Plettenberg Bay, Southern Cape

Some little known facts about Plett:

The small Cape Floral Kingdom between Cape Town and Grahamstown contains 8500 different flowering plants. This is more than is found in the entire Northern hemisphere. There are 27 common species of Ericasand a great many wild proteas. Shrubs typical of fynbos are blombos, berzelia and bitou giving the local fynbos its particular character. Longstone Park on Beacon Isle Crescent is being developed as the local botanical garden.

More than 260 species of birds have been sited in this area. These include the Knysna Loerie, Narina Trogan ,the African Black Oystercatcher and the Orangebreasted sunbird. Common mammals that may be spotted include the bushpig, dassie, caracal. genet, baboon, vervet monkey, blue duiker, bushbuck, grysbok, leopard, mongoose and the Cape clawless otter. The most common species of reptiles include the dwarf chameleon, boomslang, night adder and puff adder.

Rare and unique insects can also be found here. The silver-spotted caterpillar unique to the coastal belt of the Southern Cape helped lay the foundations of a century-old church at The Crags near Plettenberg Bay. Today, the St Michaels and All Angels Anglican Church, situated on the out-skirts of Kurland Village, stands largely due to proceeds of sales of the striking, silver-spotted moths, which emerge from the rare larva known as leto venus

Winter in Cape Town,

With winter well into it's first month, and the long mid year holidays looming, NOW is the time for locals to get out and enjoy the wonderful wonderful place that is the Western Cape- right on their doorstep!

Special offers everywhere, from Arniston to Kagga Kama Private reserve. All kinds of acccommodations on offer.. affordable, each and every one of them! Buy a newspaper, magazine, surf the net, FIND somewhere to go and GO!

The mega event, soccer, is a mere two weeks away and we only have 8 games scheduled for Cape Town, take the opportunity, break out of the typical Capetonian apathetic mould and FIND somewhere to go. It is better than therapy. And cheaper

Dwarskersbos, West Coast

Dwarskersbos is a popular holiday resort with a clean sandy beach that stretches for kilometers. It is situated in the centre of the St Helena basin. The town derived its name from the many candle bushes in the area. The caravanpark is popular by holidaymakers through the year. There are also some fully equipped rondawels and flats beside the sea.

The town made history in 1969 when it was hit by a tidal wave and the sea washed into many of the homes.

Whales can often be seen near the coast and attract many visitors. The town has also become known for its angling and watersports. During high season excellent entertainment programmes are presented.
During August and September the little town becomes quite busy as it situated in close proximity to the wild flowers found in abundace in the area.

The famous Rocher Pan with its 150 different bird species can be reached via a walking trail from Dwarskersbos.

Redelinghuys, West Coast

Redelinghuys is situated in the Sandveld and is just 20 minutes drive from Elands Bay on the West Coast. The Sandveld is one of the main potato producing areas in South Africa. It's name is appropriate in that the soil is sandy and is therefore a challenging 4x4 area. This quint little town is surrounded by overhanging cliffs, the beautiful Verlorenvlei and the majestic Atlantic Ocean.

The town of Redelinghuys is situated on the banks of the Verlorenvlei, which has an abundance of rare bird species. Verlorenvlei is certainly one of the most rewarding birding destinations in the Western Cape, especially when waders from the northern hemisphere emigrate to the warmer climate of this region. Besides the many exotic species that migrate here, the reserve is also home to numerous indigenous bird species. No less than 232 kinds of birds have been recorded here. The wetland stretches along 25 km.
Although Cape nature Conservation owns it, the surrounding land is private property and prospective visitors should get permission to walk along the banks of the wetland. Apart from whatching and walking, canoeing is also allowed