GENERAL OVERVIEW
Blaauwberg is the gateway to the West Coast and is famous as the area with the picture postcard view of Table Mountain. With a long rich history, Blaauwberg is recognised as the fastest growing municipal area in South Africa, expanding daily at a tremendous pace. Blaauwberg is close to the beaches and offers the world famous views of one of the natural wonders of South Africa, Table Mountain. A solid infrastructure and excellent facilities will ensure that any visitor to this special area of South Africa will have an unforgettable, memorable experience.

ACCESSIBILITY
The Blaauwberg area is +/- 15 km from Cape Town, in a northerly direction (West Coast). It is about 20 minutes by road from Cape Town International Airport and is conveniently situated to the main arterial roads, the N1, N2 and N7.

WEATHER CYCLES AND CLIMATE
Blaauwberg has a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and cool, wet winters. The average minimum temperatures year round range from 7° Celsius to 18° Celsius and the average maximum temperatures range from 14° Celsius to 27° Celsius.

Winter months are from April - October.
Summer months are from October - April.

Call the following numbers to get details on current weather and surf conditions:
Wind Report
+27 83 9 12 14 16 - Actual weather conditions, wind speed and direction
Blaauwberg - +27 21 554 1723

Windsurfing Report:
+27 82 234 6324

Weather Report - 3 Day Forecast:
+27 83 900 1122 - Peninsula and environs, St. Helena to Cape Agulhas and the adjacent interior.

Paragliding Air Report:
+27 82 234 6390

Surf Report:
+ 27 82 234 6370

BEACHES
Blaauwberg has a number of superb beaches, such as:-

• Bloubergstrand (A variety of bays and beaches, with spectacular Table Mountain views are found in this area. Surfing, swimming, windsurfing, sunbathing. Manned by life savers. Big Bay stands out as a surfer's paradise hosting several national and international surfing and windsurfing competitions. Little Bay is suitable for sunbathers and families. Eerste Steen, Tweede Steen and Derde Steen are off Otto Du Plessis drive and offer fishing and picnic facilities).
  
  
• Dolphin Beach (Ideal for swimming, sunbathing and lazy walks. Whales are often spotted off the Coast. There are adequate basic facilities, benches, grassed areas, footways and kite flying over weekends.)
  
  
• Melkbosstrand (Named after the Milkwood trees to the north of the town, these sandy beaches are excellent for fishing and skin diving. There are spectacular views, picnic and recreation areas, toilet facilities and shops and restaurants along each Road).
  
  
• Milnerton Beach (Views of Table Mountain, swimming, surfing, beach walks and a famous lighthouse. Manned by lifesavers)
  
  
• Silwerstroomstrand (Off the R"7, near Atlantis, this beach offers barbecue and picnic facilities, swimming, sunbathing and a tidal pool. It is ideal for day camping).
  
  
• Lagoon Mouth (A popular site for paddle skiing, this beach is formed from the lagoon water flowing out to sea and waves washing inshore).
  
  
• Sunset Beach (Ideal for sunbathing, windsurfing).
  
  
• Table View (Swimming, sunbathing, windsurfing, kite flying, activities over weekends. There is also a rubber duck launching site here. The beach near the Blaauwberg Tourism Office has become a haven for kite surfers. On weekends and holidays, there are many crafters and food stalls to browse through).
  
  
• Canoeing, power boating and water skiing facilities are available at the Milnerton Aquatic Club.
  

SCENIC DRIVES

• Otto du Plessis/Marine Drive (R27/R14) - This is a scenic route along the coast stretching from Cape Town to Melkbosstrand. It provides spectacular views of the beaches, Table Mountain, and Robben Island. During Spring, spectacular displays of wild flowers can be enjoyed.
  
  
• Table View Beachfront - This is a 4 km stretch of unspoilt views of Robben Island and Table Mountain where those picturesque photographs can be taken.
  
  
• Tree Lane - Travel from Melkbosstrand (R14) to Mamre along the Old Darling Road (R304) in the shades of the longest "Bloekomlaan" Bluegum Lane.
  
  
• N7 - Travel to Malmesbury amongst the wheat fields.
  
  
• Old Darling Road (R304) - Travel from Mamre to Darling. This is a spectacular mountain road with wild flowers in abundance.
  
