Calling all nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, twitchers, foodies, devotees of good wine, beer aficionados, adventurers, adrenalin junkies, culture buffs, fun seeking families – and in fact anyone looking for something exciting, memorable and special to do.
Whether it is for a special occasion or just as an excuse to break away from the City, the Cape West Coast and the West Coast Biodiversity Corridor have so much to offer that visitors are spoilt for choice – and it is all available right on Cape Town’s doorstep. Better yet – it is a 365 days a year destination – always exciting, always vibrant, always friendly and always available.
To promote this must-visit part of the world, a marketing initiative called West Coast Way was specially initiated to actively market and showcase the Cape West Coast and the West Coast Biodiversity Corridor, thereby increasing visitor numbers and improving economic growth for locals. West Coast Way is Your Gateway to the Vibrant Cape West Coast, which offers plentiful heritage and adventure tourism locations and activities – two of the fastest growing sectors in the travel industry.
Development of two exciting self-drive routes
“The West Coast Biodiversity Corridor stretches from Blaauwberg to Saldanha and borders the Darling Heuwels along the scenic R27 highway,” explains Carmen Lerm, CEO and founder of West Coast Way. “When we launched West Coast Way in October 2014 we designed two exciting circular self-drive routes called Culture and Foodie Routes. These routes, which can take between half a day to a full day to complete, depending on the amount of time spent at each stop point, create a way for people to easily visit the many wonderful attraction in the Biodiversity Corridor and showcase the very best locations and attractions on the Cape West Coast – including West Coast heritage sites, good food, superb wines and exciting activities.”
“The routes are designed to showcase the diverse attractions and activities that are already on offer in the Biodiversity Corridor,” says Lerm. “Whether your focus is sightseeing, photo opportunities, history, culture, fauna and flora or adventure and activities. The West Coast Biodiversity Corridor has so much to offer and we feel that it is important that potential visitors see the bigger picture.”
“The West Coast is about the tastes, flavours and experiences – such as delicious Eland burgers and sundowners at !Khwa ttu, sampling Bokkoms in Saldanha Bay, a game drive and fantastic meal at the Thali Thali game reserve, excellent wines, olives and cheeses in Darling. It’s about having fun with the family. It’s about the rich authentic experience, the vibrant “real” people, food and colours you will find here, the beautiful unspoilt environment and the myriad of attractions and activities that can be enjoyed.”
So much to see and do – more than 101 in fact
Some West Coast gems that are a must visit include:
1. The town of Darling. Visit Darling Tourism www.darlingtourism.co.za and the Wildflower Society and possibly sleep over at the beautiful Disa Lodge and try out the Darling Mystery Walk from the Darling Museum (Where: Pastorie Street, Darling
t +27 (0)22 492 3361 | [email protected] | www.darlingtourism.co.za);
2. The !Khwa ttu San cultural and educational centre www.khwattu.org, which offers a fascinating insight into the culture, heritage, knowledge and modern-day life of the San of Southern Africa;
3. The Thali Thali game reserve www.thalithali.co.za for a game drive, a superb meal or stay over in the 3 star lodge;
4. Visit Langebaan and go for a trip on the lagoon with Langebaan’s Elite Charters www.elitecharters.co.za – maybe catch a spot of fishing;
5. Stop off at Shelley Point’s luxury Bon Hotel www.bonhotels.com for pure relaxation, and a massage too;
6. Saldanha’s Blue Bay Lodge www.bluebaylodge.co.za – situated right on the beach – and the beautifully located Protea Hotel by Marriott® Saldanha Bay www.proteahotels.com overlooking this famous bay;
7. Walk one of the Cape Biosphere www.capebiosphere.co.za nature trails at Yzerfontein;
8. The small town of Mamre www.westcoastway.co.za – here you can visit the Mission Station – one of the oldest, and most picturesque churches in South Africa;
9. Groote Post Winery www.grootepost.co.za for some wine tasting.
“These are just a very small example of some of the things that you can see and do along the Cape West Coast,” says Lerm. “In fact, West Coast Way has compiled a list of 101+ things to do in this area. Visit https://www.westcoastway.co.za/101-things/ for more info.
West Coast has its very own travel app
You can also download the West Coast Way’s 101+ Points Of Interest app, which is available as part of an internationally recognised travel app called Tourism Radio City Guides, and showcases over 101 fantastic things to see and do on the West Coast – perfect for anyone who is travelling up the West Coast and wants to ensure that they get the most out of their travel experience.
“Once downloaded, users of the app can ‘plug in’ their smartphone or device into their car radio, or listen from the handset as the app highlights lots of interesting things that you can see and do in the Cape West Coast Biodiversity Corridor and surrounds,” says Lerm.
West Coast Tourism supporting West Coast Way marketing initiatives
“It is extremely exciting that the Cape West Coast and the Biodiversity Corridor now has West Coast Way championing it,” says Helena van Rooyen of West Coast Tourism. “This region has so much to offer and yet many people do not realise that they have such a vibrant ‘playground’ right on their doorstep. West Coast Tourism fully support the initiatives of West Coast Way and we are enjoying working with them in the marketing of the Biodiversity Corridor. The businesses and communities in the corridor and surrounds have already benefitted from the services of these destination marketing specialists.”
For more information on West Coast Way visit www.westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777. Connect with West Coast Way on Facebook and twitter at WestCoastWaySA.