On the night of 24 March 1944, one of the largest and most daring escape attempts took place. It was World War 2 and more than 200 allied soldiers made a pact to escape the German prisoner of war camp, Stalag Luft III. They dug three massive tunnels, named Tom, Dick & Harry, hoping one of them would lead to their freedom – and indeed, one of them, (Harry) did! 76 people were able to escape but only 3 managed to evade capture.
As life would have it, the mastermind behind this great escape, was a 24-year-old, South African born, fighter pilot, Squadron Leader Roger Bushell. He was renowned as a master escapee having escaped twice before. His name has gone down in history as one of the great heroes of the 2nd World War. Steve McQueen, played the lead role in a movie made about the great escape.
The year 2020 may have had the rest of us South Africans, feeling similarly to Roger Bushell, maybe not locked up, but certainly “locked down”. As restrictions are continually lowered, every person is planning their escape from their confines. One might say this is the greatest collective escape of all time and choosing the right escape plan is essential.
With inter-provincial leisure travel now open, and International soon to follow, we can choose to go to arguably, the most award-winning destination/town in South Africa, the adventure capital, boasting something for everyone, from the call of the African bushveld to the sound of crashing waves. Shed those four walls, escape the city and let’s reclaim our freedom! Join us in Mossel Bay, where the sun shines 320 days a year, and where more activities are available than you can even imagine.
Let's leave behind being gourmet chefs specialising in banana bread, qualified teachers scrambling to home school our kids while maintaining our sanity. Home office keyboard warriors sporting a blazer top and pyjama bottoms to navigate awkward Zoom meetings. We became our own personal trainers, slogging through online workouts to stay in lockdown shape.
The Mossel Bay Area is the perfect place for your Great Escape, with several towns waiting to be explored!
Mossel Bay Tourism will be leading the charge, as they launch a nationwide campaign, aptly titled “The Great Escape to Mossel Bay” inviting visitors from the Garden Route, the greater Western and Eastern Cape, and even national tourists, looking for their post-lock-down escape.
Top of the agenda is to mobilise local support in promoting Mossel Bay as the preferred destination. As Aneli Ge**er, Chief Operations Officer points out, “Mossel Bay is arguably the most award-winning town in South Africa, and sometimes, we, as “locals” forget we have achieved so much and have so much to be proud of. We encourage our residents and visitors to support our local establishments, not just financially, but also by promoting our Mossel Bay brand wherever we can.”
Mossel Bay Municipality has committed to The Great Escape to Mossel Bay initiative promoting the support of local businesses, especially since the re-opening of inter-provincial leisure travel.
Mossel Bay and surrounding areas are well known for its water sports including surfing, scuba diving, shark cage diving, deep-sea fishing, and speed boating. The Water Park is also very popular with kids.
For those more comfortable on dry land, an array of activities including sandboarding, mountain biking, quad biking, trail running, and hiking are options that will entertain visitors. We even cater for daredevils wanting to try skydiving, paragliding, horseback riding, and helicopter trips and flips!
Between the golf estates, game reserves, and wine farms in the areas, as well as some of the country’s top beaches, restaurants, camping spots, and accommodation, there’s something for everyone in Mossel Bay.
All you need to do is go to www.visitmosselbay.co.za to plan your full itinerary. The site is designed to give you all the details you need to plan the perfect staycation.
Discover more about the greater Mossel Bay
This harbour town is home to Santos Beach, one of the country’s most sought after summer hot spots, as well as the famous Post Office Tree, a milkwood tree used by early Portuguese explorers as a post office. It’s located on the grounds of the Bartholomeu Dias Museum Complex, a treat for history buffs boasting ship replicas and so much more!
The Point is a stunning beach with a 3km walkway across the rocky coastline, a sandy play area, and a tidal pool on the beach. There’s a longer natural tidal pool great for swimming close by, and the perfect view of the Cape St Blaize Lighthouse. The area is a popular surfing spot, local restaurants and bars ensure that you can wave watch from multiple viewpoints, and you can also take on the Saint Blaze hiking trail to Dana Baai.
