Accommodation Cape South Africa

I have travelled the South Cape for years and so should be an expert on the accommodation in the Garden Route. I am not, as Garden Route accommodation, like all accommodation,   changes. What experience has taught me is that the more competition, the better the value. All of the towns highlighted are where you should find something good.

There are myriad sites extolling the beauties of the Garden Route, but few seem to realize that most get there by car and talk about the lovely drives of the area.

On the way up from the Cape the Tradouw Pass, Barrydale to Swellendam is well worth the effort.

Conventionally the Garden Route starts at Mossel Bay and the conventional route is along the coast to Plettenberg Bay. Don’t miss it, it is fabulous.

A circular drive that’s well worth the effort is from Mossel Bay, via the Robinson Pass up to Outshoorn. The turn off is on the George side of Mossel Bay and the route number is R328. As you start going up hill, on your left is the 8 Bells Inn.

The pass is tar all the way, a bit twisty but not much traffic with plenty of pull off places. As you go up the views just get better and better. There is no place to stop at the top so pull off just before hand.

On the other side is the Little Karroo with it characteristic smell. As you get used to it, it fades all too quickly.

A fair way down on the left is a gravel road going through to the Gracia Pass. I have not driven it but it looks good and you can then return via Calitzdorp, which would be a good drive.

The R328 eventually reaches the outskirts of Outshoorn. From here you have a number of choices.

The run to Calitzdorp is very pleasant and after sampling their port, the pass on the other side of the village is spectacular with plenty of view points but only goes up. Then take the R323, Garcia Pass, again really beautiful to Riversdale and back to Mossel Bay.

If you really want to spoil yourself, after visiting the Cango Caves, carry on up the Swartberg Pass which is still the R328 .Just after the top of the pass is the turn on your left to The Hell. It is one way, there and back but if you have the time take it. Be warned, the road is not for the faint hearted. After refreshment at Prince Albert, back track slightly and the take the R407 via Meiringspoort to De Rust then back to Oudtshoorn and the Outeniqua Pass to George.

Shortly after South Africa rejoined the world, the then back water called Prince Albert suddenly saw many foreign visitors, which caused a degree of wonder and consternation. In those days, anyone who spoke English, as I do, was an unusual and a genuine tourist unheard of. One of them kindly enlightened the locals. Fodor’s I think it was, rated the drive from George to Prince Albert as one the top ten things to do in South Africa and one of the best drives in the world.

There is plenty of accommodation in Cape Town which will suit all tastes and pockets. It’s not at all difficult to find and book what you need but to make the best choice you need a bit of an overall view of the city.

There is a huge amount to see and do in the “Fairest Cape” but public transport is poor and really not an option. If you are not on a package holiday, use bona fide taxis (not mini bus taxis) or drive yourself, which is nowhere near as difficult as one would think.

The motor way system is world class, well sign posted and better than most first world cities having a logical layout and with the mountain to orientate you, relatively simple to navigate.

The Cape Peninsula is really a long island with a spiny, mountainous backbone lying north south connected by a broad flat isthmus (the Cape Flats) to the African mainland. On the north of the Peninsula, at the foot of Table Mountain, with is back to the sea, is downtown Cape Town.

Two trunk roads leave the city; the one goes south, along the east side of the mountain all the way down to Cape Point (Cape of Good Hope) and then back again along the other side. Just follow the mountain all the way round.

The other leaves the city along the sea. This is the N1 on its way to Paarl, wine lands and Johannesburg. Shortly after leaving the city the N2 branches off to the right at a major junction leading Strand, airport, wine lands and Garden Route.

Shortly after that again, on the left is the N7 going north to Malmesbury, Springbok and Namibia.

The N1 and N2 have two major trunk roads joining them, the M7, N7 and R300. A quick look at this  map at  www.cape-town-drives.com/freewayMap.htm shows this clearly.

You can get a far more information about all this and directions to get from the airport onto the road system at www.cape-town-drives.com .

Now that you can find you way about its time to choose somewhere that suits you  and your holiday plans, but choose somewhere that is ten minutes or so from a dual carriage way and then you can get from anywhere to anywhere fairly quickly.

To find somewhere that meets your needs and wants is again straight forward.

As Google dominates internet search so one company almost as dominant in greater Cape Town vacation accommodation and their website is www.safarinow.com . You will battle to find an accommodation establishment which they do not list.

Where the best place to stay is, obliviously varies from person to person, but all of Cape Town is outstanding.

The iconic views of Table Mountain are along the Atlantic Seaboard, across Table Bay from the city itself. Going south down the west coast of the peninsula there are sea views, mountain views, beaches and a bays down to the unspoilt Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. Coming back along the east coast there are more beaches, penguins, baboons and panoramic views over False Bay to the Hottentots Holland Mountains on the other side of the bay.

On the other or west side of False Bay, about 30 minutes from the airport is Strand, Gordon’s Bay with beaches, drives, wine route and historical Stellenbosch.

Drive times from city centre are approximately as follows.

South to Boulders and the penguins, one hour and about that again to Cape Point.

Simonstown to the N2, about an hour.

City centre to Camps Bay, 30 minutes.

City centre to Paarl or Stellenbosch, about 45 minutes.

Any questions, just post them to the blog and I will try and help. As mentioned, www.cape-town-drives.com is written for driving about the Cape.