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7 Budget-Friendly Travel Tips to Make Your Next Vacation More Affordable
From saving costs on accommodation to dragging your best friend on your next vacation. Anything to save money on your travels.
There are many budget-friendly travel tips that we can think of, but this blog is all about our 7 Budget-Friendly Travel Tips so that you can also save money for your next vacation.
More savings = more money for other vacations!
We will let you know our 7 actionable travel saving tips to keep costs as low as possible and not put yourself under financial stress due to your travel budgets.
1. Plan and Book in Advance
Planning and booking your travels in advance is one of the most cost effective ways to save money on your next vacation.
If you are like us, planning in advance isn’t always fun…. We are all about being spontaneous, but we prefer saving money!
Having been in the travel industry for over 6 years, I am quite familiar with the creating and planning of travel itineraries. It almost is like second nature to me, ideas flow and all of sudden we are ready to leave.
Which Destination Are You Traveling to?
Decide on the country that you are wanting to travel to, your budget that you have to spend and who is traveling with you. Knowing that your travel bestie is on the same page as you, makes travel planning a lot easier – luckily for me, Julia goes with the flow and rocks up at the airport.
Budget-Friendly Car hire Tips
We recently booked car hire with Avis, and noticed that they offer a discount for paying prior to your travel dates. Which we of course opted for.
Booking Your Flight In Advance
Booking flights ahead of your travel dates on early bird discounts will give you an option to play around with flight availability, arrival and departure times.
There are plenty of platforms to look for early bird discounts and monitor flights. Using Google Flights
Planning and booking your next vacation well ahead of your travel dates eliminates unnecessary higher costs and reduces last minute travel stress.
2. Be Flexible with Travel Dates and Destinations
Almost all of our travels have been for a purpose, besides our trip to Bali. That was a really spontaneous vacation and most definitely one of the best destinations that we have traveled to. There is this spiritual – soul refreshing thing about Bali. If you have traveled to Bali, I think you would know exactly what we are talking about…
Julia, being a teacher during our Bali trip, we had to travel during school holidays. Luckily she was able to take the last day off school, so that we could save a few thousand rands.
Traveling during off peak season
Making use of public holidays, vacation time off and working around school break if you have children. It definitely is easier if your job allows you flexibility and to be location independent.
Luckily for Julia and I, we are both currently working fully remotely and have flexibility to travel and work.
Selecting your travel dates
Air fares do increase over peak season and by demand. For example, flights will be a lot cheaper over a midweek day, compared to the same routing the day before Christmas.
Be open to traveling during off peak seasons, shoulder seasons, as well as week days.
Another aspect to look into is traveling outside of the “best time to travel”. We traveled to Bali over December, which is classified outside of the best time to travel, and we had the best time ever.
Yes, we had a few days of rain, but it was so lovely in between some super hot weather.
3. Consider Alternative Accommodations Types
There are so many alternative accommodation types besides booking a hotel.
Yes, hotels are luxurious, but have you seen some stunning Airbnb’s in and around Cape Town and surrounds?
During peak season, hotels are packed to maximum capacity and can get rather chaotic. We are very much into our self care routine and always looking for ways to de-stress, away from the hustle and bustle. If you are like us, and prefer the more laid back accommodation type, Airbnb may be the best alternative accommodation type for you.
Rent out Airbnb accommodation
We are all for staying at Airbnb mainly for three very specific reasons.
- We prefer having a self catering accommodation unit for us to prepare our own meals and stick to our eating plan.
- Support smaller properties who rent out their homes or second home to make an additional income.
- More personalized travel experience with first hand knowledge from hosts, especially super hosts like Colin Flynn at his Airbnb in Pinelands.
We have stayed at these Airbnbs and would highly recommend them for your next vacation to South Africa.
Other Airbnbs that we have stayed in are:
For those interested in traveling to New Zealand, here are our top 5 places to visit in New Zealand.
House Swaps with Family and friends
If you are planning on traveling to a country where you have family or friends living there, let them know your travel ideas and perhaps consider a house swap. A house swap is where you swap houses with each other, usually for the same or similar travel dates.
Of course staying with family and friends saves a lot of money, especially in countries where our Rands (ZAR) don’t go as far and accommodation is a huge chunk of your vacation budget.
House and pet sitting
Collaborating with companies like Trusted House Sitters who link you up with suitable families to care for their pets or houses.
Each listing is unique and differs according to the listings requirement. For example, a family requires you to walk their dogs twice a day for one hour each or water their garden and accept parcels arriving at their houses.
This is an awesome way to travel and save money while doing so.
4. Utilize Reputable Travel Agencies
There is nothing worse than dealing with someone in the travel industry that is not an expert in their field and can’t answer simple travel related questions.
When it comes to making your travel booking, make sure to book with a reputable travel agency.
Do your homework to find out if they are a legit company, before you give them all of your money.
There are plenty of horror stories where travelers have been scammed out of thousands of Rands. And sadly, there are people out there that are trying to scam you of your hard earned money.
Fear not, we will share two reputable travel agencies that we recommend you book your travels with.
Reputable Travel Agencies That You Can Book Your Next Vacation With
We have booked with both of these reputable agencies before and highly recommend them to others.
Thompsons Holidays
Thompsons Holidays is a trusted travel agency in South Africa with over 40 years of experience in the industry.
FYI: they are a trusted travel agency not only because I used to work at Thompsons Holidays, but because we have booked a few holidays with them. All of our bookings have been a breeze and the process of booking with them is super simple.
They offer a variety of travel options for both local and international destinations, and have a team of expert travel advisors to assist you with any kind of vacation.
Whether you’re looking for adventure, luxury, or a family getaway, they provide tailored options to suit your needs, making your travel experience hassle-free and enjoyable.
Travel Start
Travelstart is one of South Africa’s leading online travel agencies, offering affordable flights, hotels, car rentals, and holiday packages.
Being able to book all the above on one platform sounds lovely right? It sure is!
Their user-friendly platform makes it easy to compare prices and find the best travel deals, for both local and international trips.
It is definitely one of the easier platforms to navigate with a great user experience.
5. Make Use of SADC Benefits
This one is for our fellow South Africans.
Have you heard of SADC before? Do you know the meaning and how you can benefit from using SADC rates?
We all know the feeling.. Over priced tourist attractions in and around the country, where you end up not participating in seeing beautiful attractions in and around South Africa.
Let’s put an end to that and take your family and friends to see local attractions in and around your area. It might not be a big difference, but it all adds up especially with larger travel groups.
What is SADC?
