Information: Overberg

The beach at Betty's Bay Copyright: South African Tourism

Tip: The Jackass Penguin Colony at Stoney Point near Betty's Bay is a must.

The town of Bredasdorp is clean and pleasant, situated on the slopes of a 368 m high hill called the Preekstoel (pulpit), on the ridges of which grow a profusion of giant proteas. Wheat, wool and wild flowers are the principal products of the Bredasdorp district.

Bredasdorp was established as South Africa's first "dorp" (town) by Michiel van Breda in 1838. Van Breda, the first mayor of Cape Town, also regarded by many as the father of the merino sheep industry laid the foundation of the merino sheep on his farm Zoetendals Vallei. A rivalry between Michiel van Breda and his neighbour, P V van der Byl, led to the establishment of two separate churches on their farms and eventually two separate towns, Bredasdorp and Napier.

Wild flowers

Tip: The Caledon Spa's warm water has a long history and today there are pools of different temperatures

The Genadendal Mission and Museum Complex documents the history of the mission station. The Settlement was first called Baviaanskloof, but was later changed to Genadendal. Even today the old water mill still produces stone-ground flour and is then baked in open-air-ovens.

old fishing boats

Hermanus offers miles of safe beaches and coves, restaurants, shops and a unique coastal walk which stretches along the cliffs for 13 km. This is the only town that has a railway station and no railway - the rail was not built after completion of the station. The worlds only whale crier is found in Hermanus, where he patrols the streets of the town blowing his kelp horn to indicate the sighting of whales. When playing golf at the Hermanus Golf Course you might be accompanied by baboons watching your game. The old harbour clings to the cliffs in front of the town centre. Here there is a small museum displaying old fishing boats.

Tip: Up to 16 meter long southern right whales can very often be seen between June and November very close to the shore.

Tip: From this area you can usually see whales between June and November.

Witsand Nature Reserve

The rock angler will also have good catches along the coastline. Sebastian Bay near Witsand has the highest concentration of Southern Right Whales in a single bay area. Another interesting whale watching tour is conducted on a tractor-trailer, affording the opportunity to view Cape fynbos and watching whales from the dunes at the same time. The tractor-trailer ride watching whales and seeing the indigenous Cape fynbos is a pleasure.

Tip: The dunes of the Witsand Nature Reserves are situated in the copper red coloured Kalaharisand. Take a hike along the sand dunes.

Church in Swellendam "Copyright: Swellendam Tourism"

The Swellendam Drosdy is the only surviving 18th century drossy and is now used as one of South Africa's finest museum complexes. Swellendam is often used as a stopover to and from the Garden Route. Six km south of Swellendam, the Bontebok National Park, is a piece of land set aside to ensure the survival of the bontebok. The bontebok is an unusual antelope that once roamed the Western Cape in large numbers, and was indigenous to the region. Unfortunately, it was at one stage reduced to the verge of distinction. The park provides sanctuary not only for the bonito, but also for the Cape mountain zebra, red hartebeest and grey rebook.

Tip: The Bontebok National Park is an ideal game park on the way to the Garden Route.