Newsletters - Horizon Cottages

Newsletter Spring : 2009

2016-09-14T00:00:00+02:00

Our self catering accommodation set in the beautiful Noordhoek valley offers an ideal base to explore Cape Town. Our rates are affordable but we offer top quality accommodation.
We have extended our winter special rates offer into Spring and early summer. In these recessionary times everyone is shopping around for a good deal. Some people are searching in Google for cheap accommodation that has the same amenities that can be found in Britannia Hotel Newcastle and other modern establishments. We noted the definition of "cheap' as "of poor quality; inferior" Our self catering, Western Cape accommodation, is certainly not cheap as defined, but it is of good quality, spacious, comfortable but very affordable. Now we have made it even more so with our Spring low season offer ; Stay 5 nights and pay for only 4. This offer is valid right until end November, but excludes school holidays. Horizon Cottages is popular with families because it has kid friendly accommodation- plenty of room to play and great security- so bring the whole family.
“Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"” Robin Williams (actor)

Spring is a special time in the Cape :
Although the winters of the Western Cape are not severe, Capetonians look forward eagerly to the end of winter and enthusiastically celebrate the coming of spring on 1 September. Many businesses and offices get into the mood and will hold small office parties, and even encourage dressing appropriately – usually casually in themes of red and white.

Spring is a time of rebirth, and that brings to mind for those of us who live in this beautiful part of the world, which is Cape Town, that is synonymous with the coming of migrating whales, who visit our shores to mate and give birth in the warmer waters. Whilst many whales can be seen basking off shore at Noordhoek’s Long Beach, the most rewarding spots for viewing whales are in our neighbouring False Bay suburbs; Fish Hoek; Glencairn and Simonstown; all just a few minute’s drive away from Horizon Cottages , where the Main Road meanders alongside the sea. Very often you will not even need to look out for the Whales but will be alerted by the number of cars parked at the various observation points on the road , often affording one a truly close up view of these marine mammoths, rewarding you not just with a spume of spray, but a friendly flip of the tail.

Hermanus Whales and Wheels Festival :
Further down the coast is Hermanus , arguably, the whale watching capital of the Western Cape. For me; the coming of spring brings with it the Whales ‘n Wheels Festival, which is held in this charming coastal village, with the classic cars on display on Sunday 27 September. This gives me the incentive to clean and prepare one of my classic sports cars to join friends in this first motor show that follows the winter months. It is sheer pleasure to drive top down in a crisp morning, through Muizenberg , along the coast of False Bay, and over the mountain pass known as Sir Lowry’s pass to join the motoring throng, as well as the tourists, making their way to the festival. The classic car exhibition is held in the grounds of the primary school. Expect to see scores of classic yesteryear cars, even military vehicles and a spectacular display of model cars in the school hall. For a view of some of my classic cars, feel free to browse my facebook page

The Festival’s stars are, of course the Whales, themselves. I can assure you that, if you make your way down to the old harbour, you will find many easy vantage points on the rocks, where you will be able to see far into Walker Bay, and you are guaranteed to be treated to a wonderful aquatic ballet as the whales sound and flap their tails in the air to the enthusiastic clapping and cheering of the crowds.

The festival to be held from 25-27 September attracts thousands who flock from Cape Town to enjoy not only the scenic beauty but to revel in the music and festival atmosphere of this 3 day event. Walk down to the Market square and you will be mesmerized by the array of African and other handicrafts, food and drink stalls, and vibrant African rhythms; you cannot help but being caught up in the excitement and good cheer. Explore the little town which has a wide variety of historic buildings, mostly now given over to Art galleries, antique and collectible shops. You cannot help but be caught up by the festival atmosphere.

Celebrate Longer days in Cape Town :
Long days- ending in beautiful sunsets- what better way to end the day than sipping a cool drink looking out over the ocean. Noordhoek faces West and it is known for breathtakingly beautiful sunsets- nowhere can one enjoy them more than the deck of our local Skebanga’s pub. Sunny afternoons can be spent on the deck of the pub; watching whales mating off the beach in the cool Atlantic.

On the road to Noordhoek Long Beach you will find tucked awayunder the ancient milk wood trees, the Red Herring restaurant above which is situated Skebanga’s Pub - so laid back that shoes are not essential and baggy shorts are fine. This place is loud and always packed - popular with horse riders, surfers and locals just chilling out, but there is always room for one more. Enjoy the truly spectacular views of Long Beach from the outside wooden deck.

Deservedly reputed to be one of Cape Town’s great pubs, Skebanga’s serves great pub fare at modest prices, but locals know that the best nosh is the wonderful thin based Pizzas cooked in a wood fired oven, and said to be the best in the Southern hemisphere. (Certainly I have not had better, not even in Naples- the birthplace of Pizza!) and a challenge to the heartiest eater.