  
• Sunset Views - Enjoy spectacular sunset views along the entire 48.1 kms of coastline.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Blaauwberg has a number of exciting tourist attractions to offer. These include:

1.) MUSEUMS

• South African Air Force Museum - Situated at Ysterplaat airbase, this collection of military aircraft, uniforms, memorabilia and a history of aviation is a must for any flying/military enthusiast
  
  
• Robben Island Museum - Situated off the coast of Blaauwberg, Robben Island gained fame as the island containing the prison where Dr. Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were incarcerated. There are superb tours of the island available (by ferry from the V&A Waterfront) and is truly an essential tour for all tourists in Blaauwberg to undertake. It was initially used by the Dutch East India Company as a refreshment station. In 1819 it was used as an asylum for the mentally disturbed and in 1845 as a leper colony. In 1960, the Department of Correctional Services took control and it is most well known for its detention of President Mandela. Now a Historical Monument featuring places of interest like the Lighthouse, Leper Cemetery, Rectory, Anglican Church, Stone Quarry, Residency, Primary School and Church for male lepers. The Island can be viewed from all beaches in the Blaauwberg area.

• Rietvlei Nature Reserve - One of the largest inland wetlands in Southern Africa, this reserve boasts more than 112 bird species, including many rare and endangered species. Bird hides offer the bird watcher excellent views of the birds.
  
  
• Paarden Eiland Wetlands - These wetlands perform a vital role in the successful migration of bird species. There are currently 125 bird species in the Wetlands, many of them rare.
  
  
• SANCCOB - The South African National Council for the Conservation of Sea Birds. This facility is dedicated to the treatment and rehabilitation of injured and oil stained sea birds. Visitors can be trained and volunteer to assist in the feeding of the birds.
  
  
• Whale watching - The Blaauwberg coastline is often an excellent venue for whale watching and dolphin spotting, forming part of the Cape Whale Route. The Southern Right Whale is the most common species seen. For up to the minute information on whale activity, call the MTN Whale Route info centre on 083 910 1028
  
  
• Koeberg Nature Reserve - Proclaimed a nature reserve in 1991 and covering more than 3000 hectares, this nature reserve near the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station offers great hiking trails and varied fauna and flora. Well worth a visit.
  
  
• Flower blooms - During the spring months, the northern reaches of Blaauwberg provide a wonderful spectacle of nature - thousands of hectares of wild, colourful blooming flowers. For up to the minute information on the flower situation, call +27 21 46 4260 or MTN Flowerline at 082 910 1028.
  
  
• Intaka Island - Century City's award winning wetlands and one of Cape Town's newest tourist attractions The Eastern 8 hectares of the island provide a haven for two threatened habitat types: the seasonal salt pans and sand Plain Fynbos. In the Western 8 hectares, the wetlands area, there are footpaths forming a trail of about 1 km. Numerous species of birds can be seen.

• Ratanga Junction - Africa's first full-scale theme park providing unparalleled entertainment for ages 3-83. Open during the summer months.
  
• MTN ScienCentre - The MTN ScienCentre is the first world-class interactive science centre in the country with more than 200 interactive exhibits.
  
• Canal Walk - With more than 450 world-class shops, Canal Walk offers the most comprehensive, comparative shopping experience in Africa.
  
• The Great Escapes Gaming Arcade at Canal Walk, Century City, is the biggest gaming arcade in South Africa.
  
• Indoor Paintball - Paintball action can be experienced at Canal Walk, Century City.
  
• Skateboarding - Playstation Boogaloos Skate Park at Canal Walk offers some of the best skating facilities available for skateboarders, in line skaters and BMX riders.

• Shipwrecks - A number of shipwrecks lie off the Blaauwberg coast, mainly from days gone by. These include the Reygersdal wreck at Silverstroomstrand, the SS Hermes wreck, wrecked on Milnerton Beach - north of the lighthouse - on 12th May 1901, Nieuw Haarlem, near the Milnerton lighthouse, Dutch Oosterland Vessel shipwreck, the Winton, near Milnerton and the Commandor shipwreck, both found near Milnerton lagoon. Further information on shipwrecks can be found at the Maritime Museum, Tel. +27 21 419 2505.
  
  
• Milnerton Lighthouse - The lighthouse is situated at Milnerton Beach and was built as a beacon for ships entering Cape Town harbour. Established in 1960, it has 800 000 candlepower. A plaque commemorating the stranding of the Nieuw Haarlem has been erected at the lighthouse.
  
  
• Janssen's Town Hall - One of the oldest structures in Milnerton and Blaauwberg, the hall was built as a tea bungalow and was later used as a casino. It was located at the end of the railway line from Cape Town and served as the refreshment stop for the horse fraternity on an outing to the races at Ascot Turf Club, in days gone by. It is still in active use today for various functions.
  
  
• Zonnekus House - Built in 1929, this was the seaside residence of Sir De Villiers Graaff. It has been perfectly restored and can be viewed from Milnerton Beach.
  