SADC = Southern African Development Community
For some people, this might be the first time seeing this term. Don’t worry, I only know of it from my days working in the tourism industry.
Which Countries Form SADC?
Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
How to Make Use Of SADC Rates?
When booking accommodation at hotels or lodges, tours and activities make sure to ask if there are discounts for SADC residents. You will most likely have to present your ID or passport to prove this.
You will be able to receive discounted rates on entrance fees to National Parks, lowered pricing for accommodation and sometimes good deals for groups.
Your South African green ID book or ID card isn’t completely useless after all 🙂 Take it with you when traveling to these destinations and attractions and receive the discount you deserve.
By taking advantage of these SADC rates, you and your family can travel more affordably throughout South and Southern Africa.
6. Travel with Your Best Friend
Drag that bestie with you!
Luckily for us, we have each other and whatever travel ideas I recommend, Julia is very much keen.
For those who are new here and don’t know us, you can find out who Off two wander are and the reasons behind our travel blog.
Why traveling with your best friend can save you money
Have you heard of single supplement fees? If not, it is a fee that you are charged for traveling alone. How dare they?
A single supplement fee is an additional fee that is charged to single occupancy travelers when they occupy a room that can accommodate two people. This fee covers the cost difference, as prices are usually based on double occupancy. The single supplement fee varies depending on the provider, whether it be train, hotel, transport or activity.
So, to avoid that single supplement fee, we suggest rounding your friends up and making one amazing friend vacation out of it. It is a lot trickier when it comes to larger groups and accommodating different needs and wants for vacations.
That is why our number 1 pointer, planning is also a huge factor, to avoid any disappointments and unrealistic expectations.
7 Ways To Convince Your Friends to Travel With You
- Reduce accommodation costs: sharing a twin room with two people compared to being charged for 1 person in a hotel room.
- Group discount: Groups are usually offered a discount rate if you can round up a set number of friends. Find out from your travel agent if the trip offers group discount pricing.
- Safety in numbers: yes solo travel is great! But having your friends travel with you is another form of safety so that you have someone with you at all times. Especially in case of emergencies.
- Transport discount: With group bookings, you are usually allocated a bigger vehicle and it is dedicated to only you and your group. Talk about VIP service!
- This is really lovely when you are on a guided tour and have your guide educate you on historic buildings or areas.
- Guide feedback and answers are also more personalized
- Memories: take lots of photos and share your memories on social media platforms like we do on Off two wander’s Instagram page.
- Socializing guru: no need to make new friends in a foreign country. Although this is extremely fun and highly recommended by us 😀 Depending on the country that you are traveling to, it can sometimes be daunting to make new friends.
- Group fun: if you have the same interests as each other, traveling in a group with your friends holds each other accountable to do certain activities and try things that you would never have before – For example: Microlighting over the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
7. Set a Trip Budget and Stick to it
Of course with any holiday, you need to know what kind of budget you are working with. Some countries have set requirements for visa purposes – for those who don’t know, South Africans require a Schengen Visa to travel to most European countries.
For example, Norway requires you to have 500 NOK in savings per day as the guideline for expenses in the country. Another requirement is to have an itinerary planned to submit to the consulate. Luckily, this comes as second nature me as I previously worked in the travel industry. This also made working out daily expenses easier.
We pay everything upfront to make sure that the majority of the bigger expenses are out of the way and stay keep our travels budget-friendly. Knowing that whatever money we spend during the trip are extras, and there are no more surprise bills that still need to be covered.
During our last winter vacation in Norway, we opened up a Credit Card with FNB, and swiped our card on the day to day expenses. It was very simple using our FNB Credit Card while traveling abroad. The only thing that we had to do before leaving South Africa, was let the bank know of our travel dates to prevent them from blocking our card and thinking that it was fraudulent banking activities.
Once we returned from our trip, we split the total in 2 and paid off the total. The total wasn’t too scary, knowing that all the bigger costs were paid off prior to us departing from Cape Town.
Travel Budget Apps To Set a Trip Budget and Stick To It
We are living in a world where apps and software are all around us. And continuously adapting and evolving with the times.
Great for travelers like us, who are all about Budget-friendly travel tips and prefer to stay on track with our finances.
Monefy
Monefy is a user-friendly budgeting app that can be used to track your travel expenses in real time.
It’s your “must have” app to stay on budget, as it allows you to log every purchase, categorize it and gives you an overview on your expenditures.
Being easy to navigate you can easily set daily or trip-specific budget limits, monitor how much you’ve spent, and adjust your spending accordingly.
By keeping everything organized, Monefy ensures you stay within your financial goals while enjoying your travels.
Trabee Pocket
Trabee Pocket is another travel budgeting app, designed to help you stay on top of your expenses while traveling.
It allows you to categorize your spending, track your cash and card transactions, and even create multiple budgets for a single trip.
With features like visual reports and customizable categories, it helps travelers monitor their budget in real-time, ensuring you don’t overspend.
By breaking down your expenses into clear categories, you can better manage your finances and stick to your travel budget effortlessly.
Splitwise
Splitwise is a great tool for managing shared expenses, especially during group travel.
It allows you to track who owes what, split bills evenly or unevenly, and keep a clear record of expenses among friends or travel companions.
This helps you stay within your travel budget by ensuring transparency and accuracy in cost-sharing.
Splitwise also sets reminders for payments and makes settling debts easy via integrations with payment platforms, keeping your finances organized throughout your trip.
Which one of these travel budget apps will you be using to keep track of your spending while on vacation?
Make sure to use one of these travel budget apps to keep track of your expenses and make your travels memorable. No one wants to return back home having overspent, being miserable, and in financial stress where you aren’t able to enjoy your weekends doing unique activities in Cape Town.
Next vacation, let’s go!
There are many different types of travelers these days and various reasons why people travel. From slow travelers working remotely as digital nomads, to travelers who prefer jam packed one week itineraries.
We do prefer slow travel, depending on the country and reason for our travels. Our best slow travel adventure was when we traveled to New Zealand for 3 months. We used most of the above mentioned budget-friendly travel tips to make our Rands go a long way.
We hope that you can use these 7 budget-friendly travel tips to make your next vacation more cost effective.
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Escape to Elegance: A Weekend Away at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa
Ever thought of escaping to elegance by experiencing a weekend away at the infamous 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town?
No, we didn’t think we would ever stay at a 5 star hotel either!
In this blog post we talk about how you can stay there too, without breaking the bank, well sort of…
Where is the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa located
The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa is located on the infamous Victoria Road in Cape Town. Taking the scenic route from Sea Point through to Hout Bay, you will pass this splendid 5 star hotel. If you are too busy looking at the ocean views, you might just miss one of the best 5 star hotels in Cape Town.
