Bird Watching

Our favourite place to go bird-watching is the dirt road that runs parallel to the beach en route to St Helena Bay. We have seen the most incredible birds there – from owls (in the middle of the day) to falcons. The Rooivalk is also a regular visitor. The snag is that you need a 4x4 to traverse this road – we honestly don’t recommend it for normal road-going vehicles. 

Cape Columbine Nature Reserve

This nature reserve (tel 022 752 2718), which offers rewarding bird watching and a wealth of coastal fynbos, is worth a visit if you're a nature lover. Seagulls, cormorants, sacred ibis and many other seabirds frequent the area.

Darling

Darling was always famous for wild flowers, butter and the annual orchid show at Duckitt Nurseries. These days you can add the somewhat imposing figure of Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout to the picturesque Swartland village's attractions. 

Dolphin and Whale Viewing

Paternoster's calm waters are a haven for whales and dolphins. The Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) is a regular visitor to the West Coast.

Flower Season

The flowers visit Paternoster and the surrounding area in their droves during flower season, which commences around August/September, depending on the rain.

West Coast Fossil Park

The fascinating West Coast Fossil Park, located on the R45 to Hopefield, is well worth a visit.

Local Food in Paternoster

If you enjoy seafood, then this is the place to be. You can feast on shellfish, oysters, mussels, fresh fish... and don't forget our famous bokkoms!

Photographic Opportunities

It's impossible to leave Paternoster without taking a barrage of potentially award-winning photographs. So don't forget to pack your camera (and a spare memory card!)

Restaurants in Paternoster

There are a number of restaurants in Paternoster - the Voorstrandt (the green and red tin house, right on the beachfront) is the most famous. Like many other restaurants in the area, it specialises in seafood.

Saldanha

Saldanha – home the richest mussel farms (and oyster beds) anywhere on the South African coastline – isn't nearly as pretty as Paternoster, but it's worth a visit if you want to go out to sea on a yacht or want to do some serious fishing. 

Shopping in Paternoster

Visit Die Winkel Op Paternoster, an interesting little shop (022 752 2632), crammed with all sorts of goodies from sweets to souvenirs. It is located at the four-way stop at the entrance to the village.

Across the road, there is Paternoster se Padstal – their mussels are “to die for”! You can sample them while you’re there.

Velddrif

Just up the road from Paternoster is the sleepy little town of Velddrif, which is located on the Berg River (there's a famous canoe race on this river). While in Velddrif, be sure to take a boat trip up the river to view the birds (although you can see the gorgeous flamingos from the main road too).

There are some artists who live in the village, and you can view their work. Alternatively just have a jolly good nosh at one of the local restaurants.

Vredenburg

There isn't much reason to visit Vredenburg, the administrative and commercial centre of the West Coast, unless you need to go shopping. However, if you do need to shop, you will find virtually everything you need in this town. It even has a massive shopping centre called Weskus Mall. Think Sandton City... but in the platteland. 

West Coast National Park

Scenically beautiful, Langebaan Lagoon is the focal point of the wetland wilderness and the four offshore islands that comprise the park. The lagoon is also a water sports paradise where you can swim and fish and where conditions are ideal for boardsailing, yachting, snorkelling and scuba diving. Internationally renowned among ornithologists, this is one of the world's most important bird sanctuaries, providing a haven for some 256 species.

Langebaan Lagoon in the West Coast National Park (022 772 2797/ 772 2144) was registered as a wetland of international importance for birds, with the Ramsar Convention, which came into force in 1988. The West Coast National Park has a number of bird hides overlooking various areas of the lagoon. 

Wine Farms

A visit to the wine farms in the area is a great way to spend a day. One area, reasonably close by and boasting some superb farms, is the greater Riebeek Kasteel/Riebeek West area. 

Don't miss Kloovenburg (022 448 1635), which has excellent, if fairly pricey wines. It also sells yummy olives and a range of olive-related products.

Outdoor Adventures

Diving, fishing, hiking: 022 713 5971

Horse-riding: 022 766 1645

Bird watching: 083 737 7713

Canoeing and kayaking: 083 737 7713

Fishing trips/diving: 083 480 4930