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Sunbird is new to our nest in the West Coast National Park. Go to sleep to the soundtrack of the wetlands’ frogs and wake to a symphony of birdsong – this is the closest you’ll ever get to the birds that proliferate in this world Ramsar site (deemed to be of global significance to wetland bird species)! Spend summer days on the veranda and watch the flamingos turn the azure Langebaan Lagoon rosy pink. Read a book, take your bikes with you to explore the reserve or discover it on foot. The water is just a quick stroll away – make tracks between the warm lagoon and the shade of the latte-covered veranda.

Only an hour from Cape Town, the West Coast National Park is a pristine nature reserve that is home to mammals and more than 880 bird species, and it is considered one of the world’s most important wetland areas. The turquoise water is shallow enough for kids to paddle in, yet it is equally enticing for water-sports enthusiasts (motorboats excluded): think stand-up paddling, kayaking, kitesurfing, windsurfing or sailing. Pack buckets and spades for the kids plus a delicious picnic and spend the day on the beautiful white-sand beaches near Kraalbaai.

What we love…

• the wonderfully warm lagoon waters with the softest white-sand beaches and very safe swimming for the kids
• the utterly unspoilt, pristine surroundings deep in a National Parks Board Nature Reserve
• the back-to-basics lifestyle in a charming hamlet on the water’s edge
• the incredible range of things to do and see, from the spring flowers in Postberg Flower Reserve, idyllic beach picnics at nearby Kraalbaai (close to the famous Preekstoel rock formation) and kitesurfing at Shark Bay just outside Langebaan (an excellent place for beginners and to hone your skills)

Need to know…

• Only one hour’s drive from Cape Town
• This is blissful off-the-grid living, so there is no WiFi, limited cellphone accessibility and solar power rules supreme. Most houses rely on rainwater catchment or borehole water driven by solar pumps, and gas hobs and gas ovens are used for cooking. In winter, fireplaces and ever-faithful wood-burning stoves keep things cosy
• Please take note of the following gate times for entering and leaving the West Coast National Park: 1 April to 31 August 07:00 to 17:30; 1 September to 31 March 07:00 to 18:30. No entrance into the park is possible after the gates close in the evenings
• There is a per person, per day entrance fee due to enter the park.  Please check the SANPARKS website for latest fee tariffs – https://www.sanparks.org/parks/west_coast/tourism/tariffs.phpIt may be worth investing in a Wild Card – https://www.sanparks.org/wild_new/Click here to see the map