Beach Archives - Page 4 of 5 - South Africa Sun

Singing Kettle, Plettenberg Bay

Great beach side location overlooking the Indian Ocean

A great option for families seeking a property right by a beach, and couples who are looking for a romantic location. You can lie in bed and listen to the sound of the Indian Ocean and in season (June to December) the haunting cries of the whales that come into the bay to mate and calve. The property has 6 beautiful rooms, tastefully decorated in light colours that compliment the bright light that is a feature of an ocean side location. The rooms are located on the first floor of the building that boasts one of the renowned restaurants in the Plettenberg Bay area. Although strictly speaking this is a self-catering establishment, the owner provides basic essentials such as tea & coffee, milk, yoghourt and granola for breakfast.

About the Location

Plettenberg Bay with its bustling centre and more glorious beaches is a 10-minute drive away. The local beaches are excellent for walking although the tides on Kettle Beach do not make it suitable for swimming. A short walk along the beach, however, will take you to Arch Rock, which as its name implies is a natural arch. Through this there is a lagoon that is good for swimming. Sitting, having lunch at the restaurant is where we have had our most frequent sightings of huge schools of dolphins that come to frolic in the surf. This is a really idyllic location and perfect for an active family.

River Club, Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route

The River Club has to be one of the best locations for a family holiday but it is ideal for couples as well

River Club is a development of similar properties situated just a 10 minutes walk from Plettenberg Bay’s beautiful Central Beach. Here we feature Primrose Cottage which is a pretty bungalow in traditional South African colonial design. There are 3 double bedrooms, with one en-suite and a family bathroom. The cottage has a large living area with a wood burning stove for chilly winter evenings and a great kitchen. Facilities include television, DVD player, Hi Fi radio and CD player, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer and microwave. A barbecue (braai) completes the specification. The local butcher will amaze you with the quality and price of the meat prepared specially for a traditional braai. In addition to Primrose Cottage there are a number of other similar properties, some larger, to rent in the same development.

About The River Club’s Location

The complex has a pool, tennis and squash courts. It is situated close to the Piesang River that has an abundance of birdlife. You may also see the occasional otter. The centre of Plett is close, 5 minutes’ drive, and here you will find plenty of shops for all your needs. There is also a mall for some of South Africa’s leading chain stores. The spectacular Robberg Peninsula Nature Reserve has some wonderful coastal walks. Although the properties are self catering, there are so many great restaurants locally it is possible to eat out for all your meals.

River Club, Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay Panorama

Laird’s Lodge, Plettenberg Bay

Quiet location and comfortable accommodation in the Heart of The Garden Route

This is a small luxuriously appointed country lodge set in the Harkerville Forest that lies between the N2 highway and the spectacular coastline close to Plettenberg Bay. There are 16 beautifully appointed rooms and a level of privacy that gives Laird’s Lodge an excellent reputation for people looking to ‘get away from it all’. The gardens are a veritable botanists dream and provide a calm oasis to chill out and relax – maybe savouring a drink beside the pool. Laird’s Lodge is particularly renowned for its fine restaurant.

About the Location

The Lodge is situated on the edge of the forest around 10 minutes’ drive to the centre pf Plettenberg Bay and its fine beaches. You are also only 15 minutes away from bustling Knysna and around 20 minutes from the animal parks in The Crags. The lodge is at the centre of the Garden Route Wine Trail with its 17 wineries – many offering fine cuisine with your wine tasting.

Milkwood Manor, Plettenberg Bay

A true beachfront hotel in the heart of the Garden Route

Milkwood Manor must have one of the best locations on The Garden Route. It is adjacent to Lookout Beach, which is one of the three main beaches in Plettenberg Bay. The 11 bedrooms are beautifully appointed, stylishly decorated and are a reasonable size. Many have balconies with views over the tidal lagoon. If the beach isn’t enough then you can relax with a drink beside the pool or on the terrace overlooking the lagoon.

About the Location

This location is an ornithologist’s dream with a wonderful range of bird species right outside your bedroom window. The hotel has a Thai restaurant, open from October to April, reflecting the owner’s part Asiatic origins. If you need alternative cuisine then the Lookout Deck is just across the car park. This is a renowned local haunt where you can order excellent seafood and grills overlooking the Indian Ocean. The centre of Plettenberg Bay is a short drive away and, for the energetic, you can walk into the centre.

Hog Hollow Country Lodge, Plettenberg Bay

Set in a forest close to Plettenberg Bay, this long established lodge consistently rates as 5 star on Trip Advisor

This is a veritable ecological experience 15 minutes drive from busy Plettenberg Bay. All 16 suites are decorated in true African style with extensive use of natural woods and colours. Relax by the pool and soak up the panoramic views across the forest and the Tsitsikamma Mountains in the distance.

About the Location

Hikes can be arranged through the indigenous forest with its abundance of bird life or you can extend your trip down to the Indian Ocean where you will see Dolphins and, in season, Southern Right Whales. Monkeyland is also close at hand where you can see an extensive variety of primates -many of which have been rescued from zoos to be relocated in a more natural environment. If the calm and peace of life at Hog Hollow listening to the myriad of birds in the trees begins to pall, then Plettenberg Bay is close with its three glorious beaches. You could drive to nearby Nature’s Valley at the start of the scenic old Bloukrans Pass and a beach which is great for walking but the tides make this dangerous for swimming, or maybe a quiet trip up the Keurbooms River stopping to relax and picnic (basket provided by the lodge) at one of the remote beaches will entice you. Whatever your interests, making Hog Hollow your base will allow you many options for your holiday.