Western Cape Wild Flowers
Spring in the Western Cape is also synonymous also with our spectacular wild Flowers. The most famous spots are up the West coast, and on to Namaqualand. You do not have to travel far to enjoy some spectacular displays. A short drive over the mountain from our Cape Town self catering accommodation you will find Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens; world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora which it displays throughout the changing seasons and for the magnificence of its setting against the slopes of Table Mountain. Kirstenbosch grows only indigenous South African plants in an awesome 528 hectares which includes a diverse range of fynbos as well as natural forest. A wide variety of African plants, proteas, cycads, together with rolling lawns are interspersed with streams and ponds and well-laid out pathways for easy walking. Whether for a casual stroll, a more strenuous walk or perhaps a languid afternoon picnic, accompanied by a choice bottle from the Cape wine lands, the gardens are a must-see when visiting Cape Town. At Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town you will find a visitors centre, a coffee shop and several restaurants.

Further afield but within a drive of approximately 1 hour you will find most spectacular carpet of wildflowers in the Postberg Nature Reserve, which forms part of the west coast national park near Langebaan and is about one hours drive from Cape Town, travelling North up the R27 highway. This section of the nature reserve is open only during the wildflower season and you will be treated to easy viewing of a number of antelope species. The drive alone will be rewarding as you will undoubtedly experience a wide variety of flowers alongside the road.

Don’t think however that you have to make a special trip to see wildflowers; as you drive over Ou Kaapse Weg from Horizon Cottages you will be able to enjoy proteas, pincushions and a variety of flowering bulbs blooming at the side of the road. As you travel the highway into Cape Town you are unlikely to be perturbed if you are caught in peak hour traffic; just look around you and enjoy the flowers on the traffic islands or the spectacular forests that cloak the side of the Table Mountain range. Who would wish for a better way of calming down traffic frustration.

The wildflowers are early this year so take advantage of the off-season rates and visit Cape Town soon.

We hope to see you soon to enjoy spring at Horizon Holiday Cottages

Regards
Dennis

Newsletter Autumn 2015

2015-03-15T00:00:00+02:00

As we bid goodbye to what has been a fantastic summer of 2014/2015 in Cape Town we reflect that a Cape Town holiday remains one of the most popular for tourists throughout the world, as well as for South Africans, because of its natural beauty and the many attractions that it offers. Cape Town International Airport reported a growth of nearly 5% in arrivals during 2014 with the overall year exceeding the boom in the number of arrivals received in 2010 when South Africa hosted the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The UK Telegraph Travel Awards, the world's biggest reader travel awards, voted Cape Town the best city in the world in 2014. During the year, many accolades from the International Tourism and Travel industry including the international respected Tripadvisor, voted our City tops.

Cape Town's top attractions showed this growth in numbers of visitors. The V&A Waterfront smashed previous visitor records, growing some 5% with just over 24 million visitors in 2014; Robben Island grew 9% and Table Mountain Cableway 15%. The greatest success story of the year belonged to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden which showed a 28% increase for the year, attributed mostly to the popularity of the Treetop Canopy Walkway or 'Boomslang' as it is known - clearly demonstrating the power of reinvention in managing attractions.

Cape Town is no longer seen as a seasonal place to visit. There is always something happening in our city and those wishing to visit will be able to get the benefits that a company what is known as the "secret season". This includes lower rates for accommodation , less crowded activities and special offers of all kinds. Cape Town is known for its wide selection of restaurants offering enticing food of all kinds- from the five star exclusive to the family affordable. Because of the numbers being less during the off peak times, many of these restaurants will be offering specials to compete for the business that is available. Even though our accommodation is fully equipped for self-catering you will be tempted to eat out every night. Attractions during the secret season include the annual whale migration and the spectacular display of wildflowers that will herald the spring.

Horizon cottages continues to strive to offer outstanding service with competitive and affordable rates. The satisfaction of visitors from overseas, as well as upcountry, is well documented in the feedback on many of the international booking websites including TripAdvisor as well as our own website. In order to be able to offer an improved Internet browsing service we now have an upgraded, mobile friendly, responsive website with a whole new fresh look; together with a new and modern logo. When browsing our website you may need to refresh your browser cache, which you can do by pressing the F5 key.

Another significant improvement which will further enhance our guests experience is a free Wi-Fi hotspot with amplifiers in the accommodations that will enable our guests to enjoy a fast and uncapped Internet connection anywhere on the property; whether in the accommodation or even lounging at the pool. The bathrooms of our cottages have recently received a complete renovation which has resulted in a modern and fresh appearance with all new plumbing and sanitary ware and our cottages and Cabanas offer inviting and relaxing Noordhoek accommodation.

