Annually, European and American travellers flock to the white sandy beaches, blazing heat and lush green surrounds of Cape Town South Africa in the summer months of the southern hemisphere. Chasing a perpetual summer, many prefer to visit the Cape between November and March when the best weather is guarnateed.
But what about Cape Town in the winter months? At Kommetjie Beach Retreats, we welcome both seasons and encourage our international guests to visit and stay with us when the weather gets a bit colder due to the wonderful vacation opportunities that Cape Town winters have to offer. Below is a list of our favourite winter vacation activities for couples, families and singles in and around Kommetjie:
Kite surfing
Despite what many assume about Cape Town surfing and the summer swell and weather, the waves are better in the winter months; particularly for kite surfers when a bit of South Easterly and North Westerly wind kicks in and makes Kommetjie the ideal location for some adventurous water sports. Grab your gear, hire it from Gary’s Surf School– conveniently close to most properties to let and self-catering Kommetjie accommodation and check out Magic Seaweed for a wave and wind forecast before you head on down to the beach for hours of wave action.
Dining out
There are numerous, renowned restaurants in and around the Kommetjie area where families, couples and singles can enjoy quality cuisine by the fire-side with a glass of award winning South African wine. The Food Barn in Noordhoek is our top pick, serving up scrumptious farm breakfasts, excellent tapas and small plates and a blend of international and neo-French food at dinner time, it’s the perfect place to eat and conveniently close to Kommetjie. Harbour House Restaurant in Kalk Bay is renowned for seafood and sushi and is just a short car ride away from your self-catering Kommetjie accommodation. Other spots to try are The Hub in Scarborough, Cape Point Vineyards’ restaurant and Café Roux, opposite The Food Barn in Noordhoek.
Winter beach walks
This is, without a doubt, our favourite winter activity in Cape Town and with miles of unspoiled coastline on both side of the peninsula, you’re really spoiled for choice. Long Beach, in Kommetjie, stretches all the way to Noordhoek, with the Kakapo Wreck as a halfway point while Dangers Beach and Fish Hoek beach are great family spots on the Indian Ocean’s coastline too.
Wine tasting
South Africa, and Cape Town in particular, is home to some of the oldest and finest wine estates and vineyards in the world. Cape Point Vineyards, in Noordhoek offers world-renowned Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, a five-minute drive from Kommetjie while the larger Constantia area is home to several award-winning farms that produce a range of excellent cultivars with good vintage. We recommend Groot Constantia, Steenberg and Beau Constantia this winter.
Rugby
A South African favourite, rugby is a great winter activity in the Cape and games are held weekly at Newlands Stadium which is about a thirty-minute drive from Kommetjie.
If you feel like staying in near the fire, you can always catch the game at The Lighthouse Pub or Fisherman’s in Kommetjie but we’d recommend heading down to The Toad in the Village in Noordhoek which has great atmosphere, a warm, cosy fire and an excellent food and drinks menu.
