Cape Point Route - Destination Marketing

Cape Point Route is the Destination Marketing Organisation for the beautiful deep south of Cape Town, South Africa. But what does that mean? Essentially Cape Point Route provides tourism information to locals, individual visitors, tour operators, and business travelers. Cape Point Route sees itself as cupid – a matchmaker between leisure and hospitality services and visitors to our area. Their goal is to facilitate tourism products finding their soul mates in their customers.

Everyone is impacted by their immediate surroundings and we are lucky to be influenced by amazing spaces and real faces. It makes the intention of forming meaningful relationships a whole lot easier – after all the Cape Point Route is worth more than a one night stand.

It is human nature to talk to our friends, relatives and colleagues about our great experiences; hence local word of mouth is a powerful tool for increasing our business sales and driving the local economy. Marketing intelligence studies have shown that 80% of business is generated within a 10km radius so it makes good business sense to market locally and get to know what’s in your area.

Picture the scenarios:
1. Long lost cousin Bob contacts you from Canada to say he is coming to South Africa on holiday and asks you for suggestions?
2. Your daughter is getting married after 2 years living in England and asks you to help with a wedding venue and finding accommodation for all her English friends.
3. Your client is coming down from Durban and asks for suggestions for a small conference and place to stay.

Keep it simple, call someone you know locally and keep the business in the Beautiful South for a unique and unforgettable experience. Cape Point Route encourages all residents and businesses to support locally to develop tourism and business from a grassroots level. For more information on the Cape Point Route visit www.capepointroute.co.za or call 021 782 9356.

Natural Heritage on the Cape Point Route...

Natural and cultural heritage are irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. They are our legacies from the past, what we live with today and what we pass onto future generations. The Cape Point Route is an area of natural beauty, open spaces, magnificent scenery with diverse cultures and unique attractions. Natural heritage becomes a relative term in the area as the entire destination is a smorgasbord of mountain and sea, flora and fauna and it encompasses a World Heritage site in the Cape Floral Kingdom.

The Cape Point Route runs from Hout Bay on the Atlantic coastline, over Chapman’s Peak Drive, down through the towns of Noordhoek, Kommetjie and Scarborough to Cape Point itself. It traverses back up the False Bay coastline through Simon’s Town, Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay and St James to Muizenberg. Cape Point Route is two coastlines wrapped around a national park. This is not a been- there–bought-the-t-shirt place. It’s real and it’s beautiful. With dramatic mountain ranges, and long ocean fronts, this is the stuff that you see in the movies. The Cape Point Route is easy, affordable and accessible, located just 30 minutes to Cape Town City Centre. Often termed Cape Town’s playground, the Cape Point Route has some of the most unexpected wildlife and eco-nature experiences available in the country.

The Penguins at Boulders Beach have gained international stardom both from their accessibility and their quirky nature. A visit to the Cape is not complete without a stop at tuxedo junction where you will be entertained by the very characters of these birds. The African penguins arrived at Boulders Beach in 1982 and have grown to a colony of 3 – 4000 penguins. African penguins are listed in the international Red Data book of endangered species. Viewing platforms and boardwalks protect the breeding areas of the penguins and allow for excellent viewing of penguins watching people watch penguins. One can also sea kayak past the penguins for a unique viewpoint and a fun, safe activity for all ages and levels of experience. Birding tours on the Cape Point Route abound with numerous guided tours and also pelagic trips (pelagics are our seabirds and trips go from Simon’s Town Harbour).

