A Self-catering Holiday Is A Great Way To Get To Know South Africa
A holiday in South Africa could be loads of fun. Especially when the Northern half of the world is suffering under a thick layer of snow, South Africans are relaxing on wide open beaches enjoying the African sun. South Africa is also one of the most affordable tourist destinations in the world and perhaps the only one offering first world facilities at third world prices.
Self-catering holidays are excellent if you enjoy the great outdoors and they’re also much more affordable than hotel holidays – especially for the family man. South Africa has a large number of very good quality resorts with self-catering accommodation. All of them are fully equipped. We recently rented one near Hermanus where there even was a top of the range delonghi oven in the kitchen.
There’s a variety of car rental firms at Cape Town International Airport. You will need a credit card to rent a car from all of them, although in town there’s a couple that rents out older cars for cash. Always check out the car’s body in the presence of a company representative. Otherwise you will be liable to pay if they find scratches or dents on the car when you return it.
If you’re traveling with a baby, try to get a car that’s fitted with a britax car seat. This will not only ensure baby’s comfort, but also his safety. The additional cost of this is minimal compared to the advantages to be gained from having it.
Afterward head East along the N2 towards the beach towns of Strand and Gordon’s Bay. Just after Gordon’s Bay the road crawls up the scenic Sir Lowry’s Pass. At the top of the pass is a lookout point from where you’ll have a breathtaking view of Gordons Bay and the Stand right below you and False Bay and the mountains of the Peninsula in the distance. Once you go down the other side of the mountain, you move into apple and corn country. Near the town of Grabouw are several export apple farms.
After more or less an hour’s drive you will enter the lovely seaside town of Hermanus. There’s a couple of good quality self-catering resorts in and around town. Once you’ve found a nice place to stay, it’s time to start exploring the vicinity. In and around the town center are a large number of restaurants, many with beautiful sea views. There’s a flea market as well, where you can purchase all kinds of local crafts and arts. Watch out for the hawkers selling watches – my son bought a men’s sport watch there last time and it only lasted three days!
It’s easy to have fun in Hermanus. You can spend your days on the beach, or you can drive around visiting the interesting towns in the area. Or you can go on a boat trip and watch sharks or whales. Or you can just let the one meal flow into the other…..
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Tags: Cape Town, Hermanus, holidays, Sir Lowry's Pass, south africa, Strand and Gordon's Bay, traveling