South Africa Tour: Day 41 Langebaan

Day 41 of our virtual tour of South Africa and we visit Langebaan, known as the Jewel of the West Coast.

Langebaan enjoys almost year-round sunshine and boasts azure waters and unsurpassed natural beauty. Langebaan offers a nature and adventure-filled vacation topped with delicious West Coast food.

The white sand beaches surrounding the clear waters of the Langebaan Lagoon are very popular, and the mild climate and protected waters of the lagoon make it the perfect location for many water sports, including sailing, kayaking , kitesurfing, and fishing and swimming.

The manicured golf course at Langebaan Country Estate is an established 18-Hole golf course, designed carefully with its well-positioned bunkers and the design team’s typical routing for golfers of varying skill levels. Add amazing natural rock formations, a large water feature to divide the fairways, a colourful carpet of natural wild flowers, abundant bird life and a variety of buck species, and you're guaranteed a great round of golf, regardless of your score. Not only will you have access to golf, a driving range, pro putt and mashie golf facilities but also bowls, cycling, tennis.

Langebaan is an internationally acclaimed Ramsar Site for its importance as a wetland and the tidal mud flats of the lagoon not only host many local bird species but also attract migratory birds every year. Thousands of seabirds roost on sheltered islands, pristine golden beaches stretch endlessly into the early morning mist and brooding salt marshes are home to vast concentrations of migrant waders from the northern hemisphere.

Even if you are a beginner, you can still enjoy Langebaan Lagoon. Most of the water sport shops and centers offer kitesurfing lessons, sailing lessons, water skiing lessons and windsurfing lesson. Langebaan’s Main Beach is great for beginner and intermediate kitesurfers with more than enough room for everyone. The wind almost always picks up by mid-afternoon. At the end of the main beach, a patch of sand near the yacht club has been dubbed “Second Beach” by locals and is popular among fishermen, bait collectors, and catamarans.

All photos by Andriette Pretorius in Langebaan. Thank you for sharing your lovely photos with me!!!!

South Africa Tour: Day 40 Magnificent Wildflowers

Day 40 of our South Africa Tour and we explore the magnificent wildflowers along South Africa’s West Coast, the Cederberg and Namaqualand. 

With little warning (and a little bit of magic), every coastal town and inland village, mountains and fields alike, are lit up in a rainbow of colour as an endless display of wild-flowers burst into full bloom transforming the once wintery-dull area into a mecca of vibrant shades any time from mid July. 

The Postberg section of the West Coast National park serves as a major highlight during the wild flower season since this section is only open to the public during the flower season.  These two months of the year Nature showcases carpets upon carpets of brightly coloured and breathtakingly gorgeous flowers as well as an array of other interesting fauna and flora found in the park. (If lucky, guests may spot bontebok, duiker, eiland, zebra, ostrich as well as many other animals and birds whilst visiting.)

An incredible experience is to go on a two day hike within the Postberg region and see and get close to all the beautiful flowers on display. It really is something extraordinary. 

Although the West Coast National Park flower season usually takes place during August and September, the beautiful natural glories can often already be seen by the end of July and still during early October (depending on the weather conditions) and the area.

South Africa Tour: Day 39 Paternoster

Day 39 of our South Africa Tour and we visit Paternoster a small, quaint and picturesque fishing village on the West Coast. 

Paternoster showcase is famous for its abundance of crayfish and for its traditional fisherman’s architecture and endless pristine sandy white beaches.

Visitors to Paternoster delight in watching whales and dolphins frolicking in the ocean (ten months of the year) and after the first spring rains fall the landscape is transformed by the millions of indigenous flowers which open and densely carpet the earth in bright bursts of colour (usually between late July and September).

For bird lovers, Paternoster is home to over 250 species of birds with seabirds (Seagulls, cormorants, sacred ibis and the Oystercatcher) using this coastline as their breeding ground.

Activities and attractions include enjoying delicious fresh seafood, long walks on the beaches, fishing, boat and land based cray-fishing, diving and spear fishing excursions, hiking trails, mountain biking, sea kayaking.

For those that might wonder, Paternoster, meaning "Our Father" derives its name from the prayers of ship-wrecked Portuguese sailors. #anniedelporttours #westcoast #paternoster #Gaatjie

South Africa Tour: Day 38 Velddrif, Laaiplek, Port Owen

Day 38 of our virtual tour and we visit the villages of Velddrif, Laaiplek and Port Owen. 

Velddrif is a traditional fishing town where the Cape West Coast delicacy known as “bokkoms” has its origins.

“Bokkom Laan” is where the bokkoms, or Velddrif’s biltong, are made. All along the road, you’ll find locals eager to share their knowledge and rows of “bokkoms” waiting to be tasted. 

Velddrif’s dry summers make it ideal for the extraction of salt from seawater – the main reason why South Africa’s main salt brand, Cerebos, decided to open a factory here.

Famous for more than fish and salt, Velddrif also boasts pristine beaches and a host of restaurants and coffee shops.

Laaiplek is situated right at the mouth of the Berg River. The South African Sea Fisheries Museum is well worth a visit and since the Berg River is tidal, the area is also well-known for birding.

Upstream from its mouth the Berg River curls inland to form Port Owen – a series of canals that form a marina with the stunning Port Owen Yacht Club.

The region boasts abundant birdlife. Look out for pelicans, lesser and greater flamingos, blue cranes, herons, the endangered oystercatcher and the European bee-eater. Drive from Velddrif to Rocherpan and Redelinghuys. Find Verlorenvlei at Redelinghuys – a recognized RAMSAR site.

Birdlife species list found in the Berg River Estuary are:

Bokkomlaan: Lesser and Greater Flamingo’s, White Pelicans, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers, Grey-headed Gulls, Common Greenshank

De Plaat: At times more than 30 000 Cape Cormorants can be seen going to the salt pans to roost in the late afternoon. It is estimated that between 70 000 and 80 000 birds use this area at night.

Berg River Bird Hide: Goliath, Purple, Grey and Black-headed Herons, African Spoonbill, African Darter and Pied Avocet (Collect the key to the hide from Riviera Hotel, positioned next to the bird hide along Voortrekker Road)

Flaminkvlei A: Little Terns in summer. Marsh Owls and African Marsh Harrier

Swartjiesbaai: Red-necked Phalarope, Goliath Heron, Osprey, Common Redshank, African Purple Swamphen, White-Winged Tern