If the romance of flickering lanterns and a life lived simply is your idea of the ultimate holiday, Perfect Hideaways will introduce you to the delights of off-grid holidays…
It’s no secret that the power of scent has been recognised by luxury hoteliers around the world, who know that some of their guests return time and again because they simply love the smell of their hotel. Today, scent is far more widely understood to enhance our wellbeing, so it’s no surprise that the whiff of paraffin rekindles memories of safaris in the bush, or the scent of a hyacinth candle and floor polish might take you straight back to childhood holidays on a farm.
Interestingly, in South Africa, Perfect Hideaways was the first to create a beautiful collection of off-grid beach houses long before ‘loadshedding’ became a way of life. The romance of flickering lanterns and a life lived simply with no Wi-Fi or electricity soon had a following. For some, this was the ultimate holiday, and it still is (we will gladly oblige you!)… but the meaning of ‘off-grid’ has changed.
In a world so challenged by climate change, it has become our mission to encourage every home to work towards being independent and harnessing solar power – or, at the very least – offers an inverter as back-up. Yet we still have a delightful collection of WiFi-free beach houses and farms who will oblige with a completely remote escape, where the office simply cannot reach you and where life, as we once knew it, is lived simply.
There’s certainly something to be said for stepping off the planet for a few days to focus on time together with family and friends with no television, no internet, no emails, no interruptions, no scrolling, no news… just the sheer beauty of nature and our glorious surroundings to appreciate and discover anew.
Haven’t tried it? You’ve come to the right place as we have at least eight beautiful places in our portfolio that are truly off-grid. Many have radios, for safety purposes, in game reserves, but once there, it’s so easy to simply enjoy the immersive experience fully and forget about the outside world for a while.
Churchhaven and Schrywershoek: paradise on the Cape’s wild West Coast
Known as ‘the place where time has stood still’ this idyllic spot on the shores of the gently lapping lagoon in the West Coast National Park, where the annual bird migrations and seasonal flowers delight year in and year out. They are the heroes of this vitally important conservation area and so the reserve has been kept as pristine as possible.
Yet while birdwatchers, botanists and flower-lovers make a pilgrimage to Postberg Nature Reserve, within the West Coast National Park, to see the spring flowers each season, life remains relatively unchanged in the little cottages hidden along the shoreline.
For those lucky enough to discover this untouched paradise with its whitewashed church on the hill and wooden boats pulled up along the picturesque beaches, life continues as it has done for hundreds of years.
For as long as the flamingos have been coming here, there has never been electricity – and never will be – although if you sit on the church steps, you might just pick up reception – but therein lies its charm.
Summers here are tranquil and restful but for families who love the peace and quiet but have active kids who want to do more than play on the beach, or go kayaking or hiking, nearby Langebaan is known for its fun water sports and windsurfing, kite surfing and sailing.
Not far away, the West Coast Fossil Park’s new museum is definitely worth a visit, especially for dinosaur fans! Seafood feasts are summer traditions and if you’re in the mood for a day trip, Muisbosskerm open-air restaurant – up north, in the direction of Eland’s Bay – is as authentic as it gets.
Winters are about contemplation, deeply restorative sleeps and a pile of good books to choose from…in-between delicious meals shared together with the fire burning. By day, this ‘secret season’ often delivers gorgeous sunshine and spectacular sunsets. Time for walks together and to watch as the seemingly dry scrub comes alive after the rains. It’s just delightful.
Pioneering off-grids
No-one had heard of the Tankwa Karoo till Tankwa River Lodge was launched with Perfect Hideaways. Turning off the road into the deep expanses of dry Karoo at historic Matjiesfontein and heading along the road to Sutherland, South Africa’s most famous astronomical observatory, reception disappears and the road and wide skies beckon. The charming Tankwa River Lodge was opened up to guests long before AfrikaBurn started and dates back over 300 years. Filled with Karoo character, antiques and deep leather sofas it’s easy to succumb this way of life. Interestingly, Tankwa had good Wi-Fi long before many other remote farms did and the owner, knowing how hard it is to leave, pioneered the idea of remote working in the Karoo well before others did!
