route (hiking, snorkelling and scuba diving, fishing and abseiling, mountain climbing etc.).
The Klein Karoo (Cango Caves, Klein Karoo Kunstefees, mountain climbing and hiking).
The Cape Karoo (Karoo National Park, succulent rich and star-viewing, rock art, stone-age and fossil sites).
Cape Town (cosmopolitan, exciting and sophisticated – a most beautiful city of natural wonder).
The Overberg (whale-viewing, camping, hiking and surfing, and more).

Western Cape Blue Flag beaches:
Bikini Beach, Gordon's Bay
Clifton 4th Beach, Cape Town
Grotto Beach, Hermanus
Hawston Beach, near Hermanus
Kleinmond Beach, near Hermanus
Lappiesbaai Beach, Stilbaai
Mnandi Beach, Strandfontein

Western Cape National Parks and Nature Reserves include:
West Coast National Park
Cederberg Wilderness Area
De Hoop Nature Reserve
Great Winterhoek Wilderness Area
Knysna Elephant Park

Agulhas National Park

Wit its famous 'Cape of Storms' status, the area hosts many shipwrecks, such as the Zoetendal, Birkenhead and Armiston and is a windswept, but ruggedly exquisite coastal area at the southern-most tip of Africa, with rich cultural and natural heritage.
The official position of the tip: 34° 49’ 58" south and 20° 00’ 12’’ east where the longitudinal point of the Atlantic and Indian oceans officially meet.
Keep your eye open for: The Southern Tip of Africa
Southern Right Whale
African Black Oystercatcher
Damara Tern
Cape Platana

Spring wildflowers in Postberg West Coast National Park

Photography and copyright by Jackie During

Bontebok National Park

Backed by the majestic Langeberg Mountains and home to much of the Cape Floral Kingdom, this area is known and loved for its simple and peaceful beauty. Back in 1931 there was only 30 Bontebok left in the wild and as a result the Bontebok National Park was proclaimed. On the west you will find the Breede River, ideal for bird watching and fishing or hiking and swimming.

This park may be the smallest of the SAN Parks but have a high density in bird and wildlife. Other activities are drives to the surrounding wine route towns of Swellendam, Robertson, Montagu, Ashton and Bonnievale. Alternatively one could visit the hot springs in Montagu.

Western Cape National Botanical Gardens:
Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden - Roux Road, Van Riebeeck Park (off National Road), Worcester
Harold Porter National Botanical Garden – Betty’s Bay
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden – Cape Town

Western Cape cultural places include:
The Afrikaans Language Museum in Paarl.
The Bertram House in Cape Town.
The Bo-Kaap Museum in Cape Town.
The Burgerhuis in Stellenbosch.
The Cape Medical Museum in Cape Town.
The Cape Town Holocaust Centre in Cape Town.
The De Oude Drostdy in Tulbagh.
The District Six Museum in Cape Town.
The Gold of Africa Museum in Cape Town.
The Groot Constantia Manor House & Wine Museum in Cape Town.
The Huguenot Memorial Museum in Franschhoek.
The Innovations Design Museum in Cape Town.
The Irma Stern Museum in Cape Town.
The iziko museums of cape town in Cape Town.
The Jewish Museum in Cape Town.
The The Klienplasie
The Lwandle Township Museum in Lwandle.
The Marvol Museum in Stellenbosch.
The Michaelis Collection in Cape Town.
The MTN ScienCentre in Cape Town.
The Museum Services in Cape Town.
The Natale Labia Museum in Cape Town.
The Paarl Museum in Paarl.
The Percy Fitz Patrick Institute in Cape Town.
The Planetarium in Cape Town.
The Rembrandt Van Rijn Art Gallery in Stellenbosch.
The Robben Island Museum in Cape Town.
The Robben Island Museum / Mayibuye Centre in Cape Town.
The Rust en Vreugd in Cape Town.
The Slave Lodge in Cape Town.
The South African Cultural History Museum in Cape Town.
The South African Museum in Cape Town.
The South African National Gallery in Cape Town.
The Stellenbosch Museum in Stellenbosch.
The Stellenryck Wijn Museum in Stellenbosch.
The University Museum, University of Stellenbosch in Stellenbosch.
The Wellington Museum in Wellington.
The West Coast Fossil Park in Langebaan.
The William Fehr Collection in Cape Town.
The Albany Museum in Grahamstown.
The Bartholomew Dias Museum Complex in Mosselbay.