Marine life and whale watching on the Cape Point Route is a hidden treasure. Southern Right Whales abound during breeding season from June – November but numerous other species are found in the bay, including Bryde’s whales and humpbacks. There are great land based whale watching sights along the entire Cape Point Route Coastline with hot spots at Glencairn, Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay and Muizenberg. There is nothing quite like observing a 15 metre whale breaching in the waters in front of you- especially over lunch and a glass of wine at one of the ocean fronted restaurants or from the balcony of your Bed and Breakfast. A truly memorable experience however is to get up close and personal to these gentle giants of the sea, on a whale watching boat trip. It is interesting to recall that whaling was the third biggest income earner for the Cape colony in the 1820’s (after agriculture and wine making). Kalk Bay and Simon’s Town, now the centres for whale tourism, housed the main whaling stations at the Cape until the near extinction of the Southern Right Whales in the mid 1830’s.

Boat trips are a brilliant way to experience the natural heritage of the Cape Point Route. Various boat trips go to Seal Island in False Bay and Duiker Island in Hout Bay where there are large colonies of Cape Fur Seals - so named because they have very thick pelts unlike true seals which only have a thin covering of hair. Seals prefer breeding on rocky ground, hence the abundance of seals on both these islands. Their habitat does provide a great opportunity to get out on the water and feel the salt spray on your cheeks and that is a definite holiday feeling.

Despite the controversy surrounding Great White sharks, there are opportunities to discover more about these fascinating creatures, their natures and habits on the Cape Point Route. The Great White Sharks have gained fame in False Bay for their breaching habits and have often been termed the Great white flying sharks. The best time to catch this unusual display is during the Cape’s Winter. Shark cage diving and viewing tours run from Simon’s Town harbour and longer excursions take place in summer to see mako and blue sharks as well as pelagic sea birds and the blue predators. Despite the fear factor that is fostered by the presence of sharks, swimming is safe and the beaches are scanned by shark spotters who alert bathers if “Jaws” are close to shore. It is however recommended to swim within the breakers!

Another controversial creature is the Chacma baboon seen with regularity on the Cape Point Route. A unique species that also feeds on shellfish – they are fun to watch with their human qualities and make fabulous subjects for photographers. The controversy has resulted from the decrease in space of their natural habitat and the baboons are forced to forage in “human territory” to survive. These social creatures do not naturally attack or challenge humans but will protect themselves if cornered so please help protect them and don’t feed them! Book a guided walk through mountain fynbos on a specialised 2- 3 hour tour and spend time with the last remaining Chacma baboons in the Cape Peninsula.

Cape Fynbos is a wonder of the world and is one of the richest areas for plants in the world. It represents less than 0.5% of the area of Africa but is home to nearly 20% of the continent’s flora. Fynbos means fine bush in Afrikaans so you will see very few large trees but lots of scrubs, bush and some sensational flowers depending on the season. With more than 2285 species of plants, the Cape Floral Kingdom is the smallest floral kingdom in the world in size, but it contains more plant species than the entire British Isles and New Zealand and it is for these outstanding ecological and biological processes that the area gained World Heritage Status in 2004. The hot spots for these floral experiences are Silvermine Nature Reserve, Rondevlei Nature Reserve or Cape Point Nature Reserve.

World Heritage Sites tend to be iconic tourist attractions in most countries but planned and controlled tourism to cope with dynamic growth of tourism in international and domestic markets is essential to the preservation of our natural heritage. Part of the Cape floral Kingdom exists within the boundaries of the Cape Point Nature Reserve and is part of the protected Table Mountain National Park.

Keep your eyes peeled when visiting the Cape Point Nature Reserve for small antelope like klipspringers, duiker, grysbok and steenbok. They may not be as exciting as the big 5 but they are indigenous to the area and integral to the ecosystem of the park. Larger antelope like red hartebeest, cape mountain zebra and eland can also be found in the park so get your check list ready and scan the horizon. Take some time to explore the roads less travelled or plan a hiking trip in the hopes of spotting some of the shyer mammals like the Cape fox, genets, polecats, molerats, porcupines and mongooses. You may be lucky enough to see a tortoise or some of the reptiles (22 snakes, lizards) and there is a strong likelihood of spotting one of the 62 frog species (more than half of South Africa’s frog species are found right here in the Cape!)