The sea view rooms have Atlantic ocean views, where you can see whales and dolphins during certain times of the year.
What more could you want as a traveler visiting Cape Town? You get the whole package – mountain and ocean views (this is a huge tourist attraction for foreigners traveling to Cape Town).
The hotel is nestled on the base of Table Mountain, where you have the backdrop of The Apostle Mountain range behind you. Driving along Victoria Road, you will be able to see all 18 peaks along the apostle mountain range.
These are the names of the apostle mountain range peaks
Kloof, Fountain, Porcupine, Jubilee, Barrier, Valken, Kasteel, Postern, Wood, Spring, Slangolie, Corridor, Separation, Victoria, Grove, Llandudno Peak, Llandudno Corridor, Hout Bay Corner.
Hiking these mountains is a very popular activity amongst locals and tourists. For those staying at the 12 Apostles Hotel, there is access to the hiking routes from the hotel. If you are a beginner hiker or hiking solo, we suggest that you find a tour guide to show you the ins and outs, as well as from a safety perspective.
What is the best area to stay in Cape Town
We are seriously lucky with the beaches along South Africa’s coastlines. Whether it be the west coast or east coast, both coastal areas have spectacular sceneries with plenty activities to do.
Areas along the Atlantic Coast are a huge seller for tourists traveling to Cape Town. Being in the heart of Cape Town, you are spoilt with plenty restaurant options, views for days and have easy access to tourist attractions.
The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa is a lovely split of being away in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by nature, but not too far away from civilization.
For those who want to venture into Cape Town, the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle, which runs daily between 08:00 and 21:30. It’s only a 15 minute drive to the V&A Waterfront via Camps Bay, where you will be able to hop on and hop off. There are designated areas where the driver will drop off and pick up guests, make sure you know where these spots are along the route.
Some of the best areas to stay in Cape Town are: Sea Point, Camps Bay, Clifton, Mouille Point, Green Point. These areas are all extremely popular areas for tourists to stay in during their trip to Cape Town.
The area you decide to stay in depends entirely on what kind of holiday you want. Some travelers prefer the quieter areas, away from the above mentioned tourist hubs.
The Cape Winelands: Accommodation options outside of Cape Town
Splitting up your holiday with a few days in Cape Town and a few days in the winelands is also a popular option. For those tourists who have more time and are flexible, being based in the winelands for 3 to 4 nights, is highly recommended. Once you arrive in the winelands region, you will realize how many wine estate options you have and you’d want to see them all!
The most popular wine regions for tourists to stay in are Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl.
Wine farm hopping is a must! And is of course easier to do if you are based in one of these wine regions.
We highly recommend doing the Hop-on Hop-off wine tram in Franschhoek. It is a lovely way to explore more of the Franschhoek winelands and visit a variety of wine estates. There are different colour wine tram lines, so find out which wine estates you are most interested in visiting and book that colour tour.
If you are a guest staying at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa, they have a concierge desk where the staff will be able to book any tours for you or answer any questions that you might have.
For those feeling adventurous and have more time to explore South Africa and Africa, get some inspiration from our blogs below.
Perhaps considering a 5 day trip to the Victoria Falls, or a trip up South Africa’s West Coast to Langebaan? I am sure you have heard of Churchhaven and Kraal Baai, two spectacular beaches inside the West Coast National Park. For those who are time restricted, you can base yourself in Langebaan and do day trips from there.
Must visit beaches near The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa
There are a few must visit beaches that you need to visit during your stay in Cape Town. The 12A hotel is located right in front of the beach, however, the beach is not ideal for swimming or tanning as there are rocks and no real beach with sand.
The next best beach from the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa is Cosy Bay. A cute, quaint beach with white sand and freezing cold water. Don’t tell us that we didn’t warn you! 😉
Bakoven, Beta Beach, Camps Bay Beach (there is a lovely tidal pool to swim in with stunning mountain views) are other beaches in close proximity to the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa.
Glen Beach, Maidens Cove, and the well known Clifton Beaches are other beaches you should totally add to your beach list. Be prepared for steep steps if you are wanting to go to any of the Clifton Beaches.
Another tidal pool is Saunders Rock, which has recently become an extremely popular beach to swim at amongst locals and foreigners. This is such a special spot to swim all day and watch the sunset, while snacking on your picnic / Uber eats from close by restaurants (pizza from New York Slice Pizza and healthy from Kauai. You will often find us getting Marcels Frozen Yogurt and sitting by the ocean, come winter and summer!)
If you are wanting warmer water to swim in, head over to Muizenberg which is a very popular surf spot for experienced surfers and those just starting out.
Find out more about us
Read more about our travel stories and the reason behind why we started our travel blog.
12 Apostles Hotel and Spa Luxurious Accommodation
Absorbing the beauty on route to the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa, was something truly amazing. As South Africans, we had driven that route on numerous occasions and had only ever visited the 12A perhaps three times.
Sounds ridiculous being a Capetonian. Even just going for a drink at their cocktail lounge seems like a fabulous idea, and I wish we had done it prior to our stay. Sitting on the balcony sipping on a cold one, with views of the mountain, Atlantic ocean while the sun sets. So dreamy!
When I was working in the travel industry, I did site visits and one of those were at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa. This was back in 2014 and of course it is a lot different when you are going for work purposes, compared to a chilled weekend away on your own terms as a paying guest.
Walking into the hotel, we were welcomed by such wonderful gentlemen. They showed us the way and took our luggage from us as we headed over to the check in desk.
Check in was a breeze, we confirmed our information and followed the friendly staff and colourful, vibrant carpet to our Mountain Facing room. It felt like the magic carpet was leading us to this dreamy location where we felt the stress and busy minds float away. The hotel is light, with nature peeking through at each corner, and the scents of ocean air filling the rooms and hallways.
As we walked into our large Mountain Facing room, one automatically walks over to the large balcony, which boasts views of the mountain ranges, the sounds of birds chirping, the smells of the fauna below as overall calmness surrounds you. The hotel gladly took our request of having two single beds, as we cannot share a bed.. (I know we’re not the only ones!).
Our booking included the dinner and movie packed, which consisted of the following below:
12 Apostles Hotel and Spa: Dinner and Movie Package
- Classic room with twin bed (whatever your preference is)
- Full English Breakfast at the Azure Restaurant
- Includes freshly harvested oysters and sparkling wine.
- 3 course dinner at either the Azure Restaurant or The Cafe Grill.