  
• Kleine Zoar Farmhouse - The original residence of Wolraad Woltemade has been restored and is being used a private residence.
  
  
• Mamre Moravian Mission Station - Situated in Mamre, this area has a rich historical heritage, dating back to the 1800's. There are a number of historical buildings here in Mamre, and this area is well worth visiting.
  
  
• Old Wooden Bridge - This historical bridge was initially built during the Anglo-Boer war in 1899, and served as a military access road across the lagoon to the island. It is still in use today, as a footbridge. A new modern, concrete bridge has been built for vehicular and foot traffic.
  
  
• Post Office Stone - The oldest known relic of the Portuguese in South Africa can be found at the South African Museum and a replica can be found at the Blaauwberg Tourism Office. After the two Padraos (memorial crosses) erected by Bartolomeu Dias at Luderitz and Kwaaihoek in 1488, this is a replica of the oldest known relic of the Portuguese in South Africa, which was the earliest inscribed stone in south Africa and the first known to have been made of local stone, Malmesbury shale.
  
  
• Milnerton Railway Station - A commemorative plaque was erected to mark the site of the Milnerton Railway Station on the site opposite the Palm Site in Milnerton. The station started operating on Boxing Day 1903 and its contribution to the growth of the area was huge.
  
  
• Old Spring - On the banks of Rietvlei, near SANCCOB, is the site of the old spring, used as the waterhole for the livestock of Simon van der Stel's "Veepos". It can be viewed.
  
  
• Paarlberg Stone - The Paarlberg Stone, in honour of the Afrikaanse Taal Monument, was unveiled in Milnerton on 14 August 1975 and can be viewed at the municipal offices in Pienaar Road, Milnerton.
  

• West Coast Show Ranch and Afrika Village - a fun filled tour and experience of a working ostrich Farm and also the opportunity to experience a breathtaking, interactive exhibition of the cultures of the traditional South African Cultures.
  
  
• Koeberg Nuclear Power Station - This is the only Nuclear Power Station in Africa and offers guided tours as well as a souvenir shop.
  
  
• Caltex Refinery - This petrochemical refinery offers guided tours and has an Information Centre.
  
  
• Nedbank Cinema Privé - Nu Metro at Canal Walk offers the 1st and only Nedbank Cinema Privé in the Western Cape, offering the ultimate in movie going luxury.
  
  
• Killarney Motor Race Track - The Cape's premier and South Africa's oldest motor racing track has it's own stock car oval, motocross track and has motor racing events on most weekends.
  

TOUR OPERATORS
A number of world class tour operators have bases in the Blaauwberg area. They generally specialise in local tours, be they one day or overnight. However, a number of these tour guides will take you on extended overnight trips, be they regional or national. Explore the wonders of Blaauwberg, the Western Cape and South Africa with SATOUR registered guides in air conditioned comfort, with expertly trained guides who will make sure your tour has been a memorable one.

TRAVEL AGENTS
A number of top class professional travel agents operate from the Blaauwberg area, providing foreign exchange services, flights, accommodation and various tourist related services.

ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation in Blaauwberg is plentiful and the area offers a range of accommodation to suit your needs. Many establishments also offer excellent conference facilities for the business traveller. Choose from Hotels, self-catering apartments, bed and breakfasts, guest houses and camping and caravanning sites. All are with easy access to the main routes into the City, the wine lands and the fascinating West Coast. There is definitely a place to suit every taste and budget.
Spread along an endless beachfront, or in the middle of buzzing shopping and entertainment areas, you can choose where to stay in Blaauwberg. Milnerton lies closest to the City and the Waterfront, with many properties close to the lagoon and the golf course. Most accommodation is to be found around Table View, with many places close to the beach and local shopping centres. A number of smaller suburbs, including Bloubergrand, West Beach and Blouberg Sands, lie just north of Table View along the coast. A little further north is Bloubergstrand, which originated as a fishing village and holiday resort for farmers living inland, and is still popular with holidaymakers today. For accommodation a little further outside of town, with tranquil beaches and unspoilt stretches of Fynbos, try Melkbosstrand or Duynefontein.

RESTAURANTS
The Blaauwberg area has a wealth of fine restaurants and take-away establishments, covering all tastes. In the restaurant section, there are excellent establishments, ranging from Steakhouses, Italian, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Seafood, plus many more, many of which are situated within a stones throw from the beaches. All the major take-away chains are situated throughout Blaauwberg, offering affordable meals to all. A fine range of pubs can be found in Blaauwberg as well as some exciting nightspots, mainly in the Table View area.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES
The Blaauwberg area offers foreign tourists the exciting opportunity of real value for money. The South African Rand can be bought at a major discount to all major currencies.

