Beach-Ville continued....

Nature and wildlife experiences are an integral part of the Cape Point Route with an entire nature reserve set aside for pleasure. The area is home to many marine species including whales during July – November which are easily seen all the beaches on the False Bay coastline, Schusters Bay in Scarborough and Chapman’s Peak Drive on the Atlantic Side. It is easy to book a whale watching boat trip from Simon’s Town or Kalk Bay harbour and there is a high chance of seeing dolphins if you are out on a boat.

For many of the marine experiences you will have to negotiate the waves to reach the open ocean. Hout Bay and Simon’s Town both offer boat trips to visit the Cape Fur Seals on Duiker Island and Seal Island respectively. For a more adrenalin packed experience head out to view the flying great white sharks of False Bay with viewing or cage diving options. Look out for the Cape Clawless otter on Kommetjie’s Long Beach and of course don’t miss the African Penguins at Boulders Beach. The Cape Point Route is a beloved birding destination with a year-round revolving door of exciting species especially in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and at the Kom. Soetwater Recreational Area is another hotspot for marine coastal birding or try a pelagic boat trip to see up to 20 off- shore bird species.

Lighthouses have fascinated and attracted people for centuries, not only for their symbolic nature as beacons of safety, refuge and hope. Visiting and photographing lighthouses has become a popular hobby. Cape Point Route has 3 active lighthouses presiding over their respective points and numerous myths and legends related to each. You can climb to the top of South Africa’s tallest cast iron lighthouse - Slangkoppunt Lighthouse in Kommetjie, where you can see the back of Table Mountain, or take the funicular in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve to see the original lighthouse at Cape Point. A short stroll along the cliffs leads you to the new lighthouse, with the most powerful beam in Southern Africa. Roman Rock lighthouse in Simon’s Town has the accolade of being the only lighthouse built on a rock. For a novel experience take a helicopter flip over the Cape Point Route and watch the craggy cliffs become jigsaw puzzle pieces and the historic lighthouses become significant beacons.

Romantics will be seduced by the smaller hidden coves that most drivers miss from the road. Hike down to Smitswinkel bay just before the road turns towards the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve entrance – a bay frequented only by private residents or fisherman – the effort is worth the privacy. Scarborough or Misty Cliffs on the Atlantic Coastline are beautiful sandy beaches, dotted with an occasional surfer or windsurfer. The crowds seldom visit Windmill Beach or Fisherman’s Beach on the southern end of Simon’s Town, both as picturesque as the more famed Boulders Beach.

Beach Weddings are extremely popular on the Cape Point Route to seal your always and forever promise. The options range from barefoot elegance to exclusive and intimate beach front properties like Villa St James for your special day. Some beaches require permits for the wedding ceremony but with professional co-ordinators to arrange the details at Boulders Beach, Millers Point, St James or Kommetjie or in Cape Point Nature Reserve itself, all details can be taken care of on your behalf.

For more information on the Cape Point Route and surrounding areas, call us on 021 782 9356 or visit our website www.capepointroute.co.za