- You can select which restaurant you would like to eat dinner at and make the dinner reservation with the host accordingly. Make sure that you allow enough time to let the hotel know where you would prefer dinner, as reservations are subject to availability dependent on the hotel’s capacity.
- The Cafe Grill is definitely the more laid back restaurant out of the two, however, the menus are the same.
- Take note that the menu is a select menu for different packages.
- Use of the 16 seater in-house cinema to be enjoyed with fresh popcorn and candy served to you inside the cinema.
- There are set movies at set times, so make sure to look at the scheduling.
**Please note that there are certain rates for SADC residents, and that we made our booking based on being South African residents.
Let me upgrade you
Of course, having friends who work in the travel industry at Thompsons Holidays, Ravi-Lee did what best friends do, and upgraded us to a Mountain Facing room.
We were so amazed at the views from our room and actually didn’t want to leave! Alas, there was plenty for us to do during our 2 night stay at the 12 Apostles and we were eager to get exploring!
We would highly recommend upgrading your room category to get the most of your experience at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa. Yes, your bank accounts won’t like you after your trip, but this is a once off yolo (you only live once) spoil yourself and make the most of this 5 star hotel experience!
How many rooms does The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa have
There are 70 rooms and suites at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa, and each are elegantly designed with a unique look and feel.
Imagine having a pillow menu?
Yes, you read correctly. 5 star hotel, giving 5 star service.
From pillow menus, to evening turndowns, to outstanding customer service from all hotel staff, this is a 5 star hotel experience in Cape Town that you do not want to miss!
Top rated spa experience in Cape Town
Our first time visiting the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa was when we visited The Spa. Our family had gifted us with a treatment for our 21st birthday! How fabulous! We didn’t really venture around too much back then, but wish we did!
Two things that definitely had us in awe and completely obsessed with The Spa, were the spa facilities and the outdoor Mountain Gazebos.
As you walk into the spa area, there is a calming feeling that overcomes you and you can feel that this is going to be a lifelong memory.
Their slogan is “Surrender Your Senses In A Spa By The Sea” and that is exactly what you can expect!
Now, for those that know us and follow us on Instagram, we tend to visit spas in and around Cape Town as often as our wellness and selfcare budget allows 😉
We can hands down say that The Spa at the 12 Apostles is one of the best spa experiences that we have had to date. I had the Red Carnation Baobab Salt Scrub and Julia had the Swedish Full Body Massage, and we spent the day relaxing in the salt water floatation pool and the hydrotherapy plunge pools.
Best treatment to have at The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa
Since our spa visit in 2013, some of the facilities can only be used if you book a day package. If I were you, it is well worth splurging on the extras.
A day package that we can highly recommend is the Outdoor Bliss. This spa package is the perfect couples treatment and includes a 90 minute Swedish Massage, usage of the salt water floatation pool and the hydrotherapy plunge pools, lunch and bubbles at the 12A restaurant Cafe Grill.
**Treatment in the Mountain Gazebos is weather permitting.
If you want to experience a spa treatment but you are on a tighter budget, we would recommend having the Pressure Point Foot Therapy treatment.
Dining experiences and options
Our first morning having the most delicious breakfast buffet of our dreams (besides La Victoria in Mauritius when we were 15 years old🤭), I felt eyes on us.
With bellies full, a lovely lady came over to greet us. We thought it was the hotel staff being super friendly, meanwhile it was someone that knew me, but just didn’t know where from.
Being in the tourism industry, you meet many people along the way and it can sometimes be overwhelming to remember faces and names… we spoke for some time and eventually came to learn how we knew each other!
We both worked for an agency, where we had never met face to face because we were fully remote without offices. We spoke for hours until we eventually had to get going with our day.
We had to ask Chandre Sedres a question about the 12 Apostles and her role as Guest Relations Officer.
What is your favourite aspect of the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa
“My favorite aspect of The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa has got to be the fact that you’re literally walking through an art gallery through each corridor of the hotel.
The Tollmans had collected SA artwork and brought it back home. I appreciate the combination of art and history all in one place. This used to be my selling point whilst walking guests to their room or around the property and they loved it.
For some, remembering the art collection in the corridors would help them navigate their way to and from their rooms throughout their stay. ”
Back to the restaurant.
The 12 Apostles has two restaurant options that are located inside the hotel, as well as a dining lounge and the Leopard Bar.
PS: The Leopard Bar has the most spectacular views when Cape Town is showing off with the bright orange sun setting over the 12 Apostles Mountain range. Space is limited on the deck outside, so make sure to get there early to secure your spot.
We decided to try both restaurants and they both were lovely. You can feel the ambiance and vibes differ between the two restaurants, so it depends entirely what kind of dining experience you prefer.
For mains on our first night, we went to the Azure Restaurant, where Julia had a delicious curry and I had one of the best steaks that I have had.
For our second night, we had dinner at The Cafe Grill. I ordered the fish and Julia tried the steak out since I raved about how good the steak was the previous night.
A reminder, that the menus are usually set based on the package that you booked. The menu will most likely be the same, and you can sit at either restaurant of your choice.
12 Apostles Hotel and Spa: Special Offers & Packages
There are options for everyone 🙂
And this is how we were able to make our 5 star hotel dreams happen.
Special offers during off peak season are the perfect time to make your move (or make your booking). Hotels in general are a lot quieter and offer specials for locals to make the most of these deals.
Take advantage of the specials and packages running during off peak season. You will be able to save some bucks during this time period and the pricing during this time doesn’t break the bank entirely.
Thompsons Holidays are the travel company who we booked our 2 night dinner and movie package with. Our agent, Susan, was efficient and the whole process was pretty simple. I told her exactly what we wanted, most importantly to include the twin room, which is a huge factor for us when we travel.
Heads up, start looking at availability now 🙂
What is SADC
SADC = Southern African Development Community
For some people, this might be the first time seeing this term. Don’t worry, I only know of it from my days working in the tourism industry.
Which countries are part of the SADC
Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
How To Find Specials For SADC Residents
Yes, it might seem too far-fetched, but you can stay at the 12 Apostles too!
With the amount of foreigners traveling to South Africa during peak season (November – February), it can be overwhelming for locals when hotels are booked up months in advance. For us as local Capetonians, we are okay working through festive or traveling outside of South Africa to escape the crowds.
Many South Africans head to the coastal areas for festive and popular sightseeing attractions that might be unbearable for those who dislike overpopulated places.
That being said, any 5 star hotel is most likely going to be booked out over peak season. No reason to be mad about it and the perfect opportunity to make use of the SADC specials for locals during the quieter season.