The Cape Point Route is proud of its’ natural heritage and we live with a healthy respect of nature. In protecting, loving, and sharing our natural assets we learn to co-exist with nature and provide a sustainable environment making the world a better place to live. Visitors are welcome to enjoy our beaches and seas, to share our mountains with their floral status and to gasp in amazement at our wildlife. The Cape Point Route offers so much more than natural beauty, please contact the offices for places where and how to taste it, see it, live it and do it to experience it. We are not a one-day destination we are worth more than a one night stand!

Please contact us on +27 - 21- 7829356 or email info@capepointroute.co.za for more information on Natural Heritage or where to eat, stay or play.

Eco Experiences on the Cape Point Route....

Cape Town’s playground - The Cape Point Route; has some of the most unexpected wildlife and eco-nature experiences available in the country. Some of the fauna may be a tad controversial– sharks, baboons and even the penguins, but the Cape Point Route has them all. The route is essentially 2 coastlines wrapped around a national park with 18 beaches to choose from; Cape Fynbos and wildlife experiences ranging from whales to Cape Clawless otter…and there’s even hippo!

The Cape Point Route runs from Hout Bay on the Atlantic coastline, over Chapman’s Peak Drive down to Cape Point itself, then back up the False Bay coastline to Muizenberg. The Cape Point Route is easy, affordable and accessible - just 30 minutes from Cape Town City Centre. This is not a been- there–bought-the-t-shirt place. This is weather beaten faces and warm smiles. It’s real and it’s beautiful. With dramatic mountain ranges, and long ocean fronts, this is the stuff that you see in the movies.

The Penguins at Boulders Beach have gained international stardom both from their accessibility and their quirky nature. A visit to the Cape is not complete without a stop at tuxedo junction where you will be entertained by the very characters of these birds. Insider info suggests going to the Boulders Beach side instead of the boardwalk side at Seaforth for a more intimate experience. Highly recommended to plan your lunch stop (or even better an overnight night stay) at Boulders Beach Lodge & Restaurant where penguins watch people watching penguins. One can also kayak past the little guys for a unique viewpoint and a fun, safe activity for all ages and levels of experience. Birding tours on the Cape Point Route abound with numerous guided tours and also pelagic trips (pelagics are our seabirds and trips go from Simon’s TownHarbour).

Marine life and whale watching on the Cape Point Route is a hidden treasure. Southern Right Whales abound during breeding season from June – November but numerous other species are found in the bay – Bryde’s whales and humpbacks. Take a boat trip and enjoy close encounters with these gentle giants of the sea. There are great land based whale watching sights along the entire Cape Point Route Coastline with hot spots at Glencairn, Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay and Muizenberg. It is truly memorable to experience a whale breaching in the waters in front of you- especially over lunch and a glass of wine at one of the ocean fronted restaurants. Flukes Restaurant in Glencairn was named after the famed whale tails that mesmerize their clientele from the deck and is well worth a stop for the views and the cuisine.

Various boat trips go to Seal Island in False Bay and Duiker Island in Hout Bay where there are large colonies of Cape Fur Seals - so named because they have very thick pelts unlike true seals which only have a thin covering of hair. Seals prefer breeding on rocky ground, hence the abundance of seals on both these islands. Their habitat does provide a great opportunity to get out on the water and feel the salt spray on your cheeks and that is a definite holiday feeling.

Despite the controversy surrounding the proverbial Great White sharks, which are famous in False Bay for their breaching, there are opportunities to see and learn more about their natures and habits on boat trips. Shark cage diving tours are an option for the more adventurous traveller. Despite the fear factor these phenomenal mammals provoke, swimming is safe and the beaches are scanned by shark spotters who alert bathers if “Jaws” are close to shore. It is however recommended to swim within the breakers!

