The West Coast Tourism Organisation launched its new travel guide – the West Coast decoded.
Tourism Manager, Kiewiet van Rooyen, says the guide decodes all the tourism gems of South Africa’s West Coast and its friendly people, which offer the visitor an amazing variety of experiences and contrasting destinations, all with that very special West Coast flavour.
“From crayfish, ‘bokkoms’, sea and sand, to culture, fossils, flowers and prolific birdlife as well as wine, olives and golf, it is all on offer.
“Character-filled fishermen with stories as big as the fish they catch, large trawlers and little fishing boats offer a warm rural welcome and lead one barefoot to the open-air seafood restaurant on the sand. Watching the whales play on the shoreline and the dolphins jumping in formation helps the lonely kite surfer complete the picture of endless tranquillity.
“It took ten million years to form, so expect something special. I am talking about the dinosaur fossils at the West Coast Fossil Park, in the mountain ranges of the West Coast as well the West Coast National Park. Important fossil deposits include Eve’s footprint near Kraal Bay, estimated to be 117 000 years old.”
Van Rooyen says the West Coast has a number of different eco-systems and offers the opportunity of birding in mountain, coastal, sandveld and estuarine habitats.
“Spend time in the mountains and explore the San rock paintings, indigenous fauna and flora, river streams and waterfalls. Add to this our award-winning wines, top-quality olives and excellent golf courses – all to entice the visitor to stop over on the way to Namibia. The Swartland West Coast wine route and the Darling Wine Experience offer great wine and olive-tasting facilities and value-for-money wines.
Source: Indaba Daily News
