It’s time to say: Hello Darling
Springtime on the Cape West Coast sees the landscape bursting into life with blooms of every shape, size, and colour forming psychedelic carpets that stretch as far as the eye can see.
The very colourful town of Darling, situated on Cape Town’s doorstep, plays host to the annual Darling Wildflower Show an enormously popular event that has been taking place for over 100 years from the 14thto the 17thof September.
This year the Darling Wildflower Show will be celebrating more than just the abundance of nature in Spring, but will also see the launch of Darling Tourism’s refreshed and invigorated new identity called “Hello Darling”. Hello Darling will focus on further promoting the many wonderful attractions in and around the town of Darling. Gil Ferreira, Chairperson of Darling Tourism, says that this happy and friendly new identity reflects Darling’s uniquely quirky and 
colourful personality.
Annual Wildflower Show plays host to the launch of Hello Darling
James Vos, Shadow Minister of Tourism, will be officially launching the new “Hello Darling” tourism identity on Saturday 15th September at 10h30 at the Darling Wildflower Show at the Darling Golf Club in Jacaranda Street.
James Vos has endorsed and highly commended Darling’s tourism committee on the initiative taken to develop a new re-invigorated brand identity to further boost tourism to the town of Darling.
“I am of the opinion that tourism promotion has the ability to reinvent our towns and cities while preserving the uniqueness and authenticity of the destination. These events really showcase the importance of tourism to bring visitors and economic opportunities, because product development and destination marketing are the essence of our objective,” The public are therefore encouraged to come and see the spectacular flower show put on by mother nature and attend the launch event and address by James Vos.
Shadow Minister of Tourism James Vos Member of Parliament
So much to see and do in Darling
Darling is a celebration of arts and culture, food, wine, beer, and cheeses. “In addition to the Darling Wildflower Show, September also sees the town celebrating its hugely popular Voorkamerfest. “And then, only a few weeks later is the Darling Scarecrow Festival which is always zany and fun,” says Ferreira.
Wine tasting, olives, craft beer, hand-crafted confectionery, Sunday markets, fun for the whole family on the Darling Mystery Trail, a trip back in time at the Darling Museum, also home to the Butter Museum and Agricultural Museum, live performances at the famous Evita Se Perron, and wildflowers in every shape, size and colour in Spring are just a few examples of what is on offer in Darling.
Take a road trip.
In addition to Darling town, the Culture Route and Tractor Route take visitors to nearby towns such as Philadelphia, Malmesbury, Koringberg, Mooreesburg, Yzerfontein, and Langebaan. As well as other wonderful must-see attractions such as !Kwa Ttu, the Thali Thali Game Lodge and Club Mykonos. Other routes in the West Coast way basket include the Foodie, Berg, Wild, and Cape Way routes – and all of these routes make up the Road Trip With The Most Twists, with each route forming a “twist”.
“Locals and foreigners alike can plan a road trip along any one of the West Coast Way Routes – mixing and matching selected stops from the various routes to suit personal tastes, and spending as long, or as little, a time as desired exploring all that the Cape has to offer. There is also the option to book a guided tour through West Coast Way for some of the routes,” says Carmen Lerm, founder of West Coast Way.
Innovative new offerings from Hello Darling
For those wanting to visit Darling and wondering what to do and where to stay, “Hello Darling” is in the process of developing a wonderful new website as well as a dynamic and user-friendly mobile app that will ensure all visitors are brought up to speed with relevant information on a real-time basis. A new map showing all of the town’s tourism offerings will be available to all visitors and there will be a monthly online newsletter with information and contact details for upcoming events, activities, attractions and more.
Follow Hello Darling at @HelloDarlingza on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram or call (022) 492 3361. Or pop in and visit them in the Darling Museum in Pastorie Street, they are open 7 days a week.
For more information on the West Coast Way Routes and what Darling has to offer visit www.westcoastway.co.za.
West Coast Way is Your Route To Nature
West Coast Way is your ultimate gateway to experiencing the natural beauty and cultural richness of the Cape West Coast of South Africa. As a premium tourism brand, we offer six uniquely themed trip plans that promise an unforgettable journey: Cape, Culture, Foodie, Tractor, Berg, and Wild.
Discover over 101 incredible things to see and do with West Coast Way:
Savour the delights of wine, craft beer, olives, and Rooibos tea tastings. Indulge in authentic Weskus cuisine and the traditional braaivleis (barbecue). Feel the thrill of swinging into Citrusdal on a zipline or challenge yourself with Cederberg bouldering. Rejuvenate in natural warm pools and embark on serene cruises across lagoons and rivers. Explore the diverse landscapes of nature reserves and a National Park, or embark on exciting game drives. Hone your skills in archery and angling, or amp up the excitement with sandboarding and quad-biking. Enjoy horse riding, immerse yourself in the unique San culture, and experience the vibrant Riel dancing. For water sports enthusiasts, kite- and windsurfing, surfing, and kayaking trips await. Go beach hopping, learn about bees and whales, and delight in birdwatching in a twitcher’s paradise – all within South Africa’s renowned wildflower reserve.
For more information on the best places to visit on the West Coast, road tripping routes, hikes, tours, and trails, explore westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777. Follow us on on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn @WestCoastWaySA.West Coast Way is South Africa’s road trip with the most twists. South Africans and visitors can explore a unique collection of themed routes to do adventure-filled Cape West Coast self-drive trips or a West Coast Holiday. The new West Coast Way “basket” of free routes on offer include the West Coast Way Scenic Route, the West Coast Way Berg Route, the West Coast Way Foodie Route, the West Coast Way Cultural Route – as well as the newly launched West Coast Way Wild Route, all of which are designed to showcase the many attractions and activities that are already on offer on the Cape West Coast and inland areas – but may be unknown to many. For more information on West Coast Way’s #WestCoastTwist and the list of 101 Things to Do on the West Coast 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.