Sunday, May 25, 2014

Experience The Wilderness - In A Resort Setting

By Lloyd Leach


Many vacationers think a holiday should include carnivals, boardwalks lined with souvenir shops and game arcades, or casinos. Others like hiking along mountain trails, backpacking into remote places, or scaling the highest mountain they can climb. Those who would rather see nature up close and personal without undue exertion or danger, and who prize peace and quiet, should experience the Wilderness on the Cape of South Africa.

One of the most beautiful countries on earth, South Africa has many ecosystems. This particular region is called the Afromontane, an area of forested peaks and extensive coastlines. The town faces the ocean across the Touw Lagoon, a tiny bay at the mouth of the Touw river. It backs up to cliffs whose tops are covered with dense forest. The beaches are white sand, the ocean is quiet, and there are many rivers and lakes for water-skiing, fishing, boating, and other water sports.

There are lots of activities, all centered around the scenic beauty and natural resources of this area. Guests fish, boat, water-ski, and lounge on the beach. They hike, mountain bike, hang glide, go horseback riding, and climb to the heights to spot whales and dolphins. Attractions include the Garden Route Botanical Garden, which features regional plants of interest for their beauty or their healing properties. This ecosystem is unique, relatively small, and very fragile.

The South Africans are carefully preserving the region today, managing timbering and protecting endangered species. The oceans are a summer and fall home for many species of whales. The hills and forests teem with gorgeous flowers like fynbos and a treasure trove of medicinal plants, and animals like bushbucks and duikers may be seen.

This region of mountains, forest, and ocean front has a mild climate, with a range from 10 to 50 degrees Celsius. Rainfall is ample, keeping the vegetation lush, but there are lots of sunny days. The town is right on the Lagoon, at the mouth of the Touw River, and backs up to tall cliffs overhung by the forest edge.

This is a resort town, geared to make holidays so wonderful that people will want to come again and again. The town is known for its peace and quiet. The ocean is quiet here, the forests deep and languorous, and natural beauty the main attraction.

This resort town has annual events. However, they are not the usual tourist attractions like carnivals or Taste of the Town community-wide festivals. Here, people eagerly await the April plant sale and the fall Wildflower Show. Many species of whale can be seen off the coast from June to November. People go to Dolphin's Point and other high overlooks to spot whales and dolphins.

The internet can tell you more about this little bit of heaven at the end of the continent of Africa. Check out the white sand beaches and the flora and fauna that might not be found anywhere else. June to November is whale season, but there are things to do and see all year round.




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