South African Accommodation

Cape Town is by far the most beautiful city to stay or visit.With so many things to do in this city, you will surely fall in love with it.Ever since South Africa has hosted the most prestige’s football World Cup last year, tourists from across the globe has came flocking in to see this priceless gem.The tourism statistics this year has peeked and economy has grown.Cape Town accommodation has increased in business, with more B&B’s opening up in every corner.One of my favourite Camps Bay accommodation places to stay in is Bay View Penthouses.

Bay View Penthouses is a dream Cape Town guest-house apartment for tourists and locals alike.Their Cape Town accommodation surpasses their competition with their fantastic penthouse suits.Situated in Camps Bay, it will feel like a dream come true.The Camps Bay accommodation apartments has two luxurious penthouse suit options:

Penthouse “A”tlantica:

~Marble Flooring
~Private balcony
~Beautiful Sea Views
~Bathroom (Bath and Shower)
~Bedroom with King Size Double bed

Penthouse “B”ayview

~Marble Flooring
~Designer Furniture
~Stunning Sea Views
~Private balcony
~Bedroom with King Size Double bed
~double foldout Queen size couch, Accommodate two extra people

If the above options are all that you wanted for a dream holiday vacation, make a booking today.

David’s offers classic style accommodation in the heart of trendy Green Point, making it the ideal base from which to explore the vibrant Mother City and surrounding attractions. This elegant Cape Town bed & breakfast boasts a range of modern chic single, double and triple en suite rooms, each leading out onto a lush garden or private balcony, while the comfortable living areas boast a more contemporary style. Elegant décor and furnishings together with supremely comfortable bed & breakfast accommodation and a wonderful city setting have earned David’s a reputation as one of the best guest houses in Cape Town. For an intimate look at this charming guest house navigate to the David’s website.

Tino and Riana, the owners of Villa Blu, invite you to their charming Hermanus accommodation for ultimate comfort and outstanding views. Situated in the whale watching capital of the world, Villa Blu, is the epitome of supreme Hermanus accommodation. Visit their website for more details about this cosy guest house.

Land based whale watching hot spot, de Kelders, is the home to the highly acclaimed Roundhouse bed & breakfast. This spectacular Gansbaai accommodation offers guests exceptional service and luxurious accommodation, not to mention various services and facilities to make your South African stay memorable. Go to the Roundhouse website to explore their fantastic establishment.

On the morning after Brazil’s loss, we woke up and caught up on some blogging. Janel was feeling a little less bitter towards the Dutch and was ready to consider cheering for them in semi-final. I reminded her several times that the Dutch did nothing towards us, they were always friendly and should they win it all, it would be neat as we pretty much followed the champions all the way.

We got on the road around 10am on the way to Cape Agulhas, which is the southern-most tip of Africa. I didn’t think we were going to get there today, at least during sunlight, but we thought we’d go as far as we could. The night before, while talking with the Dutch fans after the game, I asked one of them what they thought we should do on the way back to Cape Town. One of them lived in Cape Town and worked for a tourism company, and he highly recommended visiting a town about 40 minutes out of the way to visit the Cango Caves. As we drove, I kept doing the math and trying to figure out if we had time to get there, visit the caves and then make it to a bar/restaurant in time for the 4pm kickoff of the Argentina – Germany quarter-final. Everything was going ok until we reached a tiny town called Knysna. It should have taken us about 4 minutes to pass through this town as it is very small. The only problem we ran into were 2 of them really: an annual Oyster Festival and a mountain biking race. That translated into 1 hour of waiting/driving around trying to find a faster route; the “faster” routes turned out horribly because the roads we needed were closed for the day, so we had to be patient. That meant that the trip to Oudtshoorn and the caves was out of the question. We did some estimating and figured out that we could drive as far as Mossel Bay and make it in time for a late lunch and viewing of the Argentina game.