The ultimate adventure awaits with the Mossel Bay Zipline, the longest over-ocean zipline in the world, spanning across 1100 meters in length and reaching up to 90km per hour!
Mossel Bay is home to South Africa’s national oil company, PetroSA, and the Mossel Bay Municipality boasts clean audits for the past five out of six years. The town has a small airport and flight school and also world-class hospital facilities at the Bayview Hospital, ensuring peace of mind during any visit to the area.
Pinnacle Point Beach and Golf Estate are one of the world’s most unique and scenic golf courses, overlooking the Indian Ocean near Mossel Bay. The Estate is also the start of The Point of Human Origins Tours, a world-renowned archaeological site with early evidence for modern human behaviour. A series of wooden steps and walkways lead to caves once inhabited by our ancestors nearly 200 000 years ago.
The beautiful Mossel Bay Golf Club offers a friendly experience with challenging greens and fairways and 5-star facilities. Popular with the kids, the Diaz Water Park is a must-visit while in the area, as well as a trip to the mini aquarium to round up the underwater adventures.
There’s even the Diaz Express rail experience to view the above scenic spots, and so much more between Mossel Bay and the nearby Garden Route town of George. Also check out the Santos Express Train Lodge for locomotive accommodation options! The nightlife is rife in Mossel Bay, with local restaurants and bars serving the perfect mixture of seafood and cocktails, while the Garden Route Casino is the perfect place to blow off some steam.
On the cultural scene, The House of Maria features original art, prints, and canvases from a famous local artist. The town holds a host of antique shops and the Good Shed Flea Market, the largest indoor flea market in the Southern Cape.
Cycling is part of the town’s sporting culture, and thousands of cyclists make their way to Mossel Bay to explore the local cycling and trail routes and races, as well as visit Monties Cycle & Sport shop and Johnnie Koen Cycles.
The popular Café Gannet restaurant has teamed up with gin distillery Inverroche to open Mossel Bay’s own gin school, open to everyone interested in learning the art of craft gin or looking to taste from the top artisanal labels. Taxi app Bolt is operational in the Mossel Bay area, meaning you’re safe to enjoy a trip to the wine farms, late-night dinners, or a trip to the pub at the push of a button.
With four blue flag beaches in the area – Santos, DeBakke, Hartenbos, Klein Brak, and Glentana Beach – there’s a host of safe options available for the best summer fun.
The possibilities are endless, and there’s more! Within the greater Mossel Bay Area, the region features some of the Western Cape’s most quaint and blossoming small towns within driving distance from Mossel Bay.
Hartenbos
This coastal area has a strong Afrikaans heritage and is home to the ATKV Hartenbos Resort, featuring a waterpark and amphitheatre. Known as one of the top camping spots on the Garden Route, Hartenbos was awarded the “Best Value Accommodation” by Afristay.com. The town boasts restaurants and fast-food options, as well as museums and the Hartenbos Private Game Lodge. The farm is rich in Fynbos, with 15 species of antelope, giraffe, zebra, and 135 species of birds.
The Hartenbos Seafront shopping centre is made up of a selection of shops, restaurants, and bars, and the popular local station, SFM Streek Radio’s satellite studio is in the centre. Another feature of the town is Salt & Copper, a local restaurant well known for its cocktails and good food, and for the fact that its neighbour is the Harmony Gin Distillery! The Copper Lounge is a great stop for gin lovers, with gins from various distilleries available for tasting.
Tergniet
Popular for its massive tidal pool, Tergniet Beach is a popular spot for families, offering safe swimming options. The beach has lifesavers on duty over the summer holidays and makes for the perfect local beach hike between Tergniet and Hartenbos during low tide. Tergniet also features the majestic Wolwedans Dam.
Groot Brakrivier
Besides the local estuaries, museums, camping spots, and lagoons, Groot Brakrivier is also home to the Dolphin Creek Golf Estate. This golf course is rated by locals, with favourable greens in good conditions, and also favoured for their Clubhouse hospitality and value for money.
