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Western Cape Province
Cape Town, with magnificent
Table Mountain as its backdrop, has forged an
enviable reputation as one of the world's premier
tourism destinations.
Not only has the Mother City breathtaking
scenery, exquisite beaches, Robben Island,
world-class golf courses, superb restaurants and a
rich history, making it a sophisticated and
cosmopolitan destination, but the province also has
other treasures to explore.
The historic winelands can be enjoyed on the
Wine Route, the coastal and mountainous beauty on
the Garden Route, Cape Point is where the Atlantic
and Indian oceans meet, quaint fishing villages are
worth a visit, the colourful Coon Carnival is a
spectacle to behold and whale-watching can be
enjoyed May to November and at some places
throughout the year, just to name a few exciting
activities in this, the "fairest" province of them
all.
Climate
The
climate in the province is typically
Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and mild,
moist winters.
The exception to the rule is the arid
semi-desert of the Karoo, where dry winters and low
summer rainfall prevail.
Near the coast, summer temperature rises from 15
to 27 degrees Celsius. Inland temperatures are some
3-5 degrees higher.
Coastal winters see the mercury dropping to a
mild 7 at night and rising to 18 by day. Away from
the beach, temperatures are 5-22 degrees Celsius.
Things to buy...
Cape Town offers a great variety of domestic and
international goods including gold, diamonds, gem
stones, leather goods, African curios, art,
antiques, ceramics, fashion items, brandy and the
world-famous Cape wines.
The V&A Waterfront has a variety of shops which
are open 7 days with late trading hours and at
Greenmarket Square you can shop for almost anything
in a typical flea market environment.
Eat excellent
seafood along the coast including "snoek", oysters,
crayfish, lobster, calamari and mussels; also try
Karoo lamb and Cape Malay cuisine.
The summit of Cape Town's world-famous landmark
is 1,086m above sea level and was proclaimed a
national monument in 1957.
Weather permitting, visitors can reach the
summit by revolving cableway, which allows a 380
degree panoramic view of this beautiful part of the
world.
Hiking trails of different degrees can be taken,
but experienced guides are strongly advised. Don't
miss
Lion's Head and Signal Hill.
Robben Island
One of the most significant historical sites in
South Africa, Robben Island gained notoriety as a
jail for those considered dangerous to the apartheid
authorities including, for more than two decades,
the former president of South Africa, Nelson
Mandela, the island's most famous former prisoner.
Cape Town
One of the top city destinations in the world,
Cape Town has the history, atmosphere, natural
beauty, modern amenities and attractions to keep
visitors enthralled.
 It's top tourist draw is undoubtedly the
Victoria and Alfred Waterfront with its world-class
Two Oceans Aquarium, museums, restaurants, boat
trips, shopping centres, hotels and entertainment
offering a wide variety of activities.
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Related pages
Cape Town; Knysna
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Don't miss the
beaches e.g. Clifton and Camps Bay; Castle of
Good Hope, Ratanga Junction, walking the city's
streets where you will discover many historical
buildings, museums and art collections, as well as
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on the
outskirts.
Central & Klein Karoo
The Klein (little) Karoo lies between the Outeniqua,
Langeberg and Swartberg mountain ranges, it is an
area of contrasting landscapes, magnificent sunsets
and ostrich-producing Oudtshoorn.
The Central Karoo is dryer and more vast, is the
main sheep farming region in the country, is
world-renowned for its fossils and its capital
Beaufort-West was the birthplace of heart-surgeon
Dr. Christiaan Barnard.
Don't miss eating Karoo Lamb at one of the fine
restaurants.
West Coast
The
West
Coast is highly popular amongst
photographers, artists, adventurers and bird
watchers for its unspoilt beaches,
magnificent mountain ranges, spectacular
spring wild flowers, San rock art and areas
attracting large numbers of birds.
Many small, picturesque villages dot the
coastline, but don't miss Darling for the
flowers, Langebaan, Saldanha Bay, Citrusdal,
Clanwilliam and surrounds, Vanrhynsdorp for
the rock art and Elands Bay for surfing.
Cape Peninsula
The Cape Peninsula stretches from Cape
Town's city centre to Cape Point, where the
Atlantic and the Indian oceans meet. Along
this coast you will find the Western Cape's
famous beaches e.g. Camps Bay and Clifton
and the nudist beach of Sandy Bay.
Visit the enchanting fishing villages of
Hout Bay with its famous Mariner's Wharf and
Simon's Town with its
Boulders beach and seal colony.
Activities include bathing, diving,
fishing, hiking, visiting museums, forts,
art routes, shopping and enjoying the
excellent seafood on offer.
Carved into solid rock, Chapman's Peak
Drive is one of the most spectacular
mountain drives in the world, starting in
Hout Bay and ending at Noordhoek allowing
you to enjoy the panoramic scenery at
several look-out points.
The Winelands
Home to many of the country's best,
award-winning wines, the region features
vineyards and fruit orchards in beautiful
green valleys surrounded by mountain ranges
and dotted with historic towns and villages.
Towns that are a must-see include
Somerset West, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and
Paarl, world-famous for their whites, reds,
sherries, ports and brandies.
Wine routes and brandy routes can be
explored including tastings along the way.
Breede River Valley
This is the largest fruit and wine
producing valley of the Western Cape and is
the country's leading racehorse breeding
area.
The area stretches from Gouda in the
west, McGregor in the south, Montagu in the
east to
Tankwa-Karoo National Park in the north.
This is an area of magnificant views,
panoramic lanscapes and towering cliffs,
crystal-clear streams, an abundance of trees
and indigenous flora such as fynbos and
proteas.
The Garden Route
The Garden Route, with its spectacular
scenic beauty, runs parallel to the Cape
coastline featuring lakes, mountains, tall
indigenous forests, amber-coloured rivers,
golden beaches and towns along the way.
Meandering trails are followed by
hikers, the forest invites long, leisurely
drives, and the lakes and rivers lend
themselves to swimming, boating and fishing.
Must-see towns along the way include the
Garden Route's gateway, George,
Wilderness, Sedgefield,
Knysna
with its famous Heads and oysters and
Plettenberg Bay. The area is phenomenal for
adventure seekers and nature lovers.
The Overberg
Hermanus offers the best
whale viewing from land in the world
with a cliff path stretching from one side
of the town to the other and a whale
watching hotline.
Walker Bay is a nursery for the great
Southern
Right Whale and don't miss Bientang's
Cave where you can taste excellent seafood
inside a cave and view the whales.
Don't miss the Harold Porter National
Botanical Garden with over 5 hectares of
cultivated fynbos garden and 195 hectares of
natural fynbos; the delightful fishing
village Arniston, the southernmost tip of
Africa - the
Cape
Agulhas Lighthouse Museum, Caledon for
its Wild Flower Show in September and hot
mineral springs and the charming colonial
town of Swellendam.
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