Much has changed at Agulhas since we visited there. The Agulhas National Park is being developed, which will add something to the appeal of a place which used to have little to recommend it except that it was the southernmost tip of the African continent. A bit like the equator - gives one a bit of a kick to cross it, but there's not much to see!
We'll get ourselves out there again sometime for an update.

This is well worth a visit, with a fair amount to do at the end of a longish drive. There is quite a atory to Arniston. It was originally (and still is) known as "Waenhuiskrans", which means "wagon garage cliff", and refers to a huge cave on the edge of the sea. It was named because it is big enough to turn an oxwagon and its oxen! And big it is, and quite spectacular. The cave may be inaccessible at high tide, so check your tides before journeying out (see our insert on forecasting the tides).
When the ship Arniston was wrecked here, the town took on the name Arniston. There is a nice hotel and restaurant (Lee and I started our honeymoon there), but the main attraction is the fishermen's village - appealing houses all built (and still being built) in the old style of fishermen's cottages.

An interesting little town to explore. The Shipwreck Museum is a must, with relics of shipwrecks, including those of the Arniston, and the Kadie which belonged to Joseph Barry and carried goods up the Breede River to Swellendam. Amongst other things there is a truly spectacular candle factory with some really nice stuff and an interesting pottery shop. There is a Nature Reserve on the mountainside which provides a fairly easy walk to the top with great views over the town. Bredasdorp share a curious history with Napier. The two towns are really too close for each to be viable, but they were founded due to fierce competition from two local farmers who each wanted the privilege of building a church on their farms. In the end, Napier got official blessing, but Bredasdorp became the bigger village.

There is a wild flower reserve on the outskirts of the town and a casino with what used to be a very quaint Victorian hot water spa. This has now been modernised, and the hotel and casino have quite a buzz. Not much else to see and do, but certainly worth a visit especially as it is so close to Famingo Lake (about 20 minutes drive). On your way there or back, don't miss Dassiesfontein restaurant and shop. The restaurant is famous for its South African dishes, and the shop is a wonderful plalce to buy curios and souvenirs.

After Flamingo Lake, Cape Town is one of the most charming places in the world. There is no way we can cover all it has to offer in this short space, so I won't even try.

This is located in the Hex River valley, a lush fruit-growing district, especially grapes. In season you can buy grapes at the roadside at good prices, and a wider selection of fruit at the farm stalls. The scenery in this area is truly amazing, and the changing colours of the vineyards as autumn takes hold are a photographer's dream come true. Most of the charm in driving there and back is in the drive itself. It really is beautiful.

Flamingo Lake is really different. It offers a unique experience of nature with three star graded accommodation in a wild, beautiful, remote and romantic unspoiled African wilderness. In this quiet and peaceful setting there are some super walks, hiking & bird watching, awesome scenery, a super unspoiled beach, and the accommodation is in a series of charming Rondavels and Log Cabins. Each unit has its own private garden & braai (barbecue) area, and has been decorated to avoid the often sterile and uninviting interiors of so many B&Bs and self caterering places.
This is very different - spoil yourself in this magic getaway!

The drive there and back is over the Franschhoek pass, and an experience in itself. The town is quaint, getting busier by the day, and full of interest. Don't miss the Huguenot memorial and museum which provides a rewarding insight into the beginnings of the South African wine industry. Some of the oldest wine estates are here, set in stunning scenery, and the town has several interesting curio and art shops.

A fishing town with not a lot of interest otherwise. But it's important not only for the fishing, but also as a base for boat trips to Dyer Island and to do (or watch) shark diving. Just this side of Gans Bay is De Kelders - really a residential district attached to Gans Bay, but it is also a place with spectacular views over Walker Bay, and with very good whale watching in season. There is also a fairly challenging walk along the edge of the sea which is beautiful.

The coastal drive along the R44 is worth it all on its own. This is stunning, right along the edge of the sea, carved out of the mountainside. The village itself has a couple of interesting little shops with curios, second-hand books and sundry odds and ends which make for entertaining browsing. There are quite a few restaurants including several in the xxx complex which provide an excellent choice of menus and good views of the sea and the yacht harbour. You can combine a visit here with a visit to Strand, which is right next door with a long beach with good swimming (the water is comparatively warm there), and more shops and eateries. And if that's not enough, Somerset West is right next door to Strand with major shopping including Somerset Mall which is excellent by any standards.

Grabouw is where the apples grow, where fruit trees blossom, row on row. It's where they squeeze the apple juice for drinking with the roasted goose.
Well, that pretty well says it all! It is a premier apple-production town. Don't miss the Peregrine farm stall on the main road - good stuff. The butchery in the town has a high reputation, and in apple season you can buy apples by the box (or bag) at very reasonable prices. Twice a year local residents open their gardens to the public for a spectacular display.

