When imagining a fishermen’s village on the shores of the Atlantic few would think of the whitewashed, thatch-roof cottages of Jacobsbaai, Paternoster and St. Helena Bay, yet having seen many Atlantic coastlines, few are more beautiful.
Fresh crayfish, shellfish and regional white wine are the order of the day, best enjoyed overlooking the vibrant seas that ebb and flow with the tide. The West Coast region is locally most famous for its flowers - millions of individual African daisies, disas and succulents that bloom in the spring to create a painted landscape of orange, yellow, white and purple as far as the eye can see.
The village of Paternoster is a sublime spot to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the African Atlantic on tour. The beach is ablaze with oyster catchers, seagulls and waders prying the sand or snacking on local shellfish. The waves rumble through the night creating that calming background sound that is so good for sleeping, and the craggy coastline is lit up in a dazzling sunset image almost every day. The weather is cool with mild temperatures for most of the year and an odd rainy day every few days or so. The seafood here is as fresh as they come, but be careful not to buy from street hawkers. Lobster is a local highlight in this regard, and the restaurants in the area definitely know how to prepare it. Among the many fine establishments in town are Graatjie, Voorstrandt and the fine dining experience to be had at Wolfgat - all practically on the beach sands and overlooking the little bay. The people here are as laid back as they come, and very friendly - a spirit mimicking the exterior beauty of the village. A small private nature reserve can be found just outside of Paternoster, with wonderful seaside picnic and barbecuing facilities to enjoy great food and wonderful company.
The West Coast National Park is just outside the town of Langebaan, one of the largest towns in the region. The park is a wild fynbos landscape enveloping the Langebaan Lagoon, where flamingos, boats and canoes enjoy the azure waters. Eland, Bontebok and Mountain Zebra are common sights on a game drive through the park, along with an array of bird species. Since the park does not house any large predators, there are numerous walking and cycling trails scattered throughout, giving adventure travelers a lot to look forward to and explore when on tour. The plant life is incredibly diverse, like many habitats within the Cape Floral Kingdom Region, and plant enthusiasts will definitely enjoy nature walks in the park. Finally, there is the Postberg region - a section of the park that is only open to the public during the flowering season, when the local wildflower varieties join in on the regions bloom and form colorful carpets of their own.
In keeping with the theme of wildflowers for which the West Coast of South Africa is so famous, we turn our attention to the center of this spectacle - Namaqualand. Namaqualand is named as the ‘land’ of the ‘Nama-qua’ or ‘Nama-people’, the pastoralist aboriginal tribes that once inhabited the area for many millennia. The Namaqualand National Park, along with a number of private reserves and farms, is abloom with millions of Namaqualand Daisies and other indigenous and often endemic species starting August/September each year. During this time of the year, the relatively arid flats and rocky outcrops of the region are turned vivid, and springbok, various bird species and the many tortoise species of this part of the country feast on the abundance that spring brings. Few places on Earth have such dazzling seasonal displays and this is one that should not be missed.
The Knersvlakte, an especially arid part of the larger Namaqualand, is as dazzling in Spring as the rest of the region, but in a different way. The Knersvlakte is known for its succulents, that, like the wildflowers to the north and south, bloom in dazzling colors every year. In fact the region is home to a mega-diverse succulent collection with thousands of species, most of which are found nowhere else in the world.
These vast flats are covered in quartz and other small stones for miles on end, with geologically distinct sections. The composition of rocks and minerals found in one sector of this biome then contributes to further specialization among the succulents here - creating the enormous biodiversity we see today.
Touring this beautiful region with local guides to tell the story of the geological, natural and human history of the region is the best way to experience it.
The Richtersveld is another mega-diverse region bursting with plant biodiversity along the Western flank of South Africa. The dominant species here are succulents, and the park hosts over 30% of the total succulent species found in South Africa, a majority of which are not only endemic to the country but to the park. The desolate mountain scenery in the Richtersveld is exquisite, with endless vistas of rocky mountain peaks and boulders weathered over millennia. The park is also very geologically significant, and the rock formations found in its many valleys are all different. Finally, there is the Orange River which flows through the park, leaving a green oasis in the desert sands and attracting all kinds of bird life, Pelican and Fish Eagle chief among them. The park is a collaboration between the Namibian parks authority, the South African National Parks authority and the Nama People - to whom the land belongs.
The Nama are a semi-nomadic pastoralist ethnic group that has been living in this part of South Africa for thousands of years. There is an additional Nama conservancy to the south of the park that is home to the higher rainfall lands within the area.