Please note the Table Mountain cable way will be closed between 27 July and 9 August 2015 for maintenance; Our guests should be aware that South African senior citizens over the age of 60 years qualify for discounted rates on return tickets every Friday, upon producing a valid South African ID and will pay R95 return or R50 one way; a significant saving. Pensioners also get free entrance to Kirstenbosch gardens on a Tuesday.

We hope to see you soon at our family friendly Cape Town lodge.

Newsletter Summer 2013

2013-12-14T00:00:00+02:00

By now the media, both written and print, has widely publicised the increase in numbers of visitors enjoying a holiday in Cape Town during this festive season. Table Mountain Cableway reported record season ticket sales for December 2012; increasing some 20% or 19,000 more visitors than were expected and the most in the 83 year history of the Cableway. It is believed that the really great weather that Cape Town enjoyed as well as Table Mountain's status as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature contributed to this increase. Most attractions reported healthy increased visitor numbers with Cape Point, Kirstenbosch National Gardens and V&A Waterfront satisfied with a 10% increase. The V&A Waterfront is surely South Africa's most-visited tourist attraction, attracting a total of 3,015,227 visitors in December 2012 alone.

Surprisingly, all these press releases, aimed at pumping up our Tourism Industry, made little mention of the fact that the increase in visitor numbers was mainly due to domestic tourism; that is visitors from Gauteng, KZN and other major cities looking to take a break from their work routines. In spite of our struggling economy, the average South African family still feels that they are entitled to a holiday break at the end of the year. We are sure that this sector of the market is growing rapidly due to the increasing number of black families who are now also joining the holiday crowds. It was apparent from the frustration of some of our callers that there was just not enough affordable accommodation in Cape Town to satisfy all those wanting to spend the festive season in our award winning city. Because we believe that the domestic market is a major source of growth for the tourist industry, and to encourage more visitors, we have taken a decision that we there will be no increase in our rates for 2013, making this the third successive year that we have held our affordable accommodation prices.

Not only do we offer rates to suit your family budget, but we have undertaken major improvements to our accommodation during the past year which includes upgrading the main bedrooms to King Size beds, providing all beds with new orthopaedic mattresses and our guests now enjoy the luxury of sleeping in white cotton percale. Our accommodation units have their own individual DSTV decoders, and all now have new flatscreen TVs as well as DVD players that are sure to be popular with in our child friendly accommodation, particularly on those on rainy days. Our large, sparkling outdoor pool now features a sundeck with comfortable imported Teak loungers and we have constructed a rustic wooden Lapa which will afford shelter for those who do not wish to spend the whole day in the sun and will also serve to break the south-east wind that we sometimes have to endure in the summer months . All in all, our guests are sure to find that we offer better value for money accommodation than ever before.

Whilst accommodation is in high demand by overseas visitors during the months of February and March local visitors, both from Cape Town and upcountry should take advantage of our even lower off-season rates when planning either a winter break or, perhaps, a visit to enjoy the spectacular wildflowers that bloom in the Western Cape in spring when we are also honoured to have the annual migration of whales from the Antarctic to our warmer waters. Not only will visitors find that accommodation rates are competitive when special offers abound but many of the local restaurants faced with declining traffic will have offers so attractive( such as 2 for the price of one) that many will not want to make use of the kitchens in our fully equipped self-catering holiday accommodation.

Affordable Cape Town Chalets

2011-12-14T00:00:00+02:00

Blue flag beaches: by now the award of Bue Flag status to some of Cape Town beaches has been well-publicised. This coveted award will certainly help to further improve the reputation of our beautiful city as a desirable international holiday destination. A Blue Flag is an international award given to beaches that meet EXCELLENCE in the areas of safety, water quality, cleanliness and environmental standards. The beaches that received the Blue Flag accreditation in South Africa are:

* Clifton 4th beach, Cape Town
* Camps Bay, Cape Town
* Muizenberg, Cape Town
* Strandfontein beach, Cape Town
* Mnandi beach, Cape Town
* Bikini beach, Gordon's Bay

For our guests, and those who choose to stay and enjoy the relaxing lifestyle of the southern Cape Town peninsula, the fact that many of the local beaches do not enjoy blue Flag status does not detract from their popularity as family beaches. In fact, the city of Cape Town's recreation and amenities department recently published on their website that every effort has been made to ready its summer amenities for influx of visitors for the festive season, with a special focus being paid to beaches and tidal pools. In addition, the city has renewed a contract with Lifesaving Western Province for another three years to provide safe bathing and management of the beaches during the summer peak season, which means that 250 trained and accredited lifeguards will be deployed to render life-saving services at all beaches between 10 am and 6 pm daily from 01 December 2010 to mid-January 2011 when the schools re-open. Shark-spotting will remain a priority this festive season, with Shark-spotters being deployed to Glencairn and Clovelly beaches during December, long weekends and over the Easter holidays. Shark-spotters will remain in place at Muizenberg Corner, Fish Hoek, St. James, Kalk Bay and The Hoek in Noordhoek throughout the year. The City's Sport, Recreation and Amenities Department has been conducting regular checks of all of its beaches to ensure that they are clean and that all infrastructure is maintained including:

. All bathrooms and showers are clean and in working order
. All braai areas, paving, and grassed areas are regularly maintained and weeded
. All railings are maintained and some are being painted
. The tidal pools are managed according to the tidal pool management plan, which includes regular removal of algae
. Attention has also been paid to water quality at beaches and in tidal pools.

