West Coast South Africa: My Tips & Highlights

Highlights along the West Coast of South Africa: Langebaan & Paternoster & West Coast National Park

The West Coast of South Africa is often overlooked when it comes to a South Africa road trip or a round trip by rental car. Yet it is an obvious choice to drive up from Cape Town towards Namibia.

Of course, one argument of many visitors is that they also want to experience game drives and wild animals. Therefore, most of them take the plane to Johannesburg or drive along the Garden Route and visit the Addo Elephant Park and Cape Town.

Why is a trip to the West Coast of South Africa worthwhile?

Route 27 along the Cape West Coast in the Western Cape takes you along the Atlantic West Coast of South Africa. Few tourists, idyllic fishing villages, magnificent nature and very good seafood await you here.

From Cape Town you drive via Bloubergstrand to Langebaan, Paternoster, Saldanha, Vredenburg and Yzerfontein to Velddrif, 150 kilometres away. I spent just under three days in this region. Much too short for my taste, and the whole thing will definitely be repeated.

You can get detailed information on this website about Route 27.

Bloubergstrand

A highlight of any visit to Cape Town and the West Coast is Blouberg Beach, just a few kilometres outside Cape Town. From the beach you have a great view of Table Mountain, Robben Island and Cape Town.

In the windy months, this is a mecca for kite surfers.

From Blouberg Beach you can see Table Mountain, Robben Island and Cape Town. Langebaan - lagoon with Caribbean flair

I am particularly impressed when we suddenly arrive at the lagoon in Langebaan. While having a picnic (we packed our own food) on the fine sandy beach in Kraalbaai, I feel like I'm in the Caribbean. Turquoise water, flamingos and waves. It's like being at the seaside and a dream place not only for kitesurfers and surfers.

I stop at one of the many open-air restaurants on the beach. Particularly well-known, popular and good is the "Strandloper" in Langebaan. Be sure to try the lobster!

Especially great - but windy as hell - is the Seeberg Lookout in Langebaan. But beware, it was so windy here that everything we didn't hold on to was blown away.

• To the Strandloper website

Seeberg Lookout in Langebaan Flamingos can be found in the Langebaan Lagoon and at Kraalbaai Here in Kraalbaai we relax with a picnic! West Coast National Park

Hiking on sand dunes

It's like being in the desert when you go on a hike over the incredible sand dunes at sunrise at 5am. In the evening, our guide, who comes from the San culture, tells us stories about the starry sky, which we can admire at length.

For birdwatchers, the West Coast National Park is a dream and very popular. Organise a bird book (also available as a free app for your smartphone) and make sure to pack binoculars! Especially in the early morning, birds are active and easy to observe!

Important: Do not go hiking in the sand dunes without a guide, as it is easy to get lost and lose your bearings.

Best time to visit West Coast National Park?

Especially in August and September, when the wild flowers are in bloom, the whole West Coast region is worth a visit. A sea of flowers really shines everywhere! The best time to visit is between 10am and 4.30pm, when the flowers are open. When the sun disappears, the flowers close. It's funny to take a time-lapse picture of the flowers turning with the sun.

• Tips for accommodation in the West Coast National Park: Duinepos Chalets (self-catering, but in the middle of the National Park)

• Tips for tours: Sunrise hike over the sand dunes (Dawid Bester Trail)

• Info: As a Wild Card holder you have free entry here.

Dawid Bester Trail - hike out at sunrise - but please not without a local guide! Paternoster

We had a special honour in Paternoster, the small cosy fishing village. We received an invitation from the lighthouse keeper and were allowed to go up to his "sanctuary". The view is wonderful and he has many a story to tell. Unfortunately, there are no regular tours here. I was allowed up here thanks to an invitation from South Africa Tourism.

But in spring (I was unfortunately here shortly before) you can watch whales along the coast and in the sheltered bays. A highlight that many visitors often attribute only to Hermanus and the Garden Route.

Paternoster is especially famous for its lobster. Be sure to try it.

Visit a San village and learn the click language

In Kawa ttu we visited a centre of the San culture (San = Bushmen) for half a day. The village was established to serve the heritage, preservation and promotion of the San culture within South Africa. Many San do not have jobs, as is unfortunately so often the case with indigenous people. Alcohol and drug problems are not uncommon here either.

Therefore, it is important to support this conservation and to tell us "white people" about their culture. Among other things, we were shown the basics of the click languages (it is really damn hard) and also how to read the symbols. Because the San languages, apart from our letters, also consist of circles, exclamation marks and many other signs that describe special clicking sounds. Tongue twisters are guaranteed here!

• More info on the San village

Useful articles to check out before your South Africa trip!

Are you planning your own South Africa trip? Here you will find more tips and information you need to plan:

• Tips for driving in South Africa

• Travelogue for 3 weeks South Africa trip (first time visitor)

• Best time to travel in South Africa

• How much does a South Africa trip cost?

• Recommendation for the best South Africa travel guide

• All tips for your South Africa trip at a glance

All information for regions and cities:

• South Africa sights and most beautiful places

• Garden Route

• Cape Town Guide with everything you need to know

• Cape Peninsula and Cape of Good Hope

• Panorama Route

• Kruger National Park

• Johannesburg

• Northern Cape with Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Augrabies Falls and Namaqualand

• Addo Elephant National Park

• Tsitsikamma National Park