 
| | The West Coast is a region of extreme beauty and contrast. Stretching over 400km from south to north, the region and its people offer visitors plenty of sunshine and a surprising variety of travel destinations. To the west, the region borders the Atlantic Ocean. The solitary coast's scenic beauty is challenged only by rich culinary experiences of plump mussels, oysters, calamari, crayfish and abalone in season or linefish pulled from the Benguela Current's cold waters and fried to gold. All are best enjoyed at a sunset fishbraai enlivened by a good wine and the spontaneous, light-hearted banter of hard-working, hard-playing locals.
The area is a bird watcher's paradise - cawing, white-breasted gulls wheel high on the seawind above thousands of gannets made featureless by their distinct, yellow-painted faces, while flamingoes colour the sky pink and swift, darting terns give the lie to the martial imperiousness of ever-aloof penguins. In addition, every year migrating whales visit the coastal waters from July. The eastern border is formed by a belt of mountains with fascinating, often awe-inspiring rock formations. The Cedarberg Wilderness area offers visitors a face-to-face encounter with nature at its most unspoiled as well as rock paintings that dramatically pre-date the world as we know it. Adjacent to the mountains is the Swartland, well known for its undulating wheat fields, vineyards, wineries and outdoor activities.
Further north, visitors encounter the fertile Olifants River Valley and the vast plains of the Knersvlakte with its wealth of indigenous succulent plants. The Olifant's River Valley is cultivated intensively with an emphasis on citrus and other fruits, vegetables and vineyards. The West Coast and its hinterland is a cultural experience of museums, monuments and mission stations such as Mamre and Wupperthal. It offers activities such as exploration in a fossil park, hang-gliding, sky-diving, mountain-biking, 4x4 routes, watersports and hiking. The experience extends also to a superb array of local wines, fresh seafood and other delectable fare, as well as a health-giving herbal drink, rooibos tea. In spring, carpets of wild flowers cover the region from the coast to the mountains. Spring flowers and fynbos are a constantly changing wonder attracting hikers and nature-lovers throughout the year. West Coast National Park - Bordering the town of Langebaan is a unique park which covers 30 000 hectares and comprises the Langebaan lagoon, four offshore islands and 40% of the world's remaining Strandveld Fynbos. In summer the park is home to 50 000 migratory birds and in winter sees the arrival of thousands of flamingos. In spring the Park is covered in carpets of flowers. The West Coast National Park is a popular destination for water sports and recreation and also offers boat trips, hiking trails, education programmes, picnic and braai facilities, game viewing and bird hides, a tea garden and unique accommodation. Cederberg Wilderness Area (West Coast) - The Cederberg Wilderness Area is situated South of Clanwilliam and extends over an area of approximately 71 000ha. It is managed by the Cape Nature Conservation. The area is well known internationally for its hiking trails and is home to various unique species such as the Cedar Tree and is presently the only leopard conservation area in the country. Unique rock formations include the Wolfberg Arch and Maltese Cross. Rare endemic plant species such as the Clanwilliam ceder and the Snowball protea grow in isolated habitats in the Cederberg Wilderness Area. See the Map |