Make sure to ask if there are discounts as a South African, not only for accommodation, but for tourist attractions too! You will be asked for either passport or ID, so for those living abroad and consider themselves South African still, make sure you have one of the above to benefit from the discounts. Otherwise you will have to fork out your Euro’s, USD or Pounds.
Get booking!
If we haven’t made you want to book your next holiday at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa, then you will have to re read from the top.
Or have a look at off two wander’s Instagram page for a little more enticement.
How to book your escape to elegance at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa
Have a look at the packages available over the dates that you would like to travel. There are many, and make sure to look out for the inclusion and exclusions to avoid disappointment.
**You don’t want to arrive at the hotel thinking you have all meals included, when in fact you have booked for dinners only.
- 5* The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa – Dinner & a Movie Package (1 Night)
- 5* The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa – Package (2 Nights)
**Please note that these packages are our own recommendations. They are subject to change and subject to availability. Ts and C’s apply as per the supplier.
Let us know when you’ve booked your escape to elegance 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa holiday 🙂
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9 Things We Wish We Knew As First Time Skiers
Winter season doesn’t have to be boring. It can actually be so much fun, if you know what you’re doing. We will share our first time skier tips and what you need to know for your first ski experience.
While planning our Norway trip, we spoke about learning to ski & laughed with our 5 year old nephew who said he would teach us. Well, let’s just say they are SO good at skiing as they go very often during the winter season. The conditions while we were there were absolutely on point, with fresh dusty snow and sunshine – which was amazing! Made us so happy.
Being sporty our whole lives, we really thought that we would be good at it! Let’s just say, it is a lot harder than it looks.
We really underestimated things we wish we knew as first time skiers. I mean, our Norwegian family was meant to give us all the in’s and out’s.
In this blog post we talk about things that we wish we knew as first time skiers and hope this helps with your next vacay planning.
Where To Start As First Time Skiers
Here are pointers that will make your first skiing experience a fun one.
1.) What to take with
- Some places allow you to bring your own food. You will need to refuel and get some hot coco to keep you warm
- Sunblock
- Change of clothing and fresh socks
- Sled to pack all your items in while you ski (dual purpose for carting the goods and sledding down the hills)
2. What to wear from top to bottom
- Sunglasses or goggles
- A buff
- Wool top
- Warmer top
- Waterproof or insulated jacket
- Wool pants
- Waterproof pants
- Wool socks
3. What to hire
- Helmet
- Ski boots
- Skis
- Ski poles
4. What to expect
- Experience of a lifetime! If you follow our 9 things to remember for first time skiers.
- Buy a ski pass if you are visiting for a longer period of time. You can save bucks and not be limited to a set time on the slopes, allowing you to practice during your whole vacation.
First Time Skier Terminology For Beginners
Pizza.
Just know the word pizza and know how to do it. This is what a ski instructor will teach you when you are learning to ski for the first time.
Julia talking about pizza while in Norway and me thinking she was talking about food all the time…. 👀
It’s all good taking the lift to the top of the slopes, but you need to know how to slow down safely. The pizza move involves pointing both your skis towards each other, making a “V” shape. If you want to pick up speed again, return your skis to a parallel shape. I learnt this the hard way…
Julia showing me the correct pizza move in the picture below.
Everything Ski Boots For First Time Skiers
Are ski boots comfortable? No.
And yes.
If you have never put on a pair of ski boots before, you will feel very awkward putting them on, walking in them and everything in between. The only pleasant time is when your ski boots are on and you are on your skis, ready to go down the slopes.
They might feel very heavy, especially when you are walking in them for the first time. We both had to help each other when walking from the ski hire centre to the smaller slope area. A huge lesson is to put your skis on right away when your boots are tied up. Walking in the snow in snow boots can be uncomfortable, as you are not walking in your normal posture. Get those skis on, and start manoeuvring to the slopes.
How To Know What Size Ski Boots To Wear
Go according to your everyday shoe size and size up one or two sizes.
Since we were on holiday and not planning on purchasing our own skis, we decided to rent equipment from the ski resort. This of course has pro’s and con’s. Wearing your own skis will get more comfortable in the long run than hiring ski boots that everyone else has worn before.
Ski boots are a solid hard boot and you want to be comfortable in your ski boots, as you might be in them for longer periods of time, depending on how long you plan to stay at the ski resort for.
Ski Boot Fitting
Don’t be afraid to try the ski boot on and if it doesn’t fit, tell the ski instructor or person at the hire shop.
We are usually a size 37 and asked for a size 37… well our feet were so cramped up in there and made walking in the boots a little uncomfortable. So, we would really suggest going one or two sizes bigger to have more room for movement. Also remember that your socks are a huge factor too. If you are wearing thicker socks, you want to factor that in too.
It is important to know that you don’t want the ski boots too big, otherwise you will be slipping and sliding. Your toes will be sore from trying to get grip inside the ski boots and can also impact your balance on the slopes. Being outside in minus degrees, you don’t want ski boots too big or too small. Getting feet and toe cramps is not fun.
How To Know What Clothing To Wear
Ask locals! They know best.
Perfect ski conditions, but don’t have the correct clothing to wear? That can make your first ever ski experience a very unpleasant one.
Layer up. Add layers so that you can take your clothing off accordingly. Skiing is a workout and you will work up a sweat.
1.) Waterproof gloves or mittens
Your hands will get wet, so make sure they are waterproof and keep the warmth in.
2.) Wool top and pants
We wore woolen tops and pants under our waterproof jackets and pants and this was sufficient.
3.) Waterproof jacket and pants
Jeans won’t cut it.
4.) Buff
This helps big time covering up your neck and face from the elements.
5.) Ski goggles or glasses
You will be surprised at how you can get sunburnt from the sun’s reflection off the snow.
If you don’t have these items, as many first time skiers won’t. Borrow from family or friends. They will always have extras.
There are second hand shops where you can buy cheaper ski gear / winter clothing. While walking around town after a day of skiing, we found a second hand store, Omatte, who are all for promoting a sustainable future by reusing items. You can tell we love them, by us going back twice during our trip and the clothing that came home with us 😊 The owner is a young local Norwegian, who opened up the shop with her mom and we definitely plan on going shopping there on our next Norway trip.
Get to know off two wander
Read about where we have traveled to so far and what we have got up to in other blogs.
Where To Get Waterproof Snow Gear
Borrow or buy.
Borrow from friends or family if you are visiting for a few weeks. If you are planning on moving to a snowy country, consider buying for the long run. You will be using it more often than you think.