Oyster Bay Beach Lodge, Oyster Bay, Cape St Francis

Out of the way charm

If you are looking for accommodation that is different and in a remote location but relatively easy to get to, then Oyster Bay could be for you. The 10 bedrooms and 4 Cape Dutch style chalets are simply furnished but comfortable. The lodge serves breakfast, a simple lunch and dinner.

About the Location

There is a reasonably sized pool but you are within easy walking of an incredible beach that has the feel of being part of Oyster Bay Lodge. Even in the height of the summer season when nearby Jeffrey’s Bay is heaving with surfers, this location has a wonderful ‘get away from it all’ feel. You should note that access to Oyster Bay is 25 kms along a good quality gravel road. Accommodation can be provided on a dinner, bed & breakfast, bed & breakfast or self-catering basis.

Ocean View Hotel, Coffee Bay, The Wild Coast

A charming location by the side of a spectacular beach

For the adventurous, Coffee Bay will reward you with a beautiful beach, rugged coastline near to the impressive ‘Hole in the Wall’ which is one of the Wild Coast’s renowned views. Ocean View is a simple hotel comprising 30 double rooms (most en suite) some with stunning views over the ocean. We were particularly impressed by the spectacular sunrises! The pretty grounds extend down to the beach and include a pool and bar. The food in the dining room is simple, traditional South African fare served by friendly and obliging Xhosa locals. By South African standards this offers good, if slightly simple, but inexpensive accommodation.

About the Location

Coffee Bay can be reached from the N2 highway near Umtata, along a reasonable tarred road but there are potholes and free roaming domestic and wild animals that means a good hour’s drive. To get to Coffee Bay you will most likely either fly into Port Elizabeth or Durban (7 hour’s drive) or to Umtata (less frequent flights but only 1 hour’s drive. Driving through the Transkei, as this area of the Eastern Cape is known, is an experience – this is ‘real’ Africa with bustling towns and markets and the hill tops dotted with pretty rounds huts. It is, however, a relatively poor area and you will see scenes of poverty, over grazing and appalling soil erosion. Once you arrive at Coffee Bay, however, you will be rewarded with one of the most scenic coastal vistas and a beach that has been voted one of the best in South Africa.

Ocean View House, Camps Bay

Ocean View is in a great location overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the edge of stylish Camps Bay

Ocean View is a classy boutique hotel which has 30 rooms extending from standard to top of the range Panorama Suite. Each has clean cut modern decor with many offering exceptional views overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in one direction and the imposing Twelve Apostles mountain range in the other. Sunsets over the ocean are among the best you will encounter.

About Ocean View’s Location

Camps Bay is a lively community with restaurants, bars and nightlife right next to one of the most popular beaches in South Africa. This does mean that in peak season (December / January) the area can get very busy. This is a convenient location from which to explore Cape Town. The Table Mountain Cableway is just 15 minutes’ drive away and the Waterfront is a 15-minute drive. The pretty area around Hout Bay is 10 minutes’ drive and Cape Point will take around 40 minutes to drive. Whatever your requirements in the Cape Town area, Ocean View makes a very relaxing alternative to the very busy city centre hotels.

Houtkapperspoort Manor & Cottages, Constantia Nek

A excellent option for families set in a scenic location yet close to amenities

These are 26 cottages and suites set in beautiful surroundings in the heart of the Cape Peninsula. The accommodation, which is ideal for families, is prettily furnished in stone cottages with traditional green painted iron roofs. The cottages and suites vary from one bedroom to four bedrooms and are fully equipped with TV, and barbecue facilities.

About the location

The location is ideal for walking up onto the Table Mountain range and there is a jogging trail to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Hout Bay (with excellent seafood restaurants) is just seven minutes away, the centre of Cape Town is an 18-minute drive and Cape Point and the False Bay beaches are 30 minutes away. There are a good choice of restaurants in Hout Bay and in the Constantia region.

Hout Bay Manor, Hout Bay

Convenient location and pleasant accommodation in an historic manor house

Four-star accommodation in the bustling beautifully situated Hout Bay with its great restaurants (noted for the excellent local seafood) and picturesque fishing harbours. The hotel is a national monument and was built over 130 years ago. It is in a quiet location a short walk from the village centre and beach and it has the air of an English Manor House rich with beams and history. The 16, bedrooms are very comfortably appointed and decorated in classic, cottage style although they tend to be a little smaller than many of the properties we feature. Breakfast, lunch and tea are served either in the dining room or beneath the magnificent oaks on the terrace.

About the location

Relax and enjoy a drink in the lounge which is richly decorated with antiques and still has its original paved floors and window frames. In the evening the owners have created a bistro and this is beginning to gain critical acclaim in the Hout Bay area. This is a convenient location from which to explore nearby Chapman’s Peak Drive with its spectacular views as you drive to Noordhoek and Fish Hoek with their renowned beaches. Constantia with its wineries and the Kirstenbosch Gardens is a short 20 minutes drive and the centre of Cape Town is just 20 minutes away along the beautiful coastal drive via Camps Bay.