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AA Western Cape honeymoon could see you ambling along wine routes, absorbing the Mother City’s beauty and pulse, enjoying seafood on the wild and natural West Coast, or sampling the attractions and activities of the Garden Route. Whatever your choice, it’s hard to go wrong in this vibrant province.
Perhaps the most romantic of honeymoons in the Western Cape can be had in the spectacularly beautiful Cape winelands. Here you'll find elegant Cape Dutch homes at the end of oak-lined avenues, against a backdrop of imposing mountains.
There are a number of wine routes to explore, including Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Worcester and Wellington. Take a slow drive along each of these, stopping off to participate in wine tastings, sampling some of the finest cuisine the country has to offer, and absorbing 300 years of wine-farming culture.
Then again, a honeymoon in nearby Cape Town has every element a romantic interlude should provide. The city’s setting at the foot of Table Mountain is dramatic. There are great beaches – trendy ones such as Clifton or Camps Bay for cultivating a tan, and beaches for warm-water swimming, like Muizenberg. And there’s culture, with a strong showing of museums, including the Iziko Museums and Robben Island, a World Heritage Site.
For nightlife there are theatres, clubs and acclaimed restaurants, and for shopping you can choose from the V&A Waterfront, and anything from large malls to flea markets. Adventure activities may see you paragliding off Lion’s Head onto the beach or diving with sharks from the safety of a steel cage.
Locations such as the Bo-Kaap, Hout Bay, Chapman's Peak and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, as well as coastal drives along the Atlantic seaboard or False Bay, will imprint themselves on your memory forever.
Some of the country’s most luxurious hotels are found in Cape Town, so you are spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation.
Honeymoons on the Cape West Coast, however, are a far more solitary experience. This wild coastline is dotted with fishing villages and, as you move inland, there are small towns to explore. Wine, wheat, rooibos and olives grow here, and tourist attractions include centuries-old rock art in the Cedarberg, the Langebaan Lagoon and Bird Island at Lamberts Bay.
Yet another prime honeymoon destination in the Western Cape is the Garden Route, running up the province’s eastern flank alongside the Indian Ocean from Cape Town to Knysna. Nature has performed marvels along this stretch, placing mountains, forests, beaches and bodies of inland water on the route to entrance the traveller.
Did You Know?
TTravel tips & planning info
Who to contact
Cape Town Tourism
Tel: +27 (0) 86 132 2223
Email: info@capetown.travel
West Coast Tourism
Tel: +27 (0)22 433 8505
Email: tourism@wcdm.co.za
How to get there
The Western Cape can be reached by road, rail, air and sea. The luxury Blue Train, which travels between Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town, would make a memorable holiday kickstart for honeymooners.
Best time to visit
Rain hits the Western Cape in the winter, so those wanting to experience the beaches would do best to holiday in the spring or summer (roughly from September to March). For honeymoons in the winelands, don’t discount the autumn, when rusty colours add even more to the scenery.
Tours to do
Enjoy the various tours and activities centred around the ocean – from shark-cage diving to dolphin tours.
Getting around
Your own car will give you the freedom and access to explore this wonderful province. Car hire is relatively inexpensive in South Africa.
What will it cost?
Honeymoons are meant to be special, so pay the extra if you can for a spoil at a luxury boutique hotel. (Note that there are often good off-season rates for the budget-conscious traveller. 'Off season' is in South African winter, from about May to September).
Length of stay
The Western Cape is the perfect place to take an extended holiday of at least 2 weeks.
What to pack
Don’t forget the camera!
What to eat
Enjoy the Western Cape's fresh seafood. The area is also home to some of the country's finest restaurants.
Best buys
South African wine is world renowned. You can order it locally and have it shipped back home.
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