Our favourite shop in Norway is the Sports Outlet. They had everything that we needed and maybe bought a little too much from there. What we highly recommend is going shopping that week between Christmas and New Years. Many of the shops have huge sales where you can buy some decent items for up to half price!
It is best to purchase items from the country that you are visiting, as you can get the best quality and gear that is suitable to the climate. We took plenty of items from South Africa that we didn’t end up wearing because it wasn’t suitable for Norway’s snowy conditions. We even bought some items in Sweden and the climate is so different between the two countries. We weren’t able to wear some of the Swedish items in Norway.
The locals are also able to give better insight on what clothing items will be suitable for your activities that you have while in the country.
The Best Wool Clothing For Skiing
We bought our wool clothing from the Sports Outlet of course.
Karla thermo wool pants and top are the items that kept us super warm during our first winter holiday and during our first ever skiing experience. These items are a combination of wool and polyester, keeping us warm and comfortable even when layering up.
Many people thought that we were crazy to leave South African summer to have a cold snowy Christmas, but it was so pleasant having the right woollen clothing. We were able to spend lots of time outdoors, walking around with snow up to our knees, and playing in the snow with our nephews, without getting wet, best! We will always say, having the correct clothing for a winter vacation is key, and this applies to going on any vacation (@lauren for always overpacking).
First Time Skier Tips: Hire a Ski Instructor
**Highly recommended**
They have been skiing for many years and are the experts in teaching beginners how to ski.
Ski instructors know the layout of the ski resort, therefore creating a safe space, as well as show you everything that you need to know as a first time skier. Give you a little confidence too! 🙂
We didn’t think of hiring an instructor when we arrived at the ski resort. Watching the younger local kids own their skiing time, made us feel like we could also just own it! As mentioned, we have participated in most sports while growing up, just not skiing. In fact, I had never seen snow before our Norway / Sweden Christmas trip. So the hype was real!
First Time Skier Tips: What Not To Do
Don’t be like us. Or don’t be like me. Here’s a little story time.
We let our brother and nephews do their thing and enjoy the morning skiing, while we enjoyed being surrounded by lots and lots of thick snow. A quick lunch break for the kids and off they went again. That’s when we decided that it was our time to get onto the slopes.
Let’s go with the kids. This is like second nature to them, but yes, let’s do it!
One, two, three we are taking the lift to get higher up the slopes. Lack of thinking or just somewhat taken aback by the excitement of skiing for the first time ever and being surrounded by such beauty, I went right up to level 5 with the kids and found myself freaking out about how to “get down”. Let’s just say, I flew out of the resort into 2024, without falling and breaking any bones. Not quite sure how I didn’t fall and injure myself..
Julia’s turn to ski:
Julia was of course filming this very first ski experience and went running to save me from landing up in thick snow below the slope. I was so traumatised and told Julia exactly what NOT to do…
Once Julia was ready to tackle the slopes, she took to the slopes at a slow pace and started at level one and worked her way up to level three, slowly. How it was meant to be done. There is no way to describe the freshness in the air, the adrenaline pumping, the snow filled mountain views together with the sun shining, but to actually experience it yourself.
I guess we will have to go back, and hire an instructor and do this all the “proper way”. It will take a lot of convincing to build my confidence up and get back onto the slopes. Either way, Julia had the best time!
Things To Remember Once You Are Done Skiing
Don’t take your boots off until you are 100% sure you are finished skiing for the day.
Walking in your ski boots can be uncomfortable, but putting your ski’s back on after walking in thick snow, is not fun. You have to clear the snow from your ski boots so that they can fit snug into the ski again. We had to help each other do this, as it is not so easy for first time skiers.
We also didn’t know what a mission it would be to clear the snow from the ski boots and that this was the reason why we couldn’t get out of the skis properly.
Learning to ski can be a daunting experience, especially if you are going with seasonal skiers.
It is loads of fun and if you follow these 9 tips that we have mentioned in this blog post, we think that you will make amazing memories on your winter vacation in the snow.
Layer up, wear appropriate snow gear, hire the instructor and head to the slopes!
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Glamping in Stanford: The Perfect Way To Experience The Outdoors
Keen campers, but not keen on being cold in your standard camping tent? That’s us. For those who aren’t so keen on the rough side of camping, Africamps Boutique Glamping, is then the ideal glamping experience for you. Heated bed blankets, inside fireplace and an inverter – what more could you ask for! Absolutely makes luxury camping more pleasant. We celebrated our birthday this year by booking our very first glamping getaway. Choosing the location was a rock paper scissor situation and the winner decided on glamping in Stanford. We wanted to make a pit stop in Hermanus for our birthday breakfast, and were set on going to Frances At Auberge. And let’s say, we will definitely be visiting all of the Africamps glamping sites throughout the country! Yes, Africamps currently have 16 glamping sites in various parts of South Africa.In this blog post we will cover what glamping is and how to make the most of your first glamping experience.
What is glamping?
Glamping = glamorous camping
Self catering kitchen, running water, comfortable beds (not a mattress that has lost all its air that you have ended up sleeping on the hard ground) and a spacious deck area to enjoy a braai with family and friends.
Glamping has become more popular over the last few years, and is most definitely a top choice for families wanting to experience nature and the outdoors with sophistication.
A road trip to Africamps Stanford is a mere 2 hour drive from Cape Town, and allows you to see more of South Africa’s scenic routes, including the famous whale watching destination, Hermanus.
Is glamping worth it?
Yes! So much yes!
Everyone has to do this sometime in their life. Depending on your budget and preferences play a factor in whether you are a glamper or not.
We love that everything is there already. You just need to arrive at the glamping destination and have a good time! No setting up campsite and blowing up mattresses… you get the vibe.
Luxurious Glamping Accommodation
Africamps Stanford has 10 tents with wood-fired hot tubs and are located on the Stanford Hills Wine Estate. Make sure that you book the correct tent when proceeding with the booking online.
The tents are tucked under the Klein River Mountain range and are located quite a distance from the wine farm restaurants, making your stay secluded and more private. The tents are also well spaced out so that you don’t hear what your neighbor has to say, making the glamping in Stanford experience peaceful and relaxing.
Our Polo VW got us up the hill to our glamping tent, so you don’t need a 4×4.
Self Catering Tents
The glamping tents are all self catering units, with a full equipped kitchen, crockery and cutlery and a gas stove for those load shedding days. Each glamping tent can accommodate up to 5 people, consisting of 2 double beds and 1 of the double beds having a single bunk bed above.