The coastal water quality is managed and monitored through the Coastal Water Quality Committee, while tidal pool water quality is tested and monitored by the Water and Sanitation Department's Scientific Services. The results are circulated weekly and action is taken where necessary.

Nearby safe family beaches: Horizon Holiday Cottages is a popular family and child friendly accommodation resort. Whilst we get young guys looking to enjoy the best surfing spots which are to be found nearby, we note that intending summer visitors use such search terms as "is it safe to swim in Cape Town" and it seems that many are looking for beaches where the family can enjoy the sun, surf and the beaches in complete safety . Whilst there are many beaches to choose from in the greater Cape Town area, the beaches of the Atlantic coast tend to be 5 degrees or so cooler than the warm waters of nearby False Bay. We recommend the following beaches which offer complete safety for our guests with children:

Glencairn beach is the closest of the False Bay beaches; being just 5 min drive from our accommodation. This jewel of a beach remains largely undiscovered by tourists even though it lies between the popular beaches of Fish Hoek and Simonstown. The beach forms a small bay that is quite sheltered from the South East winds that prevail in the summer, and offers beautiful clean white sands. There is quite a strong backwash on the beach, particularly when the tides are high, so the kids will prefer to use the spacious tidal pool that lies just below the railway station. Although beach amenities are sparse, there are a couple of good restaurants nearby including "Flukes" at the Southern Right - a pretty, restored Victorian beach hotel.

Seaforth Beach, Simonstown is another great family beach. It is almost completely surrounded by large boulders so that there are no waves and it is almost like an enormous tidal pool. The beach has gentle sloping sands, making it ideal for toddlers at play, although further out it is certainly deep enough for those who want to engage in enthusiastic swimming. The gentle sloping lawns that overlook the bathing area offer an ideal spot for a family picnic but many choose to support the restaurant at the beach which offers dining on the deck and spectacular views across False Bay.

Boulders Beach has earned an international reputation as one of the world's best family beaches and can be reached by a pleasant walk from Seaforth or, by car, from the parking lot just opposite the unusual golf course at Simonstown. In summer one should go very early because access to the beach is limited in order to prevent overcrowding. The sheltered beach gets its name from the massive boulders that surround it, and which form sheltered coves in which you may come across some of the cute African penguins that have made this beach their home. Kids love this beach because the Penguins will often come waddling past or will be sharing the water with them when they swim.

For further information about best Cape Town beaches and for shark spotting measures at the beaches check out our blog:

Newsletter - Summer 2010

2010-12-14T00:00:00+02:00

On Tuesday 12 January when Cape Town was enjoying some really prolonged hot summer weather and thousands of people filled the beaches of False Bay, a man was attacked by a shark at Fish Hoek Beach. For many of us who grew up having watched the spectacular Stephen Spielberg movie “Jaws”; the thought of such a horror makes the blood run cold.

Should this tragedy put visitors off swimming on our the beautiful beaches of Cape Town or to have a negative impact on tourism? When you are planning your holiday and choosing your Cape Town holiday accommodation, will you wonder if the beaches are unsafe and that your life may be threatened by an ocean predator?

False Bay abounds with sharks, especially the fearsome great white shark, but an abundance of prey keeps them far offshore as a rule. This is the first recorded attack on Fish Hoek beach; an ever- popular choice for families because of the safe and protected bathing it offers. There have been about 17 shark attacks off the Cape Town’s coastline since 2000, but only 4 were fatal. There is an active shark spotter programme in place on the beaches of False Bay- a community programme that started at Muizenberg beach in October 2004. The huge success of shark spotting as an effective safety measure has resulted in funding being provided by WWF through the Table Mountain Fund and the City of Cape Town. Since the shark spotter programme was introduced the incidence of shark attacks has decreased significantly. Shark spotters programmes are in place from most of our beaches along the Cape Town Peninsula at these times:

Muizenberg beach corner, St James beach, and Noordhoek beach: 7 days a week from 8 am to 7 pm
Fish Hoek beach: 7 days a week from 8 am to 6:45 pm
Clovelly beach: Weekends, public and school holidays 8 am to 4 pm
Glencairn beach: Weekends, public and school holidays 8 am to 7 pm
When you choose a beach for bathing or surfing, do chose one where you are able to see the shark warning flags :
Black Flag: Shark spotter is on duty but the visibility is poor and it is difficult to determine if there are sharks in the area.
Shark Flag (white flag with a black shark on it): A shark is currently in the area, and bathers should refrain from entering the water.
If these comprehensive measures do not reassure you , you should be aware that False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, has many lovely, walled tidal pools around our bay, where both children and adults can bathe without having to keep a wary eye out for any dangers.