Another controversial creature is the Chacma baboon seen with regularity on the Cape Point Route. A unique species that also feeds on shellfish – they are fun to watch with their human qualities and make fabulous subjects for photographers. The controversy has resulted from the decrease in space of their natural habitat and the baboons are forced to forage in “human territory” to survive. These social creatures do not naturally attack or challenge humans but will protect themselves if cornered so please help protect them and don’t feed them! Book a guided walk to get up close and personal and when you have finished take the kids to Noordhoek Farm village where you can watch them clamber in the playground like the very creatures you have just observed. Pay attention to your own similarities as you eat, shop and forage in this gem of a stop in rural Noordhoek.

Keep your eyes peeled when visiting the Cape Point Nature Reserve for small antelope like klipspringers, duiker, grysbok and steenbok. They may not be as exciting as the big 5 but they are indigenous to the area and integral to the ecosystem of the park. Larger antelope like red hartebeest, cape mountain zebra and eland can also be found in the park so get your check list ready and scan the horizon. Take some time to explore the roads less travelled or plan a hiking trip in the hopes of spotting some of the shyer mammals like the Cape fox, genets, polecats, molerats, porcupines and mongooses. You may be lucky enough to see a tortoise or some of the reptiles (22 snakes, lizards) or even some frogs and toads.

Unexpected animals on the Cape Point Route are the Cape Clawless Otter (often seen in Kommetjie) or the hippo at Rondevlei Nature Reserve. Sunset Beach Guest House is a fabulous spot right on Kommetjie beach and sandy footprints are very welcome. You’ll be reminded of youthful carefree holidays, as the blue of the sea and sky has waltzed indoors. You’ll feel right at home there and can even get personal chef Ingmar to whip up your favourite meal whilst you hit the beach in search of the otter. Rondevlei lies next to Zeekoevlei (which was named after the herd of hippos that used to wallow there). Hippos were indigenous to the Cape but were exterminated within a hundred years of the first Dutch settlers arriving. Hippo were reintroduced in 1981 to control the alien grasses and now feed on natural buffalo grass and the ecosystem has stabilised to make way for many other species of birds, small mammals and plants.

In addition to the fauna, Cape Fynbos is a wonder of the world and is recognised as a Hot spot of floral diversity with more than 2285 species of plants. It is the smallest floral kingdom in the world in size, but contains more plant species than the entire British Isles and New Zealand. Fynbos means fine bush in Afrikaans so you will see very few large trees but lots of scrubs, bush and some sensational flowers depending on the season. Hot spots for floral experiences are Silvermine Nature Reserve, Rondevlei Nature Reserve or Cape Point Nature Reserve. Base yourself in St James at Villa St James, for walks and hikes in Silvermine – a great way to see the details and diversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom and you can relax in a deep bathtub before strolling down to the restaurants, cafes, museums and shops on the doorstep of Villa St James.

Escaping into nature is a relative term as the whole region is one smorgasbord of mountain and sea, plants and animals. Take a picnic with you from La Vallèe Delicatessen and Wine Cellar in Glencairn, who specialise in picnic baskets and have over 200 of the Cape’s finest wines to enhance the experience.

An area of natural beauty, open spaces and magnificent scenery, diverse cultures and unique attractions, the Cape Point Route is the ultimate playground for everybody.

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

To the Point - Waves & Wine

The Cape Point Route has 2 coastlines wrapped around a national park so it is no wonder that the pairing of wine and waves in the region is tantamount to a splashing good time. It is well worth a long sojourn for the dining destinations alone.

Pick of the Cape Point Route seaside villages for foodies is Kalk Bay – flanked by the mountains and the ocean waves and gravitating around the fishing harbour at its centre.

It’s a little bit hippie, a little bit cosmopolitan and absolutely entirely unique in character and colour. In the harbour itself is the aptly named Harbour House, which offers stylish seafood, and its sister restaurants Polana, for Portuguese style seafood, and Live Bait – the newest addition which serves up sushi and not surprisingly the catch of the day!

