Western Cape

From the wild Agulhas coast to the Cedarberg Mountains to the expansive Cape Winelands and the glorious Garden Route, the Western Cape in South Africa is a province of extraordinary diversity. Between Lambert's Bay and Plettenberg Bay, sweeping stretches of sand are punctuated by rocky promontories, fishing villages and holiday resorts. Apart from the scenic beauty and the endless rhythm of the waves, the coast provides ideal conditions for anglers. Solitude is easy to find and fish are abundant in great variety. In the Boland and further afield, golden wheat fields and fragrant orchards abound, and gracious, gabled Cape Dutch Mansions set among manicured vineyards, enhance a peerless setting. The Western Cape is a province of diversities. It offers the visitor a unique cultural and natural heritage and a rural easy-going atmosphere - which is coupled with a first world infrastructure.

From the time of the first recorded discovery of the Cape of Good Hope by Bartholomew Diaz in 1488, seafarers looked forward to the sight of Table Mountain. Today, 500 hundred years later Table Mountain and Cape Town remain two of the world's most famous landmarks and sought after destinations. From Lambert's Bay on the West Coast to Witsand, the coastline has something for everyone: sweeping sands for sunbathing, beaches where children splash in the shallows, great waves for surfers to ride, and some of the finest line fishing in the world. When the rock lobster season opens in November, thousands of people flock to small places such as Langebaan, Strandfontein and Lambert's Bay to indulge their passion for this delicacy. The mountain peaks of the interior hold challenges for climbers, hikers and hang-gliders, and the Olifants River is a favourite among canoeists and anglers. Extensive fruit farming is a feature of the area, and in spring the air is laden with the fragrance of orchards in bloom. The Cape Winelands are among South Africa's greatest draw cards and popular throughout the year. They provide perfect opportunities for wine lovers to sample fine vintages, to explore gracious Cape Dutch manor houses, and to enjoy excellent cuisine in beautiful surroundings. (See Cape Wine Routes). Major estates within easy reach of Cape Town are situated in the Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek, Wellington and Somerset West districts. A number of pleasant drives further afield lead to the wine producing regions of the Breede River Valley, the Swartland and the Olifants River Valley. Every wine route has its own distinctive logo which appears on road signs pointing to the various estates and co-ops. Brochures providing maps and detailed information on all the wine routes are obtainable from Cape Town Tourism and publicity associations in the Winelands.

The Western Cape is the most popular region of South Africa as a destination for foreign tourists. It is home to the famous Table Mountain, landmark of the city of Cape Town, and in fact its entire geography is richly veined by mountain ranges, making it arguably the most beautiful province in South Africa. Cape Town is the region’s most popular attraction, a city of great and romantic beauty. It is set on the Cape Peninsula, the thin finger of land in the south-westernmost corner of Africa that juts dramatically into the Atlantic ocean at Cape Point, probably the most spectacular feature of the entire African coast. The peninsula contains extensive, unique and incredibly diverse flora and fauna, and its east and west coastlines are two sharply differentiated marine environments.