Travel Reviews

Relax and unwind by the sea in Arniston 

A review of Arniston and the surrounds

I was introduced to Arniston by my husband, Waleed Dawood, and it was a ‘love at first sight’ experience. This historic fishing village, up the East Coast of South Africa, has become our annual, family vacation destination. According SA-venues.com, Arniston was named after the ship The Arniston that sank in its waters in 1815. It is also known as Waenhuiskrans  - ‘wagon shelter cliff’ - after a large low-tide sea cave, 
eroded in such a way as to resemble the structures used by settlers to house their oxen and wagons.

view from Roman Beach, Arniston

A very scenic drive enroute to Arniston

It is roughly around a 2½ hour drive from Cape Town up the N2. The drive is a very scenic one, over Sir Lowry’s Pass, The Steenbras River, along the fruit orchards of Grabouw and Elgin, over Houw Hoek Pass, through Caledon, Napier and the destination is 20kms from Bredasdorp. Along the way there are pine trees, indigenous shrubs and bushes, golden wheat fields, farm stalls, a newly-constructed wind farm, and you can often spot some sheep and cattle grazing. 


A rustic place to unwind by the sea

Roman Beach at low tide

What I love about Arniston is that it is a quaint, somewhat rudimentary place that has not been polluted by commercialism. The Arniston Hotel is situated on the beachfront and has a small shop where you can find essentials, other than that it is a trek to Bredasdorp for supplies. 

Picture perfect

The beach is an unspoilt view of white sand, with a somewhat rocky coastline that stretches beyond what your eyes can see. The translucent, turquoise water is and usually much warmer than elsewhere in South Africa, because of the warm Mozambique current. 

Waleed and Mujaahid having a ball!

The water is divine for swimming, excellent for surfing and remains a popular destination for anglers. We love Roman Beach, which is the more popular beach and can get quite busy over the festive season with locals and tourists alike. 

On the way to Waenhuiskrans Cave

Waenhuiskrans cave

From Roman Beach you can take a walk/little bit of a hike to the Waenhuiskrans cave. The cave is best visited during low tide as you have to teeter over a number of rocks and shallow water to get to the entrance. 

Approaching the entrance of Waenhuiskrans Cave

To enter the cave, you have to climb through a small hole in a rock, which is situated towards the back of the cave. 

The view from inside Waenhuiskrans Cave

The view is absolutely spectacular – once you’ve entered the cave, you face the ocean and can see how the constant water has degraded the rock and formed this cave. 

Interesting rock formation inside the cave

Waleed and I inside the cave

The front of the cave is completely open and the water gushes in, so you have to make sure you get out of the cave before high tide. The cave is dark and you can often spot bats having a snooze. 

Accommodation in Arniston

If you are looking for self-catering accommodation, there are a number letting agents who are responsible for renting houses in Arniston. The prices vary according to the number of people and the level of ‘comfort’ of the houses. Most of them have all the ‘necessities’ you’ll need like a dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, oven and even dstv (some require you to bring along your own smart card). On our recent visit, we rented Golden View from Arniston-Letting. This is a lovely house and can accommodate up to six people. The open plan kitchen and lounge area has sliding doors that provide a lovely view of the fynbos, the road into Arniston and the whitewashed houses of Kassiesbaai. 

We also stayed in 16 on Main, which sleeps 12 people. This house has a nautical theme with lovely entertainment areas both inside and out. It has two wings, with three bedrooms each, a shower and separate toilet. There is also a bath, which is great if you are taking kids along. It has all the ‘necessities’, including DSTV and wireless internet. For the more adventurous, Arniston also has a camping site, which gets really busy over the Festive Season. And for those who like to travel light, you can make a reservation to stay at the Arniston Hotel.

Things to do in close proximity to Arniston:

Visit the southernmost tip of Africa

It is a 1½ hour drive from Arniston to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa, and where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. It is a good idea to take a day-trip to Agulhas and have lunch on the way.

Spot some whales in Hermanus 

The Hermanus coastline

Arniston is also a 1hour 40min drive from Hermanus, renowned for its beautiful coast that attracts whales during the spring/summer season who visit our shores to give birth. This town has developed exponentially over the last few years.

A visit to Bientang’s Cave is a must

Stopping to refuel at Bientang's Cave

We had lunch at Bientang’s Cave which is situated right on the water. If you are walking along the beach path, you have to descend down a steep stairway that leads to the entrance of the restaurant. It is useful to book in advance to secure a table close to the water to enjoy an unspoiled view. The restaurant is always busy and the food is really good. We’ve tried the abalone (perlemoen) and the sea food platter.

Enjoying an amazing view while having lunch

Depending on how long your vacation is, it is a great idea to do a road trip to Arniston. There are a number of small towns enroute and you can stop off and explore these areas to see what gems you can find! 

Happy holidays!

Imtithaal

Visit the 7th wonder of the world for half price

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway offers sunset special

Table Mountain up close before
boarding the cable car

One of the most beautiful sights in the world is definitely catching a sunset. This experience is further enhanced if you are surrounded by the natural beauty of this lovely planet we call home and have a spectacular view. 

On Tuesday (12 November 2013), my family and I had a delightful experience when we enjoyed a cable car ride to the top of the world’s 7th wonder, Table Mountain, and were fortunate enough to witness a magnificent sunset with perfect weather conditions. It was a fairly warm evening, with no wind.

The cable car has a revolving floor so you are indulged with a 360 degree view of the city. The view from Table Mountain is absolutely spectacular and reaffirms why it was voted as the 7th wonder of the world. 