Gorah Elephant Camp in Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape is probably the most authentic and historic private lodge in the Eastern Cape, where literally hundreds of candles and paraffin lanterns are lit for dinner each night, making the silver salvoes sparkle and the history of the 1856 homestead filled with original antiques come alive. There isn’t a more romantic spot to watch some of the Big Five drift by at night for a sip at the waterhole.
Botswana’s Jack’s Camp and San Camp, in the Makgadikgadi Pans were – for the longest time – the pinnacle of off-grid luxury…. a glamorous tented safari with no Wi-Fi, until recently, but the charm of its remote location and pioneering history will never change.
What does off-grid mean today?
Now a sophisticated industry, especially in South Africa where the supply of power and water is unpredictable, many safari lodges and homeowners have invested in technology that allows their lodges and villas to operate entirely independently. We’re talking large-scale solar, industrial generators, inverters … the works. The result? An environmentally friendly, greener future!
Owloon, in the Paarl winelands, is one of our newest listings: a fully restored 18th-century cottage and recently extended heritage manor house on a stud farm surrounded by fruit orchards and vineyards. It’s set in a private valley with a fresh water lake to swim in. No pool, no chlorine, and a solar system that produces so much power it now feeds back into the grid. It’s an impeccable example of the way things should be planned.
Equally, Kubili House in Thornybush Private Game Reserve, near Hoedspruit, Greater Kruger, Part Marrakech riad, part bush lodge, part New York in its soul, there is nothing small about this owner’s vision for this eco-sensitive home. The vast expanse of rough-hewn granite on arrival is Great Zimbabwe Ruins in scale and grandeur yet the detail behind the scenes is what’s most impressive. No less than 30 geothermal wells are sunk three kilometres deep, keeping things cool in summer and cosy in winter and water is filtered on-site.
For many owners, this has been a preferred way of life for a while and today you’ll find that living off-grid has almost become seamless in South Africa, whether you’re staying at a bush hideaway like Cypiro Leopard Lodge in the Waterberg or Akkerbos, near the artists’ enclave of Stanford in the Cape Overberg. Kerala, at the foot of the iconic Bain’s Kloof Pass in the Boland Winelands, and Buffelsdrift near Ladismith, along Route 62, are other examples of an off-grid lifestyle.
Want to escape altogether with no Wi-Fi?
Of course, if you want to go completely and utterly off-grid, with no WiFi at all, we can oblige! Here’s a digital detox list to start with:
- Eagle Owl Camp, Timbavati, Greater Kruger
- Lantern Tides, Smitswinkel Bay near Cape Point
- Stoney Cottage, Route 62, between Barrydale and Ladismith
- Summerhill, Garden Route
- Fishermen’s Den, Schrywershoek nr Churchhaven
- Johann’s Cottage, Churchhaven
- Milkwood Cottage, Churchhaven
- Seagull Cottage, Churchhaven
Not even an hour from Cape Town, the charming enclave of Smitswinkel Bay near Cape Point is a great place to escape. At Lantern Tides, one would never believe that the city is so close yet it feels so remote. Weekends spent here are a balm for the soul, with cups of steaming coffee enjoyed on the deck at breakfast, invigorating sea swims, hours spent gazing into rock pools filled with colourful anemones. Evenings are about playing games together to the rhythmic sounds of the ocean down below.
Eagle Owl Camp in the Timbavati, Greater Kruger, near Hoedspruit, has radio signal for emergencies but guests come to enjoy being out of Wi-Fi and simply letting go. There’s nothing rustic about this family owned Big Five bush lodge, but the owners have chosen to keep it simple and many guests book their next bush retreat before they even depart.
In the Cape, Stoney Cottage in the Touwsberg Nature Reserve near Barrydale on Route 62, is equally peaceful, and beach lovers who like absolute serenity should visit Summerhill on the Garden Route – both have no Wi-Fi.
Self-catering gems such as Fishermen’s Den, at Schrywershoek near Churchhaven, Johann’s Cottage, Milkwood Cottage, and one of the best-loved originals, Seagull Cottage, have always been off-grid and have no WiFi in characterful Churchhaven on the gentle shores of the lagoon in the rugged West Coast National Park.
Keen to book a digital detox or one of our off-grid hideaways?
Email [email protected] now!
For inspiration and more than 75 romantic and off-the-grid accommodation options, visit our Off Grid listings.