St James Beach is quite small, but it offers a large quite shallow tidal pool which is greatly enjoyed by children. Here you will find the brightly coloured bathing boxes that characterise so many picture postcards of Cape Town holiday destinations, and will offer you an opportunity to take great holiday pictures . St. James is known for its millionaire’s mile of stately mansions from a bygone era, some now converted into up market seaside Guest Houses, Lodges, or Bed and Breakfast establishment. This location was chosen by the wealthy because it is so sheltered from the prevailing South East wind in the Summer.

A larger tidal pool for serious swimming is found at Kalk Bay. This pool is right at the Brass Bell restaurant, famous for its sea food, formal and casual dining options. A smaller tidal pool can be found in Dalebrook Pool. Kalk Bay is an enticing little village where one can spend the day. Its main street is lined with galleries, antique and collectible shops and restaurants with quaint Victorian shop fronts. Don’t expect to find much holiday accommodation available here ; because of the small size of the village and valuable properties there are fewer guest houses here than in any other False Bay suburb of Cape Town. Although Kalk Bay has a well earned reputation for great restaurants there is little more enjoyable than walking through the fishing harbour and standing in the long line with the locals waiting to be served at Kalky’s - said by some to serve the best fish and chips in Cape Town. From this little fishing village you can take a boat ride across the bay to the charming and historic naval town that is Simonstown.

Travelling toward Simonstown and Cape Point, past Fish Hoek, is a gem that is overlooked by both locals and visitors alike, which is Glencairn beach. The clean sandy beach is seldom crowded and there is a large tidal pool jutting out from the beach into the sea, making it ideal for children to play and swim in safety. Just opposite the beach you will find the Southern Right Hotel; a picturesque Victorian which has been a watering hole in the South Peninsula since 1904. At their Fluke’s restaurant you can enjoy good food enhanced by the most spectacular views from the deck across the bay.

There are many reasons to linger in Simonstown with it interesting and eclectic mixture of architecture found in what is called the historic mile. There are interesting antique shops and restaurants and it is always busy with tourists. It is here, however, that you will find a wonderfully safe beach, Seaforth Beach, where your family can spend the day lounging on the rolling green lawns from where you can watch your children at play. A little Bay is formed by a number of very large boulders which makes it as protected as if it was a tidal pool and where one can really enjoy safe swimming. Seaforth restaurant has a reputation for serving good seafood dishes and has a position on the rocks above the water from where you can enjoy a wonderful view to accompany your food.
Just past Simons Town is Boulders beach, synonymous with the population of African Penguins who have decided to make this beach their breeding ground. One has to pay to enter this beach, but it is one of the safest swimming beaches in Cape Town. It lies in a small cove and is protected from both the wind and sea by giant granite boulders.

Finally, a little further on the road towards Cape point you will find Millers point which is a family friendly recreational area, it has a children’s tidal pool, snorkeling, scuba diving.

Be assured that no matter which beach you chose to enjoy your holiday, there is little chance of any danger- certainly less than getting into your car.

These are the odds against having your holiday spolied :

Chance of dying from a shark attack: 1 in 300,000,000
Chance of dying from a car accident: 1 in 18,585
Odds of fatally slipping in bath or shower: 1 in 2,232

Have fun and remember that your Cape Town South Africa holiday will be all the more enjoyable if you stay at our relaxed, but affordable self catering family accommodation, so click on the tab to Book Now.

Newsletter Winter : 2010

2010-07-14T00:00:00+02:00

Cape Town has become a highly acclaimed international destination and is the most popular destination for a South African holiday for international tourists. Because our summer coincides with winter in the Northern hemisphere; masses of tourists flock to Cape Town during December /January to enjoy the wonderful beaches, amazing scenery, and host of interesting attractions. This is also the peak holiday period in South Africa too, so Cape Town becomes inundated with local holidaymakers during the same period. The result is one of difficulty in securing affordable holiday accommodation, high prices; traffic jammed roads and packed facilities.

Winter in Cape Town is known as the “secret season” stretching from late Autumn (May) to Spring (October). Astute tourists and visitors know that during the winter months the Cape is not very busy and it is the Green season. Outside of peak working hours there is little traffic and restaurateurs are genuinely pleased to have you visit their establishment. This is the season where you can enjoy the lowest Cape Town accommodation rates, and negotiate even lower rates for longer stays. Many restaurants offer winter specials to entice clients and car hire rates will be at the cheapest.

