Visitors are flocking to the Cape West Coast to enjoy all that this beautiful part of the country has to offer.
Western Cape, South Africa (31 October 2020) – This is according to Carmen Lerm, founder and CEO of West Coast Way, (which is known as South Africa’s road trip with the most twists) who says that local South Africans are embracing travel once again and getting out and about to satisfy their wanderlust – with road trips on the West Coast the new must-do outing.
“Pent up demand for travel, which developed over hard lockdown has seen a welcome breath of life for the West Coast tourism sector as South Africans clamour to get out and about after months of restrictions on movement.”
“The West Coast Way offers a rich tapestry of experiences for visitors of all ages to enjoy – and it is right on Cape Town’s doorstep. Whether it is yoga on the beach, archery at Thali Thali game reserve, ziplining at Piekenierskloof Mountain Resort, sandboarding in Atlantis, mountain biking at!Khwa ttu or wine tasting at Groote Post – there is so much to do, which is great news as people are yearning to grab life with both hands.”
“Covid certainly has changed the way people look at travel,” says Lerm. “They are looking for local experiences and seeking off the beaten track adventures. Added to this, with more and more people working from home we are seeing an increase in visitors during the week – having fun and making memories is not just for weekends and holidays!”
Road trips are the new must-do experience
The West Coast Way is a beautiful stretch of coastline dotted with small towns that offer a vast array of activities and accommodation options, as well as some of the most pristine and untouched nature reserves, wetlands, lagoons and more.
Places to visit on your road trip
Lerm explains that West Coast Way has developed six themed circular self-drive routes that traverse all the best areas of the West Coast. These routes include the Tractor Route, Berg Route, Foodie Route, Culture Route, Wild Route and Cape Way Route – all with their own variety of carefully chosen attractions.
You can either follow the West Coast Way route map or create your own self-drive road trip. Below is a list of some highly recommended places to visit and stay – and the annual flower show that nature puts on along the West Coast is still wowing visitors!”
!Khwa ttu is sharing the holistic San Spirit of nature, heritage and cuisine with their Loyalty Card. Sold at R100 for adults and R80 for SA Seniors and children under 12, this card gives access for a year to the San Heritage Museum, enjoy the MTB tracks, walking trails and access to the boma with views over the Atlantic Oceans where Table Mountain and Robben Island is visible on clear days. Their restaurant is open 7 days a week and is a short 55 minutes from Cape Town City centre. Visit www.khwattu.org to find out more about accommodation on offer.
Thali Thali Game Lodge offers guided Weskus Safari Drives to view free-roaming Cape Buffalo, Eland, Oryx, Sable Antelope, Water Buffalo, Red Hartebeest, Blue Hartebeest, Emu’s, Dromedary Camels, Fallow Deer, Waterbuck, Giraffe, Kudu, Bontebok, Springbok, Burchell’s Zebra, Duiker, Steenbok, Ostrich, Porcupine, and Foxes (Cape and Bat-eared). Their restaurant, offering genuine Weskus kos, also has a wonderful selection of cocktails available 7 days a week. Visit www.thalithali.co.za to find out more about accommodation on offer. Thali Thali is a short 80-minute drive from Cape Town City centre.
Darling Brew is celebrating 10 years of creating their legendary craft beer. To celebrate this milestone, fans can visit their Tasteroom and Restaurant, open 7 days a week in Darling, which is only 1 hour from Cape Town City centre. Visit www.darlingbrew.co.za.
Melkbosstrand – Stay at the 4-star accommodation The Lodge at Atlantic Beach on Cape Town’s most prestigious links golf course in Melkbosstrand where the white beaches of Cape Town meets the biodiversity-rich green coast. Visit www.thelodgeatatlanticbeach.co.za.
Darling – Darling is perfectly positioned between the beach of Yzerfontein and the art and olive groves of Riebeek Valley. Visit Hello Darling – the welcoming name of Darling Tourism https://www.hellodarling.org.za/.
Langebaan – From Langebaan, visitors can easily explore the towns of Saldanha, St Helena Bay, Jocobsbaai, and Paternoster. Stay at self-catering luxury Langebaan Beach Accommodation or enjoy B&B service at Albatross Guesthouse. Club Mykonos, with its 4-star accommodation, is open once again – visit www.clubmykonos.co.za.
Port Owen & Velddrif – Port Owen’s Charlies Brewhouse, Russels On The Port, and Poetic License gin distillery and Velddrif’s heritage site Bokkomlaan, can all be found on the West Coast Way Berg Route. At Bokkomlaan visit the coffee shops and eateries looking out over the Berg River. Be sure to pop in at the Bokkomlaan art gallery, and the Ek En Djy eatery. From Bokkom Laan you can also hop on the Crackling Rosie Berg River cruise boat.
Elands Bay and Lamberts Bay – Stay at Vensterklip in Elands Bay. http://www.vensterklip.co.za/ or stay at Arendzicht Eagles Nest in Lambert’s Bay. https://westcoastwonders.co.za. For a more inland destination stay at Piekenierskloof Mountain Resort. http://piekenierskloof.co.za/.
“During the lockdown, many of the establishments on the West Coast Way used the time to relook at the way they do things and have tweaked and honed their offerings to give visitors the absolute best experiences possible,” says Lerm.
“They also spent the time upskilling their teams to further improve one’s travel experience.”
West Coast Way recently launched a 3-day guided Wildflower Tour which saw small exclusive groups of guests being transported to all the best flower viewing sites, accompanied by a registered guide. The tour had such a phenomenal response that West Coast Way has now launched a 4-day Cedarberg Experience which takes visitors on a guided trip through the unique Cedarberg region with its evocative rock formations and pristine wilderness areas. The tour also visits the coastal town of Lamberts Bay (also part of the Cedarberg) – a whirlwind tour from mountain to sea. Interested parties can visit www.westcoastway.co.za.
“We are so excited to see the renewed vigour and passion of South Africans to explore their own back yard. The tourism sector needs the support of South Africans, and they have definitely stepped up to the plate. There has never been a better time to visit and explore the Cape West Coast, and we invite everyone to take a slow trip through this exceptional part of Mzansi,” concludes Lerm.
For more information on places to stay and things to do on the Cape West Coast, visit www.westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777. Connect with West Coast Way on Facebook and Twitter at WestCoastWaySA.
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