We found a pub on the main bay, ordered 2 beers, a delicious plate of calamari and chips and watched as Argentina was surprisingly slaughtered by the efficient Germans. Wow, I was not expecting that. On one hand, I wanted Argentina to do well because their coach, the great Diego Maradona, was my favourite player growing up; on the other hand, had they won the tournament, we would never hear the end of it. Diego is a fiery character, thinks he is the greatest of all-time (probably isn’t) and the Argentines call him ‘D10S’ (note the 10 in the word, his jersey number)…in other words…God. He had won them a World Cup in 1986, so if he had won this one as coach, to what status would he be elevated to? I didn’t want to know. Argentina was pretty much dominated by the speedy Germans. Argentina had a relatively easy path to the quarters, and their defensive line had not been tested yet by anyone decent. I figured that Germany would expose their flaws, lack of speed and age; I didn’t really want that to be the case, but I thought they would. The final score of 4-0 sent a message to all others teams still in the tournament: Germany is for real. And to boot, Miroslav Klose scored 2 goals in this game, meaning he is only 1 goal behind Ronaldo for most goals in World Cups. Of course I don’t want this record to be broken, but if he does break it, he definitely deserves it. After beating England 4-1 and Argentina 4-0, Germany are the clear favorites in my book, especially since Spain is struggling to score. I was also sad to see Argentina go home because I wanted to see Messi, the best player in the world, play live. Maybe next time.

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Swellendam Guest House

Few visitors to South Africa miss a trip along the Garden Route between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, with its beautiful landscapes, mountains, forests and coastline

Along this route from Cape Town, the first stop is usually Riviersonderend (River without End). Traditionally a sleepy little agricultural town, tourism has added restaurants, coffee shops and other outlets aimed at passing traffic. Grain and sheep farming is the district’s major activity and, in season, the fields of green and yellow, with a backdrop of purple mountains, is wonderful.

Historical Swellendam

Swellendam nestles at the foot of the Langeberg Mountains, often capped with snow in winter, providing a backdrop to this charming historical town. It is the third oldest in South Africa after Cape Town and Stellenbosch, and the stately Drostdy (magistrates office and residence) built as the seat of the Landdrost (magistrate) in 1747 is an excellent example of Cape Dutch architecture.

Dias Museum of Mossel Bay

Travellers pass the inland towns of Heidelberg, Riversdale and Albertinia before emerging at the coast at Mossel Bay, a seaside holiday town with historical interest. Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias sailed into the bay in 1488 after rounding both the Cape of Good Hope (Cape Town) and Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa, without realising he had done so because of a violent storm. A replica of his caravel is the centerpiece of the Dias Museum complex in the town.

The city of George is the commercial centre of the Southern Cape, but it is its satellite coastal resorts of Wilderness and Sedgefield that are popular with visitors and holidaymakers. In between them is a series of lakes, culminating in the large Swartvlei estuary which empties into the sea at the mouth in Sedgefield. The estuary is popular for boating and fishing.

Knysna and Plettenberg Bay

The town of Knysna is known as the Pearl of the Garden Route and is listed as one of the Top 100 Destinations in the World and one of the Top 25 in Africa by the Trip Advisor 2008 Travellers’ Choice Destinations Awards, according to Knysna Tourism. Set between the lush Knysna Forest, in which elephants still roam, and Knysna estuary, it offers outdoor activities of virtually all types, but is best known for the picturesque Knysna Lagoon and its water-sports, fishing, lagoon cruises and other activities. Knysna is also well known for its wild and cultivated oysters, and the annual Knysna Oyster Festival is a celebration not only of the oysters but of a host of culinary, cultural and sporting events and entertainment. The mouth of the estuary, with its unmistakable natural gateway, is known as The Heads.

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Accommodation Swellendam

Swellendam is one of the oldest European settlements in South Africa. It showcases some of the best examples of Dutch-Cape architecture in the area and is located along the ‘Garden Route.’

The ‘Garden Route’ is one of Africa’s most popular stretches for travelers along South Africa’s Coast. Swellendam is a more secluded travel destination with the nice Mediterranean Maritime climate that abounds in that region.

The town is quite small, but there are a number of national parks and nature reserves, as well as other activities, to enjoy if you’re in the area.

Bontebok National Park (6km from Swellendam) and the DeHoop Nature Reserve are two parks that are a must see if you’re there. At Bontebok National Park, you’ll see a plethora of flora and fauna, including the African Bontebok (unique white and brown antelopes), the Mountain Zebra, and the Red Hartebeast. Over 200 varieties of birdlife abound. Game drives, hiking, and swimming in the Breede river top off a day spent at this remarkable park.

The DeHoop Nature Reserve is located several kilometers form Swellendam and is a smaller, less known park, but no less beautiful than Bontebok Park. In fact, because there is generally less foot traffic, travelers can get closer to many rare fauna species. These include Bontebok, ostriches, baboons, tortoises, and the occasional leopard. Another very cool aspect, and that which draws the most visitors, is the ability to see South Point Whales, sometimes ten or more, right off the beach during their breeding season.