There seems to be an impression that it is always cold in winter in Cape Town, but this is not always true. The average daytime temperature usually ranges from 10 to 18 degrees C, but there are many warm and windless days where the temperature rises to the 20’s. (70 degrees F). Cape Town really is fortunate to enjoy mild winters, and the days during this time can be magnificent. Cape Town is a winter rainfall area, but recent climatic changes seem to have reduced the winter rainfall. This current winter, for example, there have been many weeks with no rain at all and many lovely, sunny days. On the other hand, it can rain for several days on end.

Winter is when the Cape is visited by the annual Whale migration, and many whales are to be seen in False Bay from July to October. In September the self proclaimed Whale capital of South Africa, Hermanus, hosts the eagerly anticipated Whales and Wheels festival - being able to see these huge creature close up makes a holiday in the” Secret Season” worthwhile. For more details see our page: http://www.horizoncottages.co.za/cape-town-whale-watching.htm

So what does one do with your family when the sunny day is replaced by a cold, blustery, wet day?
There are too many indoor attractions for adults to list here, but I hope that families will find this list of chid friendly activities useful for the odd rainy day.

Close to Horizon Holiday Cottages are 2 well loved attractions for kids, but which are equally enjoyable for adults
The first is the Warrior Toy Museum in Simonstown. Kids and collectors of toys, particularly model cars, should not miss this museum. It has a permanent exhibition of toys, dolls, Meccano sets, model cars, boats, trains, soldiers, airplanes and other toys. Kids love to watch the trains in the working display chuffing in and out of the stations. The toy museum also offers a wide range of scale model cars and other toys for sale.

Scratch Patch, Dido Valley Road, Simonstown. This is a gemstone factory producing and offering for sale high quality semi-precious gem stones and artworks, and has a small restaurant and coffee shop. The whole lower section comprises a garden stream and an huge cave with the floor strewn with polished semi-precious gem stones. For a small cost your little one can fill a cup or a pail with gemstones to take home. Kids can while away an hour or 2 as they scrabble away looking for that real gem to take home.

Castle of Good Hope: Kids love a castle, and our Castle will delight both children and adults on holiday in Cape Town. This massive and impressive stone fort with its iconic pentagram shape was built by the first Dutch settlers between 1666 and 1679. Guided tours are available but are free to just wander around on your own. The attractions include the dungeons, military and nautical exhibits of past eras and a massive collection of historic art and artworks. In days of yore the castle was built on the seafront, but reclamation of land has placed it far from the sea.

Cape Town Museums - see website: www.iziko.org.za
Cape Town has many museums. The most popular with kids will the South African Museum located in the Company gardens at the top of the city. They are sure to be awed by a huge skeleton of a herbivorous dinosaur, as well as the massive skull of a carnivorous dinosaur. The exhibition includes other dinosaur skeletons as well as beautifully crafted dinosaur scenes.
There is a collection of whale and skeletons, to be seen from all floors, which includes a 20.5 metre blue whale skeleton, and casts of Killer and other whales.
The museum’s Shark World exhibit is one of the world's best and most comprehensive exhibits. A key attraction is the life-size, 2+ meter high model of the jaws of the Megatooth Shark, probably the largest predator the world has ever known.

Close by is The Slave Lodge museum is situated in one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town, which provides visitors with an overview of the history of slavery at the Cape.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (V&A Waterfront) is the most popular attraction of Cape Town. On a bright sunny day there is much for kids to see and do including a trip on a pirate sailing ship. For the rainy days there is also a Scratch Patch here, but the highlight for kids is undoubtedly the Two Oceans Aquarium. There are many fascinating and colourful fish exhibits in tanks, but kids love to watch the shoals of fish and sharks swimming past the glass sides of the ocean exhibit. Equally enjoyable are the penguin feedings and river walks.

The Cape Town Planetarium is an interesting place to visit when it's rainy and cold. It's cheaper than a movie (R20 entrance fee) and more educational, in a fun way. There is a great show on about Table Mountain. The show explores the geology of Table Mountain and the southern skies centered on its celestial counterpart. It's on every day at either 14h00 or 14h30.

Canal Walk is a great place to spend the day for both Kids and adults; just a short drive toward the West Coast highway from Cape Town. Let it rain all day- no one will mind or notice. Firstly there is the MTN Science Centre; South Africa's first world-class interactive science centre. It is a place where kids can have fun, while learning about scientific discoveries and technological innovations. Packed with over 300 interactive displays, the “Sciencentre” at Canal Walk is great place for hands-on learning, and you don’t have to keep saying, ‘don’t touch’ as everything is there for that very purpose.
Canal Walk is the largest regional shopping mall in Africa, with an enormous range of shops, restaurants, cinemas and a superb bird conservation area known as Intaka Island; it can easily keep your family occupied for the entire day. Kids will head for the Place of Play, the largest indoor and outdoor play park in South Africa. It has every fun thing under the sun, from a huge jungle gym and laser beam room, right down to a teddy bear stuffing machine. Plus, everything is in strict accordance with international standards of safety, security and cleanliness.