The outside deck is spacious where you can sit watching the kids in the hot tub, friends braaing or simply listen to the sounds of the birds amongst the protea flowers.
You can purchase wood for the indoor fireplace, outdoor braai area or the wood-fired hot tub from the Stanford Hills Estate reception area. Stanford Hills manage the Africamps Stanford glamping tents and are contactable via Whatsapp.
Their customer service is something that stood out for us, always making sure everything was in order and that we were having a wonderful stay.
3 Other Glamping Getaways That We Considered Booking
All three glamping getaway experiences are within 1.5 – 3 hours from Cape Town, making it an ideal road trip destination. End work early on a Friday and hit the roads for a glamping staycation.
1.) Africamps at Doolhof, Wellington
With the fairly new restaurant, Mila at Doolhof, on the same premises as the Africamps at Doolhof, I think that gives you enough reason to want to visit this Africamps. They are located on the Doolhof Wine Estate and lie on the banks of the Kromrivier. A must for any wine and nature lover!
Top tip: make sure you don’t miss the turnoff. If you are heading towards the Bainskloof Pass, you have gone too far.
2.) Africamps at Kam’Bati, Swellendam
The perfect family glamping experience located on the banks of the Breede River. Plenty of kid friendly activities to keep the kids busy, some including fishing, rope swinging into the river and cycling around the resort too. As for the adults, learning more about the Swellendam town History and watching sport at the resort bar.
3.) Africamps at Pat Busch, Robertson
Located in the Pat Busch Mountain Reserve, which is just outside of Robertson and +-2 hour drive from Cape Town. Just like all the other Africamps, the Robertson glamping tents are also surrounded by nature and perfect for your outdoor experience. Wine tasting, picnics on the Breede River and views of the Langeberg Mountain Range – what more can you ask for?
Other accommodation in and around Cape Town
The Perfect Way To Experience The Outdoors
There is never enough time to do all the activities that you set out to do, and of course you will come across new spots that you would like to explore while you are at the destination.
Depending on your interests, here are a few of our suggestions for activities to do during your glamping in Stanford getaway. We might be doing the first bullet point real soon!
Activities to do in and around Stanford
- Whale season (June – December every year)
- Nature walks
- Hiking trails
- Stargazing
- E-biking
- Wine tasting
- Coffee, lunch and dinners
- Fishing
- Viewing fauna and flora
But first, coffee
We had to stop by at the lovely Ou Meul in Stanford during our e-biking tour.
Best Time to Visit Stanford
We prefer to stay away from the crowds, so ideally off peak season (March – October) and mid week. However, that isn’t always the case for some of us in office jobs… (Julia). Stanford is a small town, which allows you to explore the surrounding areas like Hermanus and Gansbaai.
A glamping in Stanford road trip during whale season must be a beautiful time of the year to travel. Whale season in South Africa takes place every year between June and December. Sightings depend on various aspects, such as predators in the bays, water conditions and calving seasons. Hermanus is known for whale watching and can get really busy with plenty local and international crowds.
We’d suggest to take a day’s leave and explore during the week 🙂
How To Book Your Africamps Glamping Trip
Are you ready to book your glamping in Stanford getaway yet?
If it’s a yes, here’s how to book:
- Open up Google (or your preferred search engine) and paste this into your search tab “https://africamps.com”
- Select your preferred camp and put in your dates and search for live availability
- If there is a special, select the special that can apply to you (eg midweek special) or click on the standard rate
- Select the amount of tents (1 tent for a family of 4)
- Add the amount of adults / kids
- Add any extras (breakfast or braai pack) you can also order this when you are there
- Add your personal information
- Add your payment details
- Read T’s and C’s and proceed with the payment
- You will receive a booking confirmation on email once the payment has been processed and a Whatsapp message on the day you check in
Get booking
We highly recommend going in the winter months, as it is cosy with the hot tub, heated blankets and indoor fireplace.
We would recommend booking in advance, especially during school holidays as families book their glamping getaway months in advance. Because we went during the week, it was a lot quieter and suited us perfectly.
If you are deciding on booking a last minute glamping experience with Africamps, we would recommend requesting a specific tent, for example we stayed in tent 6 which was on the outskirts and not smack bang in the middle of all the tents.
So, what dates have you booked your glamping getaway for?
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Staycation at Shark Bay Hotel
A staycation at Shark Bay Hotel in Langebaan is the ultimate place to unwind, relax and rejuvenate.
Whether your staycation is to relax or have fun, there are many activities to do in Langebaan and it’s surrounding towns. Just a mere 1.5 hour drive from Cape Town, it’s not too far for a weekend staycation.
For those who are new here, we are twin South African travel bloggers, inspiring you to travel more! Our page is to create travel content, and showcase our travel tips and experiences. Itinerary planning can be quite time consuming, but with Lauren’s travel background, it’s like second nature to her.
In this blog post, we go into detail about our staycation at Shark Bay Hotel where we celebrated our 30th birthday!
Where is Shark Bay Hotel located?
The Shark Bay Hotel is nestled on a hill in Langebaan which overlooks the Langebaan Lagoon and West Coast National Park. The villa’s are sparsely located and surrounded by picturesque flora and fauna. Currently, there is a lot of construction work in the area so hopefully there is still space and privacy between units in a few years time. Langebaan is renowned for it being a fisherman’s town, where kitesurfing is very popular for locals and tourists and it’s a close enough drive for a weekend getaway.
How to get to Langebaan
Langebaan is approximately 1.5 hours from Cape Town, depending on how many stops you make / speed limit. Remember this road has cameras which track your average speed and fines are rather hefty.
Head onto the N7 towards Malmesbury and take exit 31 which merges left from N7 onto Melkbosstrand Rd/M19. (If you’re in need of a little coffee pitstop, the Melkbosstrand Caltex FreshStop isn’t a far detour off the main road and has a takeaway Seattle Coffee Co inside.)
Directions to your staycation at Shark Bay Hotel
Exit Melkbosstrand and turn left onto the R27 towards Langebaan and drive for +- 86km. Turn left at the Engen West Coast 1 Stop onto Langebaan Weg. The road name changes to Oostewal Road, and continue traveling straight until you get to the Langebaan Yacht Club T junction. Turn left onto Sunbird Drive, right into Park Drive and right into Stompneus Drive. The destination Shark Bay Hotel will be on your right hand side.
When returning home from your staycation at Shark Bay Hotel back to Cape Town, enter the West Coast National Park gate and take a leisurely drive and hopefully you’ll spot a few animals. You’ll most likely spot many ostriches, as there is an abundance at the moment. (Make sure to contact WCNP to check what is required when entering the park and the payment methods they take).