We were surprised to find that it took barely half an hour to drive to Greyton. And very charmed by what we found when we got there. Greyton has maintained most of its cottagey appeal, in spite of the vigorous growth that is taking place. New houses retain the same old Cape look, and the effect is intriguing. Good walks into the mountains - in fact if you like you can walk all the way to MacGregor on the other side of the mountain. But don't expect to do that before lunch. It's a full day's walk each way, and you need to arrange it well in advance. But the walks around town and along the riverside are very pleasant, and there are a couple of interesting shops. It's a pretty spot and makes for an anjoyable day's outing.

Hermanus is shown on the map just to let you know where it is. Its many charms are well covered elsewhere in this website.

Nice swimming beach here, with boats to paddle around the lagoon. Several good places to have lunch - we liked the Hotel on the beach front for its great views and the Potter for tea - and of course the pottery. On the other side of the village and down the harbour road is a collection of shops and restaurants which provide interesting browsing. This is a typical holiday village, but there is a substantial population of permanent residents.

This litle country town has become quite fashionable, and has grown from a rather dull spot to a place of real charm. When you get there, ask the locals about some of the attractions - there are a number of home industries where people are making interesting things. Chess sets, dolls and toys and so on. There is a selection of restaurants, some with lovely views over the river. When we went there we had planned to visit Bredasdorp the same day, but got seduced by Napier's charm and spent the whole day there.

Just beyond Stellenbosch, Paarl offers its own things of interest. Perhaps most unusual is the monument to the Afrikaans language. A visit there was a surprising experience. The setting is superb, with dramatic views over the valley. But the monument itself is intriguing. It is a huge sculpture with walkways and passages through it, and strangely beautiful and moving. The town centre offers a "Historic Mile" of old buildings, and a hatful of restaurants. Away from the town centre are several famous wine estates which are worth visiting just for the scenery! Important co-ops here are Nederburg for its wines, and KWV mainly for its brandy.

Our information on Robertson is still a bit scanty, and we are due to go there soon. "Famous" for horse breeding, roses and wine. But for those who know, more famous for their exceptional quality of boxed wines. Not good for your image, but easy on the pocket and great on the tongue, wine expert John Platter awards these wines 2 stars and I myself find their Selected Stein one of the most drinkable wines around. Visit Robertson on a round trip, as its quite a long drive, and you can pick up a number of other interesting places along the way.

Country village with a lot of charm. Several interesting antique and bric-a-brac shops, nice pub, a couple of restaurants and a nice vibe. Take a stroll around the village, and perhaps find out abut their sunset cruises on the Klein river. Across the main road is the Birkenhead brewery with a good restaurant, and the opportunity to taste the various beers they make. A bit furthr along that road is the Kleinplasie cheese factory - they make award-winning cheese which is worth tasting. Then quite a bit further on is the Raka wine estate; new, but already making some fine wines.

Think of the winelands, and you think of Stellenbosch. It has a lot of historic interest, beautiful views of mountains through the fine trees, some excellent restaurants and not much parking. Wander around to enjoy the architecture of the old homes, and visit Oom Salie's shop for a collection of 1930's memorabilia. But around the town are what must be some of the most beautiful wine estates anywhere in the world. Driving along the road you will pass a cavalcade of famous names discreetly signposted on either side. Half the fun however, is in finding the farms off the main road, and the continuing surprise of discovering less well-known estates in breath-taking settings and with interesting tasting rooms.
Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl are all adjacent, and they fit naturally together to make an interesting and varied series of journeys of exploration. For a change of pace, hire a bicycle and pedal around the residential areas and up into the mountains for a picnic lunch.

Somehow, Swellendam exudes a sense of real romantic history. Once the dynamic hub of the sprawling Barry empire, once one of the shortest-lived independent republics ever (about three months), and now the biggest producer of youngberries in the world, this is an intriguing and beautiful place. The Drostdy museum is a bit stuffy, but gives some detail on the town's chequered past and may spur you on to drive into the lush fields of the Hermitage valley in search of the makers of Wildebraam youngberry liqueur.

Centre of South Africa's dried fruit industry, gateway to the Bainskloof pass and the bokkeveld towns of Ceres and Tulbagh. The museum features the local wine, leather and fruit industries.

There are doubtless many attractions here, but for me it's really all at "Kleinplasie". You can easily spend a whole day at the living museum watching soap and candles being made in the old way, strolling through the formal museum, watching Moskonfyt, Witblits, and raisins being made and grapes being trodden for wine. A real treat!