Well known for waves crashing onto your plate is the Brass Bell at Kalk Bay Station– a Cape Town institution for informal dining on the outside terraces and more formal fare in the upstairs restaurant. Brave souls can wash their meals down with a dip in the tidal pool.

New on the scene and located above the famed Olympia Café is Acanthus , which has good global food and stunning views and an ideal spot for functions. Of interest is that all their tips go to supporting the Haven night shelter. Another beautiful venue, although without the seaview, is Klipkantein café behind Kalk Bay Books. The owners built the bar themselves with original wood from the Majestic and its well worth visiting for devine cocktails.

Fsh restaurant and sushi bar is the latest sophisticated spot in Kalk Bay. The sushi is always fresh, different and delicious. And for non sushi fans there is always something delectable - including vegetarian options. The service is friendly without being obsequious. And, they know how to make a wine spritzer!

The Kalk Bay community likes to keep its seductive secrets so it’s worth asking a local for their favourite gobble and chatter venue when you are meandering the cobbled streets and browsing in the antique stores. They may just send you to another charming village on the Cape Point Route to keep Kalk Bay to themselves, but there are plenty of offerings to be served up.

Call the Cape Point Route for more restaurants that feature waves and wine on 021 782 9356 or visit our website www.capepointroute.co.za

Make a meal of it in Ocean View....

Dressed in vibrant orange, Cheryl Wyngaard welcomes us into her home in Ocean View near Kommetjie with a wide smile. She waves warmly as she ushers her visitors through to the dining-room, where a seafood extravaganza awaits us.

Cheryl is part of the Ocean View fishing community and lives on the west coast of the Cape Point Route, between Kommetjie and Fish Hoek. Cheryl’s family has been fishing on the peninsula for hundreds of years – it’s part of her heritage and not surprisingly, seafood is her speciality. The fish she serves in her home-based restaurant is freshly caught from Atlantic waters by the experienced fishermen of the community. Cheryl supports the industry by buying only from vendors in the neighbourhood.

Cheryl’s exuberance matches her culinary skills and she is one of the most engaging storytellers you’ll ever meet. Tales roll off her tongue as we tuck into the mussels and crayfish. Various family members flurry around, serving rooibos tea and making sure we are comfortable. Cheryl’s adult son Melshaw sits in and shares some stories of his own. He’s a registered tour guide and his calm, relaxed manner complements Cheryl’s matriarchal narrative as she tells of her family’s forced removal to Ocean View in the mid-1960’s.

Melshaw shares the community history, dating from Ocean View’s inception. The district was created from farmland and fynbos terrain and starkly prepared for the residents, the majority of whom were re-housed after government removals from the prescribed ‘white’ suburbs of Simon’s Town, Fish Hoek and Noordhoek. A decade after South Africa’s liberation, Ocean View remains a largely mixed-race community of some 25 000 people. The inhabitants are both Christian and Muslim and most are heavily dependent on the seasonal fishing industry. There is unemployment and poverty in the area, but the community pulsates with energy, music and a great deal of humour and resilience.

The Wyngaard family personifies this heritage. Melshaw can take you on a walking tour of Ocean View – a good idea both to get a grip on the history and to work off Cheryl’s generous meal. Melshaw will reveal the pot pourri of cultural influences, point out interesting scenery an untrained eye may miss, and take you on visits to community upliftment projects, many of which are driven by the Wyngaards. Melshaw’s outstanding work in Ocean View is one of the reasons he was the recipient of the 2008 MEC Award for Service Excellence at the recent Provincial Tourism Award. On the side, he’s a talented singer too, who’s more than happy to oblige.

Ocean View is just one community on the Cape Point Route with legacies, traditions and lives that have been built up along two coastlines over the decades. For information on real people, history, heritage and places to eat and stay when visiting the Cape Point Route, contact us on 021 782 9356 or visit our website www.capepointroute.co.za.