Visit http://www.scmb.co.za for the latest currency exchange rates.

PRICES OF LOCAL GOODS
The following basic table will give the foreign tourist a quick idea of the value for money that can be had when visiting Blaauwberg.

Loaf of bread +/- R6.00
Litre of petrol +/- R7.50
A beer in a pub +/- R9.00
Pack of 20 cigarettes +/- R16.00
Top class bottle of wine +/- R60.00
A top class restaurant meal +/- R180.00 per head

BANKING AND FINANCIAL FACILITIES
South Africa has a very advanced banking system, including widespread, advanced electronic banking facilities and Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). All the major South African banks are situated throughout the Blaauwberg area, with most of them offering convenient foreign exchange facilities. Banks operate weekdays 09H00 - 15H30 and Saturdays 08H30 - 11H00.

Major credit cards accepted in Blaauwberg are: MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club. International credit cards and debit cards (Maestro, Electron) are accepted by automatic teller machines.

TAX REFUNDS
Value Added Tax (VAT) of 14% is levied on virtually all purchases and services. Foreign visitors to Blaauwberg can reclaim VAT on purchases on purchases of over R250.

COMMUNICATIONS
National code for Blaauwberg 021
International code for Blaauwberg + 27 21

South Africa has a number of cell phone/mobile phone operators. These networks operate on the GSM system (Vodacom, MTN, Cell C). Your foreign phone might be compatible with our cellular networks. Please check with your local service provider. Otherwise, mobile phones can be hired from many establishments, especially at the airports.

Public call boxes are situated all over the Blaauwberg area, accepting both coins and phone cards. The blue phones work on coins, whilst the green phones work on local Telkom phone cards, which you can purchase in various denominations from many shops and Post Offices.

A number of Internet cafes will ensure that you can conveniently send and receive e-mail messages

.There are a number of Post Offices in Blaauwberg, offering full postal services. There are also private PostNet postal offices in Blaauwberg. The Blaauwberg Tourism Office also offers one of the fastest postage services in town with its own postage stamp, so make sure you visit the office on Marine Drive and mail your postcards there.

SPORTING FACILITIES
The Blaauwberg area has a wealth of sporting facilities for you to choose from, including golf, water sports, tennis, bowls, squash, plus many more. There is a top class VirginActive gym in Table View. Golf courses include Milnerton golf course, a seaside links course and Atlantic Beach Golf club, situated on Atlantic Beach Estate in Melkbosstrand.

THEATRE
Milnerton Playhouse Theatre is an amateur dramatic which runs the Civic Theatre in Milnerton. Producing about 5 amateur productions per year, the society has been the recipient of many theatre critics' annual awards. The shows are excellent and it is prudent to book for shows beforehand.

SHOPPING FACILITIES
Blaauwberg offers the tourist a wealth of exciting shopping opportunities. In Milnerton itself, visit Centre Point Shopping centre. In Table View, visit Bayside Centre and Pick 'n Pay Mall. For the ultimate shopping experience, you just have to visit Canal Walk, Africa's largest shopping and entertainment complex.

THE SILVER SCREEN
The latest movie releases can be seen at Ster Kinekor at Bayside Shopping Centre in Table View and Nu Metro at Canal Walk in Century City.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Blaauwberg and the rest of Cape Town do not have an "underground/metro" transport structure. The public transport in the area consists mainly of busses and taxis. Shuttle services to and from the airport and major tourist attractions are available from most hotels and accommodation establishments. The local bus service, Golden Arrow can be contacted at +27 801 212 111 for bus timetables and information.

CAR HIRE
Most of the well-known international car hire companies operate from the Blaauwberg area or have depots in the area. There are also some local car hire companies offering good rates and excellent service.

MEDICAL FACILITIES
Blaauwberg has a wide variety of day hospitals and clinics and boasts a world-class modern hospital at Medi-Clinic Milnerton, including a trauma centre and a host of medical specialists. Medi-Cross Clinic in Table View also has excellent doctor facilities.

SAFETY AND SECURITY
The Blaauwberg area has a fine record for safety and security. There are many excellent police stations in Blaauwberg, as well as well represented private security firms, all on duty 24 hours a day. The local phone number for any emergencies is 107. All tourists are obviously asked to display common sense when visiting Blaauwberg or any other destination, such as being conscious of their possessions, not walking around alone at night and not display valuables and money openly.

RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS
Most of the popular churches and religious denominations are in the Blaauwberg area, ensuring that the spiritual needs of all tourists are taken care of.

SERVICE CLUBS
Most international service clubs are situated in the Blaauwberg area, ensuring that any visiting members of foreign clubs can "make-up" at a local club of their choice.