Cape Town shopping malls include:
Bayside Centre
Canal Walk
Cavendish Square
Tyger Valley
V&A Waterfront

Restaurants:

The Western Cape has some of the world's best eateries.

South Africa’s La Colombe in Constantia has been named the 12th best restaurant world-wide by the British Restaurant magazine in its 2010 edition of the prestigious S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best list - and it is also said to bet the best restaurant in the Middle East and Africa.

Where? Constantia Uitsig Wine Estate Spaanschemat River Road, Constantia Uitsig Wine Estate in Constantia, Cape Town

Another favourite is Reuben's Restaurant and Bar where chef Reuben has received a number of notable awards for his beautiful food.

Where? Oude Stallen Centre, 19 Huguenot Rd in Franschhoek

Western Cape factory shops include:
-Snugglers, Children's Togs, Gatti Ice Cream and T & L Clothing Factory Shop in Athlone
-Legz Hosiery Factory Shop in Atlantis
-Footgear, Freezerland and Kolnicks, Falke Socks Factory Shop, The Fish king & Uncle Barry's Factory Shop in Bellville
-Continental China in Blackheath
-Colibri Towels Factory shop, Adidas Factory Outlet and Legz Hosiery Factory Shop in Brackenfell
-Gift Warehouse and Rapid Sport in Cape Town
-Kolnicks in Diep Rivier
-Colibri Towels Factory shop in Durbanville
-Embroidericraft and Legz Hosiery Factory Shop plus Romatex Home Textiles in Elsies River
-SBH Cotton Mill in Epping 1
A1 Hyper Chickens, Barker Footwear and Cape Mohair Factory Shop, Children's Togs and Cygnet Factory Shop plus Cape Underwear Factory Shop, Monviso and T & L Clothing Factory Shop in Epping 2
-Gatti Ice Cream and Kolnicks in George
-Children's Togs, T & L Clothing Factory Shop and Treehouse in Goodwood
Kolnicks in Hermanus
-Naartjie Factory Shop in Hout Bay
-Oggi Factory Shop in Kenilworth
-Adidas, Biggie Best and Footgear, Gift Warehouse, Nike Factory Store and The Soap Factory plus Treehouse in Kenilworth (Access Park)
-Kolnicks and Slivers Biltong & Nut Factory Shop in Kommetjie / Noordhoek
-Access Park and Adidas Factory Outlet in Kuils River
-Bee Line and Bibette and Children's Togs and Gatti Ice Cream and Monique's Factory Shop in Lansdowne
-The Candle Factory Shop and Candles Etcetera and Sissy Boy and The Soap Shop in Maitland
-Gatti Ice Cream in Milnerton
-Gatti Ice Cream in Mitchells Plain
-SA Greetings Corporation (Pty) Ltd and Colibri Towels Factory shop in Montague Gardens
-Merry Pak & Print Packaging Warehouse in N'dabeni/Pinelands
-Parade Fabrics in Observatory
-Freezerland and Rietmans Eurodeli Factory Shop and Colibri Towels Factory shop in Ottery
-Tifgifts in Paarden Eiland
-First Factory Shop and The Fish King & Uncle Barry's Factory shop and Gatti Ice Cream and Parade Fabrics in Paarl
-Evolve and Gatti Ice Cream and The Genuine Furniture Factory Shop and Legz Hosiery Factory Shop and Olympic Flair Footwear and Parade Fabrics and Waltex Factory Shop in Parow
-Desiree Lingerie and Children's Togs and Colibri Towels Factory Shop and Delta Trim and Duvet & Pillow Factory Shop and First Factory Shop and Legz Hosiery Factory Shop and Solo and The Shop in Salt River
-Freezerland and Kolnicks in Somerset West
-African Nature Company - The Shop and Cosmetic "XS" and Freezerland and Gatti Ice Cream and The Towel & Linen Factory Shop in Steenberg/Tokai
-Consol Shop in Stellenbosch
-Colibri Towels Factory Shop in Strand
-Colibri Towels Factory Shop and The Towel Factory Shop in Wellington
-Lifson Linen and T & L Clothing Factory Shop in Woodstock
-Gatti Ice Cream and Kolnicks Linen in Worcester
-Gatti Ice Cream in Wynberg

The Western Cape has fantastic holiday accommodation represented here and for more tourism activities and attractions, contact your Tourism Info Centre upon arrival.

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