Things to Do in West Coast

Duckitt Nurseries is the largest orchid nursery in South Africa, if not the southern hemisphere. They specialise in growing Cymbidium orchids as cut flowers, mainly for export to Europe and the USA while many other varieties and hybrids are sold as pot plants in South Africa.  The nursery is open to the public on the first Saturday of the month from May to November from 09:00 to 12:00, where visitors will experience a spectacle of incredible flowers. Entrance is free, and plants and flowers are for sale in the pack-shed. The green house with the most spectacular display of flowers is also opened to the public.  Don't miss the annual Orchid Show on Oude Post Farm on the third weekend in September (which takes place at the same time at the Darling Wild Flower Show). This is a fully landscaped show with a tea room and sales area. Many popular and interesting new varieties of orchids can be purchased.

Trip up the spiral staircase of Cape Columbine Lighthouse and gaze at jaw-dropping views of the formidable Britannia reef and Atlantic Ocean. Fortress-like and spectacularly situated on a windswept headland, Cape Columbine Lighthouse is usually the first lighthouse sighted by ships coming from South America and Europe. The prominent rocky point is just five kilometres from the quaint fishing village of Paternoster and is definitely worth a visit. Not only to explore the lighthouse, but also for the stark beauty of the surrounding Columbine Nature Reserve. In spring the reserve is strewn with wild flowers and the coastline is renowned for its sea life, particularly crayfish and abalone. Built in 1936, Columbine was the first South African lighthouse to receive all three navigational safety features – a light, a fog signal and a radio beacon. The impressive lens system was also the first designed to use a 4kW incandescent electric lamp instead of wick or petroleum burners. Today it is one of the last manned lighthouses on the South African coast and offers interesting guided tours. Mondays to Fridays: 10:00 – 15:00 Weekends and public holidays: October to April 10:00 – 15:00; May to September by reservation only Entrance fee: adults R13.70; children under 12 R6.90.

The West Coast village of Darling – only one hour’s drive from Cape Town – is home to artists, actors, retired financiers, farmers and other interesting people (Cloof proprietors count themselves amongst those).Even if the region geographically and demographically is more than a little off-centre, Darling’s annual wild flower show – showcasing a selection of the 1 200 flowering species to be found here – makes it the focal point of the Cape Floral Kingdom.Cloof Vineyards, situated on the eastern slopes of Dassenberg, 70 kilometres north of Cape Town, are surrounded by wheat fields. In winter the most brilliant of greens, these fields ripen in early summer to earthy golden when the vineyards have burst into vibrant green leaf.Late in 2006 Cloof were named Champions under the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative, in recognition of the steps they’ve taken to conserve pristine natural vegetation, and to rehabilitate previously cultivated areas. The programme also sets extremely strict standards in terms of the potential environmental impact of vineyard and cellar activities.Darling’s unique combination of soils and climate give rise to the trademark bold-flavoured richness of Cloof wines, which ultimately is the real reason for visiting Cloof.Their passion for bold, well-defined flavours is expressed also in various food events at Cloof. Celebrating the best of country produce and simplicity in preparation, their wines are considered as being the ideal complement.Afrikaans has a word, gesellig, which best describes the happy mood that settles on a group when hospitality, good company, wine and food are brought together. That is the Cloof life and you are invited to share it with them.Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm

Get in your karretjie and head to Darling's Evita se Perron, a cabaret theatre started by Evita Bezuidenhout aka Pieter Dirk Uys, South Africa's famous satirist. Perron means 'station platform' in Afrikaans and here you will find Voortrekker Monument kitsch rivaling apartheid signs – it's a place where everyone has a chance to laugh and/or cry, then remember and celebrate that we are no longer there. Tannie believes that by acknowledging where we come from, we will understand where we are going. "In the bad old days when very few people had the vote, passenger trains steamed into Darling Station from Cape Town on a daily basis. Now everyone has the vote and there are no more passenger trains but the station has survived, thanks to a small group of darlings who did all they could to prevent the little pink blikgebou from being demolished. Darling Station is now an international port of call. The gravy train does not stop here anymore, but every tourist bus and visitors' Merc does. Our kitchen serves Tannie's legendary braai en slaai, roast lamb or bobotie, flanked by koeksisters en melktert. The droewors and biltong snack-platter, washed down with our excellent local wines makes for a special experience."

Five million years ago the Cape’s West Coast was very different from what it is today. A wide range of animals (now extinct) lived in riverine forests, wooded savannah, and ocean as well as on offshore islands.Phosphate mining operations at Langebaanweg uncovered one of the richest fossil sites in the world. Over the past 40 years bones of 200 different kinds of animals, many of them new to science have been recovered. A few years after mining operations ceased in 1993, a 14 hectare fossil-rich area within the mine property was declared a National Heritage Site.The West Coast Fossil Park, a component of Iziko Museums, offers visitors an opportunity to have an on-site fossil experience. Learn about mysterious ancient environments, fascinating animal life and the climatic changes that occurred in this region 5 million years ago on a guided tour. The West Coast Fossil Park also has a kiddie’s play park, gift shop, picnic areas as well as a lovely coffee shop. Need to know? The main tour runs from 11:30 – 13:00 every day of the week and includes a slide presentation and visit to the dig site.Mini tours are available every hour from 9:00 –15:00 weekdays (except at 12:00); phone +27 (0)22 7661606 for mini-tour times over weekends and public holidays. The mini tour includes a visit to the dig site.

Groote Post is a beautiful historic wine farm dating back to 1706, situated in the Darling area on the West Coast. Many of the buildings (including the Manor House and cellar) are National Monuments. Part of a family owned, 4 000 hectare working farm the winery produces award winning wines (Double Gold Veritas for Shiraz 2004 and Gold for Sauvignon Blanc 2007).The farm incorporates a game camp, offering game drives and a bird hide. The views of the Atlantic Coast and Table Mountain are spectacular. The restaurant (housed in the Manor House) is very popular preparing modern country cuisine daily.In Spring the farm is covered in wild flowers. Along with these attractions the compelling feature of the farm is its membership of the Biodiversity Wine Initiative with a commitment made to preserving thousands of hectares of endangered fynbos.Need to know? Opening Hours Monday to Friday: 09h00 - 17h00, Saturday to Sunday: 10h00 - 14h30, Public Holidays: 10h00 - 16h00. Closed: Easter Friday, Christmas and New Years Day. Tasting fee: R15 per person for groups of 10 or more people.

Elands Bay beach is well known as a great surfing spot, particularly for the legendary left break. The pristine white sandy beach is seemingly endless, perfect for long walks and sun tanning. There are plenty of beach-based things to do and see around the laidback West Coast town. When the conditions aren’t right for surfing, there’s windsurfing, kite surfing, fishing, catching crayfish, walking, dolphin and whale watching, bird watching and sand boarding. And don't miss the rock art at Baboon Point.

About an hour’s drive north of Cape Town, the West Coast National Park stretches from Yzerfontein up to the edge of Langebaan. The park surrounds most of the enormous Langebaan Lagoon, a water sports junkie’s paradise with awesome kayaking, snorkelling and some of the best windsurfing and kite surfing on the planet. In summer, migratory water birds flock in thousands from as far away as northern Eurasia. In the middle of the lagoon is Schaapen Island, a bird sanctuary that is off limits, but you can paddle close to it and watch the garrulous marine birds. The park is a good place for cycling and spotting eland and small animals but the star attraction is the spring wildflower spectacle. Kraalbaai has a few lovely houseboats for rent and there’s a superb restaurant at Geelbek. Bicycles and canoes can be hired in Langebaan.