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The windswept West Coast and its arid Sandveld interior, wedged between the blustery Atlantic and craggy Cederberg ranges, have long tempted travellers with many a down-to-earth charm. Jacques Marais went exploring in this Land of Sunsets and discovered a mellow tourism mecca brimming with opportunities and activities. Whether you want to go mild or wild, you won’t make a mistake by heading out West. The dreamy Atlantic shoreline and the seemingly desolate Sandveld plains, stretching away towards the craggy Cederberg skyline, belie an extraordinary wealth of tourism treasures. Monster crayfish, late afternoon seafood beach braais, the kaleidoscopic blooming of the flower season and the legendary hospitality of small platteland dorps ... these are just a few of the pleasures perks of West Coast cruising. The region has a huge and warm heart though and an endless range of active and leisure opportunities abound ... and to find them, you might have to occasionally venture off the beaten track. Start off your journey of discovery along the coastal strip, using Cape Town as a expedient point of departure. From the Mother City you would cruise along the gentle curves of the R27, passing through an endless landscape of beaches and coastal scrubland enveloping sleepy little towns like Melkbosstrand, Atlantis and Yzerfontein. Continue until you reach the turnoff to Langebaan and look out for signboards indicating the West Coast National Park, a world-renowned wetland and coastal fynbos conservation area stretching along the Langebaan lagoon. This little-known and under-utilized national park must rate as one of South Africa’s best kept marine conservation secrets and, with the idyllic aquamarine estuary at its centre, the scenery will transport you to far-away days on remote and romantic Mediterranean islands. Clear, cobalt waters, the lazy ebb and flow of rippling tides and wheeling flocks of seabirds banking against an amber sunset makes for memorable days in what must rate as one of the jewels of the West Coast. |
