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Emerald Bay, with its lush surroundings, offers an atmosphere of relaxation and plenty of opportunity for recreation. There are spectacular mountain views of the Hottentots and the Cape, and captivating sea views. Greenways Golf Estate is situated around a 9 hole golf course, and also offers a Club House with cafe/bistro, a larger swimming pool and two tennis courts, all of which you can enjoy.
The house is situated right next to the sea, and there is no road or other buildings in front of the house, giving direct access through the garden, to the lovely, sandy beach, which is superb for some lovely walks. The shoreline offers wonderful beach combing possibilities and there are great rockpools when the tide is out.
It is a short walk to the centre of Strand, which offers fishing, boating, surfing and other water-oriented sports and past times. To the east is Gordons Bay, which has a small harbour and yachts.
Strand originated some 200 years ago as a holiday and fishing resort. Today Strand is a popular tourist resort and so has many facilities. There is a Pick n’ Pay in the centre of town, as well as at Somerset Mall. Numerous banks are along the beachfront or just off it. The main attraction is the ‘strand’ – 5km of beautiful white sandy beach, which is known to be one of the best and safest bathing areas in the country. Nearby Dune Park, at the other end of Strand, has a supertube and mini golf. The easterly wind or ‘Cape Doctor’ affords welcome relief from the heat in the summer.
Strand offers supermarkets, banks and a variety of shops, and just at the junction of the N2 highway is the superb Somerset Mall, which has a huge array of shops, supermarkets, places to eat, and a cinema.
The Western cape has a typical Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and relatively cooler winters. During October to March, summer month temperature range between 25-35C. However, evenings can still sometimes be a little chilly.
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The False Bay water is pleasant for swimming and sailing, as it is significantly warmer and calmer than the Atlantic Ocean just the other side of the Cape. Sea temperatures in summer are up to 20°C. The Bay is also a favoured haunt for whales and their calves, dolphins and seals and they are commonly sighted.
Within easy reach of Emerald Bay are many other beautiful, white sandy beaches, spectacular coastal drives and a selection of excellent restaurants. Just 30 minutes drive away is central Cape Town, one of the world’s most beautiful cities. It is a fascinating place to visit, rich in culture and history, an eclectic mix of African and European influences. A harmonious blend of architectural styles reflect the tastes and dictates of the past and today’s more functional requirements. Between high rise office blocks, Edwardian and Victorian buildings have been well maintained, and there are many outstanding examples of Cape Dutch architecture.It is a great place to shop and eat out. Visit St. Georges Street, as it is the venue for traditional Marimba dance displays at lunch times and on Saturday mornings. The best way to explore the city is on foot.
The V&A waterfront is one of Cape Town’s biggest tourist attractions and is an extremely successful rejuvenation of a working port. The waterfront is a huge entertainment venue with pubs, restaurants, speciality and high street shops, craft markets, theatres and movies. The Waterfront is always buzzing with buskers, and street acts. It is also the departure point for all tours to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated ofr all those years.
The city is dominated by the 1000-metre high Table Mountain, host to an amazing number of flora and fauna – more than found in the whole of the UK. The views are phenomenal and the revolving cableway makes it easily accessible for those who prefer not to walk. See the Rock Dassies (little rodents) and the wonderful flora and fauna. There are some 1470 species of plants, including more than 500 species of Erica and over 100 species of Iris. The mountain is well worth a visit but dkirstenbosch-national-garden-34on’t forget a camera.
The world renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, at the foot of Table Mountain, are the most beautiful gardens and a must to visit, with 36 landscaped hectares of over 6,000 indigenous plants. There is a Braille Trail, and some really interesting displays all year round. In the summer, outdoor concerts are held on Sunday afternoons, with a wide variety of music.It’s a great way to watch the sun set over the city, whilst enjoying a picnic. www.nbi.ac.za
The winelands are only a fifteen minute drive from Emerald Bay. Stellenbosch is only 15 minutes drive away and is the centre of the Cape Winelands, which also encompasses Franchhoek, Paarl and Wellington. Stellenbosch is home to a large university and has the quiet air of academia about it. The main street is the longest stretch of original Cape Dutch houses in South Africa and is very picturesque. There are over thirty vineyards around Stellenbosch, all open to the public for tours, tastings and sales.
Franschhoek is set in a beautiful valley, originally settled by the French Huguenots. Imposing mountains surrounds the picturesque village, and a sense of history emanates from the Victorian high street and the gracious Cape farmsteads. Franschhoek is well known for the excellence of its wine and restaurants. It has a reputation of being the Cape’s culinary capital, but there are also antique shops and art galleries. The rich heritage and history of the valley and its inhabitants is set out at the Huguenot Commemorative Museum. There are twenty-two members of the Vignerons de Franschhoek, which includes many of South Africa’s most respected names in the wine industry, and these vineyards are also open to the public.
At Simonstown the Maritime Museum focuses on South Africa’s naval history whilst the Simonstown Museum highlights the town’s history, which has a number of buildings over 150 years old. The Warrior Museum has a permanent exhibition of Dinky Toys, dolls, Meccano models and other toys. Nearby the glorious, sheltered beach at Boulders is home to a colony of some 800 African penguins. They are worth stopping for on your way to the Cape. Whales may also easily seen from the shore and there are whale watching trips from the quay, which also visit the seals on Seal Island and their natural predators – the Great White Shark.
Indigenous flora and fauna are preserved in the wilderness area of Cape Point. Spring sees the route to Cape Point carpeted with flowers. The reserve is home to baboons, zebra, ostrich, several species of antelope, as well as smaller birds, mammals and reptiles. Do beware of the baboons in the car park at Cape Point – they will try to steal any food you have. It can be extremely windy down here so it may be worth taking a jumper.
The seaside resort of Hermanus, famous for its champagne air, offers the best land-based whale watching in the world. The town is about an hour’s drive from Emerald Bay, and offers a wide variety of attractions. There are 14km of cliff walks and over 40km of walks in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve and pristine beaches. The Southern Right whale visits the safe waters of Walker Bay from June to November to mate, calf and play. The whole town is geared to whale watching – a sonar buoy at the Old Harbour Museum transmits whale sounds, and a telescope enhances the whale watching. The town also boasts the world’s only Whale Crier, who announces the location of the whales with his unique kelp horn.
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| Luxuries: | |
| General: | Central heating, TV, CD player |
| Standard: | Iron, Hair dryer, Toaster, Kettle |
| Utilities: | Dish washer, Cooker, Microwave, Fridge, Freezer |
| Rooms: | Bedrooms (2), Bathrooms (1), Ensuite (1), Shower rooms (1), WCs (2) |
| Furniture: | Sofabeds (1), Single beds (2), Double beds (1), Cots (1), Dining seating for 6, Lounge seating for 6, Sleeps maximum of 6 |
| Other: | Linen provided, Towels provided |
| Outdoors: | Balcony / Terrace, Shared garden, Shared outdoor swimming pool, Shared tennis court on site, Parking space, Private garden |
| Access: |
Secure parking
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Further details indoors: The kitchen is fully equipped with a large fridge/freezer, dishwasher, microwave, oven and hob, plenty of crockery, cutlery, pots and pans. There is a communal laundry (washers and dryers) just near the parking area, which is always quiet.
The sitting area has two sofas and an chair, and there is a television and a mini hi-fi. The dining table seats six in comfort.
There is a communal braai/barbecue by the pool in the gardens behind the house, which makes an idea spot for dinner. |
Further details outdoors: Outside is a patio and private, lawned garden. There is a covered parking area next to the house, and a communal swimming pool and garden to the rear of the property. |
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