Celebrate Woman on the Cape Point Route...

National Women’s Day on the 9 August is a public holiday in South Africa, commemorating the national march of women in 1956 to petition against pass law legislation. This holiday has become a celebration of women in South Africa and many events are held to honour women and girl children.

The Cape Point Route is no exception and 'Safer Together' and seven organisations in the Greater Muizenberg area are collaborating to offer a Women’s Day event on 8 August with safety and security as a main theme. The function will take place at False Bay College on the corner of Main and Atalantic Roads.

The programme will include practical demonstrations of ways to promote one’s own safety, a practical session on self-esteem and assertiveness to enable women to know and affirm their and their children’s rights. There will also be live music and singing by well-known singer Natalia da Rocha and her “Applauz” group – which also promotes the development of young musicians. Poetry and presentations by students of False Bay College, as well as a display of posters made by the students

The event will be followed by SAFER TOGETHER’s monthly Muizenberg Moonlight Meander from 18h30 to 20h00 on Saturday evening 8 August. The walk starts at 18h30 in front of Knead, and if the weather is bad, the regulars get together inside the restaurant. A donation for R5 by walkers, exchanged for a candle, also goes to the Safer Together funds.

The Cape Point Route recommends a visit to the Hout Bay Craft Market this Sunday on Hout Bay common between 7am and 5pm to find that perfect gift for the special women in your life. There are plenty of crafty stalls, yummy foods, jumping castle for the kids and more.

So celebrate the women in your life in the build up to 9 August and National Women’s Day. Should you require suggestion or need details on where to take the special women in your life for a restaurant treat or a evening away please feel free to contact the Cape Point Route. Tel 021 782 93456 or visit the website: www.capepointroute.co.za

Pointing the way - Fun for the whole family on the Cape Point Route!

Walking, driving, biking, diving, swimming, birding, exploring, shopping, eating or simply wandering around. You'll find it all on the Cape Point Route. What more could a family want? Rest assured, the route (from Hout Bay, down to Cape Point itself, then up the False Bay coastline to Muizenberg) is perfect for outdoor family activities.

There are at least 3 birding extravaganza’s on the Cape Point Route – the ever popular Boulders Beach with safe swimming at a charming beach and you guessed it – penguins! Try Cape Point Ostrich Farm, opposite the entrance to the Cape Point Nature Reserve – a great spot for kids and adults to learn about the entire life cycle of Africa’s largest birds. It is well worth cruising over Chapmans’ Peak Drive to the World of Birds in Hout Bay. Africa’s largest bird park with more than 4000 bird species in various walk in aviaries.

For families with slightly older kids – take the over 12’s on a full day deep sea fishing trip to try and land a BIG one. Hooked on Africa offer fishing trips (inshore as well as deep sea). Or what about a Baboon Walk? It’s not a random stroll; it is a guided walk of 1 -2 hours with the experts in safe conditions for kids of all ages to look for a Chacma Baboon troop in the fynbos and mountains. Children can observe the animals' very human antics in their natural habitat and learn about efforts for their conservation. Contact Baboon Matters

If water is your world then glide across the ocean on a safe, stable sea kayak and watch seals waving their flippers alongside. Young adults may paddle on single kayaks, but younger kids should go in a double kayak with a proficient paddling adult. Simon’s Town Sea Kayaking .

The Western Cape has the smallest complete floral kingdom in the world and that awesome diversity is mirrored underwater. Scuba diving in the waters of the Cape Point Route offers shipwrecks, kelp forests, coral gardens, deep reefs and unsurpassed marine life. Take a family scuba diving course to discover a new world with Pisces Divers.

With land, sea and fresh air; natural beauty, child friendly accommodation establishments and restaurants, the Cape Point Route offers something for every kid - young and old.

For more information call Cape Point Route on 021 782 9356 or visit our website www.capepointroute.co.za