The view of Lions Head from the cableway

On an evening, like Tuesday, without the impediment of clouds, you can see a big portion of the Table Mountain National Park as well as some of the famous landmarks and tourist-attractions of Cape Town. This includes the Twelve Apostles mountain range, the stunning palm-tree lined beachfront of Camps Bay, the famous Clifton 4th Beach, Lions Head, the renowned Cape Town Stadium, the V & A Waterfront, the CBD, Robben Island, across the bay to Blouberg Beach and most of the Southern Suburbs. 

We watched the sky change from a pale turquoise through the various hues of yellow, orange, pink and coral to the eventual darkness, which was lit up by the city lights. It is a good idea to pack some snacks or a picnic basket so you can enjoy these while absorbing the wonderful views.  

Waiting for the sun to set.

The lit-up city from Table Mountain

This is a great way to spend some quality with the family. My gran (86 years old) accompanied us and although some of the terrain was slightly more difficult to navigate, she managed to see quite a bit and enjoyed the view. My niece and nephew (both under 2) also went along, together with my husband, parents and my brothers and sisters. This trip inspired me to start hiking again! 

Waleed and I!
Don't forget to take your picture
while you wait for the cable car to arrive.

The sunset special is currently on until 20 December 2013 and resumes again on 6 January 2014 until 28 February. You can purchase your tickets online or at the Lower Cable Station. The first car up is at 6pm and the last car down is at 8pm. The tickets are R107.50 for adults and R52.50 for kids. There is no charge for children under the age of two. 

Review of San Francisco, CA

My three week escape from the coldest winter in South Africa to a sunny California (in July/August 2012) was sheer bliss.

Some of the most memorable experiences of my trip would have to be:

Cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge

This red, expansive bridge is probably one of the most recognisable features of San Francisco as it appeared in many movies and TV programmes. To make the journey across the bridge more memorable and to get a thorough ‘feel’ of its magnitude, we decided to cycle across it. It took us a good two hours across and an hour back. The long, somewhat arduous journey was worth it as the view from the Bridge was breath-taking. It was somewhat cloudy and the mist created an ethereal feel, with a slight chill coming off the Bay. We could see Alcatraz, Ghirardelli Square (which used to be the old chocolate factory), The Bay Bridge and The Palace of Fine Arts. 

The Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row

We took a road trip to Santa Cruz and spent some time on the Boardwalk, then drove to Monterey Bay. It reminded me of Knysna, and the town’s laid back feel makes it seem like its five o clock in the afternoon the entire day. This coastal town has an amazing Aquarium. They had a jellyfish expo while we were there and it was amazing to see so many different types of jellies. Upside down jellies, transparent jellies that glow in UV light, spotted jellies and long-tailed jellies but to name a few. We also attended a presentation on Great Whites and were surprised to learn that the North American Great Whites do not migrate further than Hawaii.

We enjoyed the most delicious lunch at Bubba Gumps in Cannery Row (another tourist attraction). They have a variety of shrimp and seafood on their menu and the feel of the restaurant is quite lively and the deco is reminiscent of a sports bar.

A visit to Yosemite National Park

We stayed in Mariposa County, just outside the park, and it had a real country-feel, like we went back in time in one of the old cowboy movies. Everything was quite rustic, from the wooden buildings to the quaint American Diner we had breakfast at to the gas station with the figurines of life-sized grizzlies.

We bought an entry into the park, and they generously allow you multiple entries for 7 days, this is due to the sheer size of the Park that one would need a decent amount of time to explore. Yosemite is renowned for its granite cliffs (which were carved out by a Glacier), waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves (the tallest and biggest trees in the world) and biological diversity. The views from Glacier Point (more than 3000 feet above the valley floor) are indescribable.

San Francisco city

I enjoyed taking the Bart (a cross between a train and a subway) into the city and then getting a day pass for all the modes of transport i.e. the cable car (the brown open car that stops all over and you can jump on and off as you wish), trams (these are vintage trams that were imported and refurbished to add the City’s old world charm) and busses. There is so much to see and experience in the city and it is always bustling with tourists.  One of the legendary things to try is the Clam Chowder at Boudin at Fisherman’s Wharf. They serve it in a sour dough bread bowl (which is literally a bread with its insides carved out and they serve the chowder in it). It’s delicious and extremely filling. A visit to Lombard Street, better known as the world’s crookedest street, the 5 painted ladies (the Victorian houses that appeared in the TV series Full House), the Golden Gate Park which is massive and home to a museum, Exploratorium and the Japanese Tea Garden, is a must.  There is so much to see and do and this City caters to everyones’ taste. Well worth a visit!

A Thai-rrefic experience!

One of the very first conversations I had with my now husband was after my return from a US trip that  included a stint in New York - where I experienced temperatures to the south of zero and every type of precipitation.  This was followed by a skiing holiday at Lake Tahoe in Nevada.  He on the other hand spent two weeks in Thailand and after hearing his stories, an island holiday instantly appealed to me.

So a year later when we were discussing honeymoon destinations, the decision was easy. We would do a few days in the south on the proverbial tropical island, followed by a trip north to the jungle and then stop in Bangkok.  We departed on 11 May 2009 and returned three weeks later.  This was by far my most memorable travelling experience.

Koh Samui

From Cape Town, it’s about an 18-hour flight to Thailand’s capital, Bangkok. Koh Samui is another 50 minute flight from Bangkok. We arrived in the evening and I was struck by the unconventional airport - a thatched-roof structure without walls!  The light was dim on our drive to the hotel and I was fascinated by area’s rural feel.  Our hotel, Centara Villas, was situated on a slope and as we descended to breakfast, I was mesmerised by the beauty of the place. Bougainvillea in yellow, pink and purple, frangipanis, orchids and palm trees set the scene.  The hotel’s restaurant was on the beach and it was the most breathtaking view I’d ever seen.  Imagine a long stretch of white sandy beach and translucent water, all framed by a lush forest in the background.

Click here to read my review on Thailand.