Another good adventure lies in meandering about the town of Swellendam itself. You can go by foot (recommended) or by minibus. There is one museum that is well worth a visit, and it’s the Drostdy, an old house from 1747 that was converted into a museum, detailing the history of the cape, Swellendam, and the surrounding areas.

Traveling

From Swellendam, other locations are accessible by minibus or rental car; travel is a little more difficult than other areas because it is less populated and more isolated. It is about two hundred forty kilometers to Cape Town and around one hundred and fifty to Port Elizabeth.

Roads are the only way into Swellendam, as the nearest airport is two or three hours away. There is no railroad into Swellendam either.

Eating

There are multiple restaurants, including a steakhouse, that line the major street, as well as a supermarket. The town is quite small, so choices are limited, but the restaurants that are there are excellent. You can also travel elsewhere, but there’s really no need.

Travel

There are a number of excellent guest houses, Bed & Breakfasts, and hotels for travelers to choose from in Swellendam, though price and availability tends to be limited in the high tourist seasons. There are both economy lodges and top-notch, luxurious hotels, so everyone will find something suitable.

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Overberg Accommodation

Located in the Overberg region of the Western Cape, halfway between George and Cape Town, the picturesque town of Swellendam  lies at the foot of the majestic Langeberg Mountains. As the third-oldest immigrant settlement in South Africa, Swellendam is steeped in history, which is reflected in the town’s many architectural treasures, and is surrounded by breath-taking natural beauty.

The Drostdy Museum in Swellendam consists of a number of historic buildings, giving visitors insight into the colorful history of the town and its surroundings. The museum complex also houses restaurants, a craft shop and an art gallery.

Activities in the area include 4×4 trails, horse riding, bird watching, hiking and mountain biking, as well as a range of water sports on the nearby Buffeljachts Dam or the Breede River. Moreover, Swellendam is close to no less than four nature reserves – Marloth, Bontebok, Grootvadersbosch and the De Hoop Marine Park and Nature Reserve – and is within easy driving distance from other noteworthy attractions, such as Cape Agulhas and Struisbaai, making this peaceful little town the perfect base from which to explore the area.

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Swellendam Accommodation

You’ve decided that a vacation in South Africa’s Western Cape Province, with its beautiful shoreline and friendly inhabitants, is the ideal way to escape the usual hustle and bustle of life. There are numerous activities in the stunning province from scuba diving to whale watching, from wine-tasting to historical tours.

The Western Cape offers something of interest to everyone. For those who would like to explore a section of the Western Cape, the Swellendam to Cape Agulhas Route is well recommended. A driving trip, this route takes in the South Point area which is famed for its flowers, lovely beaches, historic missions and fine holiday homes. This is a great trip that will take you between 1 and 2 days to explore.

This remarkable journey begins at Swellendam. Head off on the N2 highway to Bredasdorp. This quaint town was originally established back in 1838 and is surrounded by sheep and wheat farms. Here you will also find the Shipwreck Museum. Inside the museum is a fascinating array of artifacts telling tales of numerous shipwrecks in the region. Heuningberg Nature Reserve is a must-see in April and May when the beautiful Bredasdorp lilies are in full garb. From Bredasdorp the route takes you through Napier and into Elim. Another quiet village inhabited by a small colored village, Elim’s architecture is marked by lovely thatched cottages. Visitors to the area are welcome to explore Elim’s fynbos drying sheds.

As you leave Elim you drive to Stuisbaai and L’Agulhas. Cape Agulhas is known as the “Cape of Needles” due to the dangerous rocks that line the coast. On reaching Cape Agulhas you have reached Africa’s southernmost point. Within the seas around Cape Agulhas are the remains of some 124 ship wrecks that occurred between 1673 and 1990. L’Agulhas is just one of the beach resorts along the expansive coastline. Here you can take a dip in the sea to cool of. You can also make your way to the Agulhas Lighthouse which was constructed in 1849. Inside is an interesting museum.

The route will now take you back towards Bredasdorp, but you can turn of to Arniston. Arniston or Waenhuiskrans is known for its huge cave. During low tide it is possible for you to investigate the impressive cave. Well-kept holiday homes are plentiful if you decide to spend the night here. Once again you drive from Arniston toward Bredasdorp where you take a side-route off to the De Hoop Nature Reserve. This remarkable protected area extends some 5 km into the open sea. Venturing through the park you will come across some of the 86 mammals and 250 bird species which reside here.

After enjoying some time in the Nature Reserve you can head north to the Breede River. The Malgas Pont will take you across so that you can drive through the Bontebok National Park and on to Swellendam. This is truly a journey you won’t forget.

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Old Mill Guest House

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