Villa and Hotel Overview
Hotel or villa? How do you choose?
We cannot stand sharing a bed, so we always look out for twin beds for all our destinations. The best suitable accommodation for us and our parents was Villa #5 which was absolutely LOVELY. The main hotel does not split beds into twins, therefore the reason why we opted for the villa over the hotel. We walked into the light open villa, which smelt so good of room spray (Julia has an obsession with clothing detergent and room spray).
We checked out all the rooms and were jealous of dad picking the main room in the house. Guess we will have to go back for another staycation at Shark bay Hotel to secure that main room 😉
Main room:
This large room has large corner windows which look out onto the diverse fynbos and lagoon while laying in the comfortable queen bed. A large bathtub is located behind the bed (with a wall divider), a shower and enclosed toilet.
Room 2:
Double bed, cozy and crisp bedding with an ensuite shower and toilet. The blockout curtains were a winner, even though we woke up early for the beautiful sunrise.
Room 3:
Twin beds, large ensuite with toilet and amazing shower. Perfect for us two.
If you are wanting the ultimate relaxation holiday where you do not want to cook meals and take outs are the solution, we would suggest staying in the main hotel at Shark Bay Hotel.
Shark Bay Hotel Rooms vs Freestanding Villas
Hotel
Security: The main hotel at the Shark Bay Hotel is located at the entrance of the hotel and therefore 24/7, making one feel safer if you are safety conscious.
Food: Restaurants on repeat. There is a restaurant inside the hotel for you to have breakfast, lunch and dinner all a walk away.
Bedding: Sharing beds for the win! All the hotel unit beds cannot be split into twin beds.
Location: Within walking distance to the lagoon and one of the safest spots for smaller children to swim at – Shark Bay Beach
Views: Lagoon views
Villa
Security: The villas do have alarm systems and are freestanding homes. You can set the alarm, however, you won’t be able to move around in the villa without the alarm going off. There is a security company that roams around during the day and night.
Food: Full on self catering villas with a kitchen equipped with everything that you need.
Bedding: A variety of bedding options, including twin beds in one room.
Location: Located a little further away from Shark Bay Beach. One can take a leisurely walk to the beach and the main hotel. For kids to move between the villas and the beach, might be a bit of a worry for parents as it’s slightly further away and the road is the same road that cars take to get into the WCNP from the Langebaan side.
Views: Surrounded by nature with beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
Facilities
Spa lovers
For those of you who know us, know we love a good old Swedish massage.
Here at The Shark Hotel, you can spoil yourself with their Spa facilities and unwind overlooking the Langebaan lagoon. You deserve it!
Restaurant
Breakfast, lunch and dinner views overlooking the Langebaan Lagoon.
The Restaurant is located in the main hotel, which is very convenient for guests staying in the main hotel rooms. Depending on which villa you are staying in, this may be a little walk, but manageable – perhaps the dessert option can be an enticement to walk back after your meal…
Conference room
Conference by day, nature walks by night.
We know remote/hybrid working is the new in thing and we’re all for it! Sometimes we need a little team meet up/ morale booster and what better way than booking a getaway for your team to work hard during the day and unwind in the afternoons at the peaceful Shark Bay Hotel.
Your team will return home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to get back to the work routine.
Staycation at Shark Bay Hotel - where to check in?
You’ll find the friendly reception team at The Shark Bay Hotel. This is where they will assist with check in, hand over keys and answer any queries. If you are staying in one of the villas, you will be guided on how to get there, including a road map of The Shark Bay area.
Address: 8 Grysbok Close, Shark Bay Langebaan, Western Cape, 7357, South Africa.
Travel to the heart of the winelands
Interested in traveling to Franschhoek? Read more about our suggestions for a one night stay in Franschhoek.
Our Favourites
The indoor fireplace
We spent the evening at the villa and made a delicious dinner and watched the tennis. We visited during the winter months and dad made a fire, which warmed up the lounge area.
Being surrounded by nature
The lounge has beautiful views of The Langebaan Lagoon and Table Mountain can even be spotted on clear days! The villa’s are sparsely placed and you’re surrounded by fynbos, birds chirping, tortoises slowly moving along and absolutely amazing starry nights. You need to experience this yourself.
How to book your staycation at Shark Bay Hotel
Online booking and teams are available on Whatsapp.
Need a city getaway and love the idea of being surrounded by nature? Whether it is a solo winter getaway or family summer vacation, book your staycation to Shark Bay Hotel today.
Alternative dining options in the area
If you’re not eating in the restaurant, the villa’s are equipped with fully functional kitchen’s and outdoor braai areas. The kitchen is stocked with all the utensils we needed and a few extra’s too, including a coffee plunger!
We love the fact that Langebaan have eat out specials and allow for visitors to restaurant hop the specials each night.
Windtown Hotel – have specials every night of the week. They have a cosy fireplace to enjoy your meals during the winter months. A must have meal – chicken burger with chips. The rooftop area looks amazing and we envisioned going back for sundowners with friends real soon.
The Langebaan Country Club – we supported The Range Cafe by Soldato for breakfast and chatted to the lovely owners. They recently took over and have great vision with where they want to take the restaurant. Bonus that they have alternative milk options – oat milk all the way 🙂
We didn’t get to all the restaurants, but here are a few we plan on going back to:
- RocXi Beach Restaurant (located centrally near to the Spar and Waterpark)
- Pearly’s Restaurant (we’ve been here before for delicious pizza and sundowner and located centrally near to the Spar and Waterpark)
- Kaapstadt Brauhaus Langebaan (located on Mykonos side of Langebaan)
Make sure to book a spot, as they can fill up during busy seasons.
Activities to do in and around Langebaan
West Coast National Park
- Bird watching & photographing
- Fauna and Flora sightings & photographing (flower season is absolutely stunning and a must during August and September)
- Hiking
- Biking
- Braaing
- Swimming
- Boating and watersports if you own a boat
Club Mykonos
- Jet skiing
- Gambling at the casino
- Tennis and table tennis
Langebaan & Surrounds
- West Coast Fossil Park
- Thali Thali Game Drive
- Aquila Safari
- Langebaan Country Estate Golf Course
- Sunset Cruise
All of these activities are lovely outings for families. The West Coast Fossil Park is a great educational for both children and parents and not a far drive from Langebaan.
If you have any questions about our travels to Shark Bay Hotel, comment below and we will get back to you asap. We hope you have an amazing staycation at Shark Bay Hotel.