Groot Constantia is another enjoyable place to take the family. This beautiful estate with it 30 year old manor house offers occasional Treasure hunts give kids the opportunity to explore and learn more about this historical Estate, and popular Cellar Tours, with juice for younger visitors. Entrance to the manor house is inexpensive and will enable you to view this magnificent example of Cape Dutch architecture, which houses a fine collection of period furniture and ceramics, with the emphasis on Cape Furniture.

By the time that your family has got through only half of these activities the sun will be shining again, and they can take to the wonderful outdoors, see our list of Things To Do for more ideas.

We often joke that Cape Town has no climate - just weather - and one can experience all 4 seasons in one day.
Book accommodation on line now to suit your budget by taking advantage of our low winter special rates.

Blog Post:
For more information on the Secret season see our Blog post:
http://horizoncot.blogspot.com/2009/04/cape-town-in-winter-our-secret-season.html

Newsletter Autumn : 2009

2009-04-14T00:00:00+02:00

Our self catering accommodation set in the beautiful Noordhoek valley offers an ideal base to explore Cape Town. Our rates are affordable but we offer top quality accommodation.

Cape Town in Winter - our Secret Season : In these recessionary times everyone is shopping around for a good deal. Some people are searching in Google for cheap accommodation that has the same amenities that can be found in Britannia Hotel Newcastle and other modern establishments. We noted the definition of "cheap' as "of poor quality; inferior" Our self catering Western Cape accommodation is certainly not cheap as defined, but it is of good quality, spacious, comfortable but very affordable.

Now we have made it even more so with our winter low season offer ; For every 4 nights booked , we will give you one free night in any of our self catering accommodation units. This offer is valid right until end November, but excludes school holidays.

Living the life in Cape Town : When writing this latest newsletter , in which I hope to share something of the wonder of living in the Western cape, and particularly Cape Town, I thought of the quote by the famous 18 th Century British author Dr Samuel Johnson, who is quoted as saying
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford”.
Well we are blessed to live in this wonderful City and there is so much to see, do and marvel at in this beautiful Cape Town of ours that it might be said that you can never be tired of life here. I have in this newsletter tried to give visitors some ideas for easy and enjoyable day trips from our conveniently situated, comfortable but affordable accommodation.
The Summer is almost over and Cape Town is quieter, making it much more enjoyable; this is the best time to visit before the start of winter.

Table Mountain Cableway
The Cable way on Table Mountain is introducing a new on line ticketing system, which will be effective from Monday, 17 August. This is great news for our overseas and Gauteng visitors who have previously been unable to make a reservation, making it difficult for them to plan their holiday outings. The new system will allow visitors to buy tickets online for an additional R10 fee. Find full details on our Blog (insert hyperlink http://horizoncot.blogspot.com/
or see the website: http://www.tablemountain.net

Getting to Cape Town City and the Waterfront : Horizons Holiday Cottages is conveniently situated at the start of 2 wonderful options for driving to the City. Take the most scenic, but more leisurely option around Chapman’s Peak drive ( see Things do to) or the more efficient but also beautiful drive over the mountain behind our accommodation and pick up the Blue Route highway across the Constantia valley. The Waterfront and City centre is just 35 minute’s drive.

The Cape Town Waterfront: Undoubtedly one of the most successful waterfront developments in the world, outclassing even San Francisco’s famous Fisherman’s wharf. The Waterfront, as it is simply known, is beloved entertainment spot of all Cape Town residents and tourists alike. It hums all year round. There are top class restaurants and budget family eateries to suit all pockets, even those of backpackers, and a fascinating shopping experience. Enjoy a meal on the waterfront watching the fishing boats go about their business, at Quay 4 Restaurant where prices are amazingly low.
Take the ferry to world heritage site Robben Island, renowned as the place of incarceration of iconic former president Nelson Mandela.

