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This region stretches from Cape Town as
far north as Bitterfontein, including the Swartland, Sandveld and Olifants River Valley areas, and offers a wide variety
of travel destinations. The West Coast Road (R27) passes Bloubergstrand, 25
km from Cape Town, a coastal suburb with a fine view of
Table Mountain across the bay, and Melkbosstrand, 35 km from Cape
Town, named after the many milkwood trees which grow there. The first (and
only) nuclear power station in South
Africa is situated at Koeberg, just north of Melkbosstrand.
Yzerfontein is located on an unspoilt coastline, and is well-known for its open-air
seafood restaurants, whale-watching, surfing and wind-surfing. The R27 passes
the turnoff to Langebaan, a small village
on the banks of the Langebaan Lagoon, 124 km from Cape Town, is an ideal place to stay when visiting the West Coast National Park, or en-route to Namaqualand
or Namibia.
The Langebaan Lagoon, 26 km long and 4,5 km wide, forms part of the West
Coast National Park. A narrow isthmus separates the
lagoon from the sea. Postberg, part of the reserve, and Donkergat, an old whaling
station, now used by the navy, are at the end of this peninsula. The West Coast National Park is a wetland wilderness,
filled with birds, wildlife and spectacular flowers in August and September.
Saldanha, 175 km from Cape Town, is a fishing harbour that also caters for ore carriers.
Saldanha Bay, a large natural harbour,
is deep enough for large vessels. There are four islands at the entrance to
the bay, and as there have been many wrecks in the area, this is a popular diving
spot for treasure hunters. Just north of Saldanha
is Vredenburg, the administrative and commercial centre, and nearby are the
fishing villages of Paternoster and St
Helena Bay. Shelley
Point is an exclusive seaside estate with a 9-hole golf-course. Velddrif
is situated at the mouth of the Berg River, and the
estuary attracts large numbers of flamingos, spoonbills and glossy ibis. At
Lambert's Bay, 294 km from Cape Town, Bird Island
is a popular attraction and is the breeding ground for jackass penguins and
many seabirds. Whale- and dolphin-watching boat trips are conducted from the
harbour. Contact Saldanha Bay Tourism Phone: 022 714 2088 E-mail: bureau@kingsley.co.za
On the R307 to Darling lies Mamre, 52 km from Cape Town, a mission station established in 1808
by the German Moravian Society. It has a restored water-mill, and the parsonage
is a national monument. Darling, 76 km from Cape
Town, is known for wild flowers and holds annual wild-flower and orchid shows.
Waylands and Oudepos, 5 km and 1,5 km before the village, are private flower
reserves. The Tinie Versfeld Flower Reserve is 12,5 km beyond Darling on the
road to Yzerfontein. Malmesbury, 52 km from Cape Town on the N7, is situated in an area known as the Swartland
because of the very deep rich colour of the soil. At Morreesburg, where wheat
and grain farming are the main agricultural activities, the main attraction
is the Wheat Industry Museum,
one of only three in the world. Contact Swartland Tourism Association Phone:
022 487 1133 E-mail: swartlandinfo@westc.co.za
Citrusdal, situated in the Olifants
River Valley at the foot of
the Piekenierskloof, is the gateway to the Cedarberg and Namaqualand. Clanwilliam, 227
km from Cape Town, is the heart of the rooibos tea industry, and is situated
alongside the 18 km-long Clanwilliam dam. Ramskop Nature Reserve has over
200 indigenous species of wild flowers. The road from Clanwilliam
to Calvinia, over the scenic Pakhuis
Pass, leads to Wupperthal, a Moravian mission village. The Cederberg
Wilderness Area includes the peak of Sneeuberg, the flat-topped Tafelberg and the unusual rock formations
of the Maltese Cross and Wolfberg Arch, as well as the Wolfberg Cracks. The
area is popular for hiking and mountain-biking and contains numerous Khoi-San
rock paintings. Contact Clanwilliam Tourism Association Phone: 027 482 2024
E-mail: cedarberg@lando.co.za
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