Western Cape Article - South African Vacations

Paternoster, Cape Columbine, St Helena Bay, Saldanha, Velddrif and Laaiplek, Vredenburg,Yzerfontein as well as Jacobs Bay, the West Coast Fossil Park and Dassen Island.More information on these places is contained in the West Coast Region of this article.ROUTE 62Route 62 covers the area between Cape Town and Oudtshoorn, the Garden Route and PortElizabeth. The route offers more scenic possibilities than the alternative N2 Highway,connecting the Breede River Valley region and the Little Karoo. The road was originallydeveloped to link various rural towns and villages to major centres. Several small towns liealong the route and they have many treasures to be discovered. The scenic route passesthrough farming towns such as Calitzdorp, Ladismith, Barrydale, Amalienstein, Montagu,Bonnievale, Robertson, Ashton, De Rust, Rawsonville, McGregor, Worcester, Ceres, Tulbaghand Wolseley.For more information on this tourist route, visit the website at http://www.route62.co.zaRoute 62 Brandy RouteThis is the second such route to be launched in the country with the aim of promoting andcreating awareness of the region and of its superb brandies. The route follows the popularR62 road and incorporates estates such as the KWV Brandy Cellar, Montagu Museum,Barrydale Wine Cellar, Boplaas, Grundheim, Kango Cooperative and Mons Ruber.WEST COAST BIRD ROUTEThis route allows bird enthusiasts to explore the vast West Coast region. The bird route leadsto ten popular birding destinations that include Rietvlei and the Milnerton Lagoon, the WestCoast National Park, the SAS Saldanha Nature Reserve, West Coast Fossil Park,Vredenburg/Saldanha Golf Club, Berg River Hides, Rocherpan Nature Reserve, Verlorenvlei,Elands Bay, Bird Island, Lamberts Bay, the Olifant’s River Estuary and Papendorp.These sites are all well-known bird habitats and the ideal holiday for an avid bird-watcherwould probably include a visit to all these sites. However, if this is impossible, rest assuredthat any one of these sites offers such diversity that it is worth the trip. Besides, you canalways return next year to visit the other sites as well, can you not?WEST COAST FOSSIL ROUTESigns of the early creatures that roamed these plains are found all over the region. The routeleads to spots such as the Hopefield Information Centre where one will find many fossilremains including the very famous Saldanha Man skull, as well as the West Coast Fossil Parkand the West Coast National Park.Palaeontological remains dating back five to seven million years ago have been found in theWest Coast Fossil Park. The fossils are those of animals such as the sabre-toothed cat,penguins and marine mammals such as whales and dolphins. The park has some fascinating19