Cape Town Central : Many tourists miss the pleasures of exploring the city. One could spend a day just strolling the streets admiring the vast selection of historic buildings representing the major periods from the 17 th Century Dutch, the many stylish and elegant 18th and 19 th Century buildings as well as abundant Victorians. Then of course, the famous Castle; oldest building in Southern Africa should not be missed. Green market square offers an opportunity to explore a landmark flea market. Long Street nearby is famous as a bohemian hang out, with many ethnic restaurants and bars, and well worth a stroll along the historic street lined with colourful Victorian Buildings

Drives : Unlike residents of most of our cities, residents of Cape Town enjoy driving on weekends as there is so much to see and do. Take a circular drive starting with short drive over the mountain from Horizons Holiday Cottages in a southerly direction to bring you to historic Simonstown. Its historic mile of beautifully preserved old buildings could keep you busy for a half day, but pass though and motor along the coast admiring views across False Bay right across to Gordon’s bay, until you reach Cape Point. See “things to do”. Leaving Cape Point travel the Atlantic coastal route through Kommetjie, pretty little coastal town with its Slangkop Lighthouse; stop at Imhoff’s farm for a meal or tea just before you arrive back at the start of your trip.

Another great alternative is to explore the Southern Peninsula, False bay attractions. Starting at Horizons motor quickly though Fish Hoek, where there is nothing to keep you except a lovely white beach, and travel to Kalk Bay; bohemian village of galleries, antiques, and notable restaurants ( see “things to do”). From here travel to Muizenberg; famed for its long, wide beach as a surfing and bathing spot.
There is much to tempt one to tarry, and you can find lots of information at the URL
http://www.awhaleofaheritageroute.co.za/

While on a day drive in this direction why not do as we often do when we can get away for a day or a morning and have breakfast at one of the Cafés on the beach? A full English breakfast at our favourite, the Gaslight Café will set you back the equivalent of just $ 3 !! (ZAR 28) What a bargain! No need for formality –the surfers come out of the water to eat in their baggies and bare feet. Going about with bare feet, by the way, is part of the way of life here.

Another less well know scenic drive from Muizenberg will take you around the shores of False Bay R310 on Baden Powell Drive (R 310) into the Cape Wine lands- about 40 minutes from Horizons.

Cape Wine routes : Dr Samuel Johnson had never know about the experience of the historical Cape Wine Route, before declaring that London offered everything tat life could want. Here splendid blue mountains form a dramatic backdrop to lush vineyards and historic Cape Dutch homesteads.
Closest stop on this route is another of our favourite getaways- the lifestyle centre of Spier wine estate, just before Stellenbosch.
There is an option for every pocket here, including several good restaurants. What we enjoy is to purchase a range of delectable eats from the Spier Deli and picnic on the lush green banks of the Spier dam; they even provide paper plates and utensils at the Deli. Visitors can also pre-order a picnic hamper filled with a choice selection of freshly made dishes that they have personally chosen.
Once you have eaten visit their Cheetah Outreach Programme.

Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa, and a truly beautiful old Cape Dutch village often missed by visitors- its like stepping back to a time more genteel. Since the founding of Stellenbosch in 1679, it has become synonymous with high quality award winning table wines. The cellars of the Wine Route are situated along the main roads, namely the R44, the R310, the R304, leading to Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and provide the frame work for all of its surroundings. There are so many options that it is best to pick up a Wine Route map (we provide copies in the accommodation at Horizons Holiday Cottages) and make your own choice

Paarl Wine Route and Fairview : There are many notable award winning wine esates on the Paarl Wine Route. Popular with us and our friends for a day outing is Fairview Estate situated on the R44. Fairview offers wine tastings of it very expansive range and cheese tastings included in your tasting ticket. As you arrive at Fairview you will see the famous Goat tower with some of their goats clambering its heights. Owner Charles Back who has a remarkable sense of fun produces a popular red know as “Goats do Roam” in a Cote du Rhone style, which got up the noses of the French so much that an unsuccessful legal action over the name was initiated J Take home some of the more than 25 different cheeses produced here, all offered at Factory Shop prices as well as Olive oils, cold cuts and other delicacies. Capetonians enjoy lunching at the Goatshed; an informal Mediterranean-style eatery offering light meals and lunches, in the relaxed ambience of what was originally one of the old wine cellars on the farm.

Secret Season : Cape Town has been rated as one of the top 10 tourist destinations cities in the world. Like most popular tourist areas, the Cape Town region attracts most of its tourists during "peak" times - between September and March, which is South Africa's glorious summer.
Many tourists don’t realise that Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate which is temperate for most of the year. Cape Town is frequently at its best in the traditionally low season from April to October! Warm and sunny days with clear skies outnumber the wet ones! For International tourists this coincides with the prime safari season in South Africa, giving you the best value for money.
Take advantage of the very affordable, low out of season rates for Horizons Holiday Cottages self catering accommodation during the Secret Season. Enjoy not having to wait for a table in the wonderful restaurants that are to be found in the vicinity in Noordhoek, Kalk Bay and Simonstown. We are a conveniently located, but affordable base for the coming attractions of the winter season.
We hope to see you soon in our beautiful Noordhoek valley; Cape Town’s best kept secret destination.

Regards
Dennis