A trip to Groot Brakrivier wouldn’t be complete without a stop at La Chocolaterie Rococo for the ultimate experience in chocolate indulgence, followed by a visit to Die Ou Pastorie tea garden and shop.
Some of South Africa’s most distinguished artists have their works on display at The Chris Spies art gallery and the Spies Venter art gallery. You can also find the popular Watson Shoe factory in the area, a company with a proud history of shoe manufacturing in South Africa.
Housed in the atmospheric old railway station is the popular Transkaroo Restaurant, overlooking the estuary on the lagoon.
Klein Bakrivier
Home of Botlierskop Game Reserve and Villas featuring the Big 5, as well as a host of antelope including rare black impala, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, hippos, and more. Day visitors are also welcome to experience safari game drives, horseback safaris, pampering spa therapies, restaurant options, children’s activities, spacious decks, and swimming pools.
Boplaas Family Vineyard features award-winning wines, including a Double Gold and Gold for its red wine and Cape Port. The Estate was crowned the best South African producer at the Michelangelo 2019 making a stop at the Boplaas Klipheuwel Tasting Room a must-do while in Klein Bakrivier!
Vleesbaai
This seaside holiday town, situated between Mossel Bay and Gouritsmond, is characterised by its rocky coastline. Vleesbaai is a hot spot for surfers chasing waves that can reach up to 1.5 metres! The Vleesbaai 4x4 Dune Route is popular with visitors, as are the horse riding, dolphin paragliding, and tidal pool options.
Boggoms Bay
This area features a beautiful 1km long stretch of beach, well suited for swimming and other beach activities. Spend the day exploring Boggoms Bay Beach, perfect for picnics, laughter, and a day out in the sun.
Herbertsdale
Famous for its biodiversity, this town is one of the most popular areas in the district. Indalu Game Reserve offers guided tours with elephants, getting up close and personal with the majestic animals. There are walking tours, game drives that feature four of the Big 5, and indigenous fauna and flora set in the folds of the Langeberg foothills. Day trips are welcome, as well as on-site accommodation.
Meanwhile, Gondwana Game Reserve provides safari lodge accommodation and an authentic African Safari experience featuring the Big 5, as well as herds of wildlife and indigenous Fynbos vegetation. Known for their African cuisine, expert game rangers, and an array of activities including mountain biking, hikes, Africology spa treatments, and a popular Junior Ranger program.
Taste the Garden Route at Jakkalsvlei wine farm, acclaimed for yielding grapes that produce mountain-grown wines of classical variety.
While ReedValley can also be found near the town of Herbertsdale, offering a unique wine tasting experience, which can be paired with Portuguese cuisine. With a kids’ playground, a trip out to the estate is the perfect way to experience the area.
Friemersheim
The small town of Friemersheim, well known amongst fishermen, features the Hakuna Matata Game Farm with a range of activities, game drives, and bass fishing. In the town itself, Friemersheim has attractions and activities ranging from restaurants to beach walks and hikes through forests.
Rheebok
The perfect place to spot Southern Right Whales from July to November, Rheebok Beach in Rheebok is one of the safest and cleanest beaches in the area. Dolphins and seals can be seen year-round, while swimmers are watched over by lifesavers on duty during the summer holiday months.
Jonkersberg
The Jonkersberg Nature Reserve is one of the Western Cape’s most popular mountain biking routes, featuring the annual Cape Pioneer Trek. The area is also popular with hikers who will be enthralled by various routes through the Reserve.
Glentana
Glentana Beach features one of the area’s most relaxing Beach Walks, known for its therapeutic effects which comes about with the combination of sun, sea, and sand. Walk by rocky caves and shipwrecks while taking in the unspoiled beach.
Dana Baai
Make your way through the wonderfully scenic 13.5km Saint Blaze Hiking Trail and experience rock pools, small sandy beaches, seasonal dolphin, shark, or whale watching. The Dana Baai area is also a popular spot for sandboarding at the Dragon Dune!
Dana Baai features elevated scenic viewpoints over the beach and is well known for offering amazing whale watching opportunities, with whales occasionally coming into the bay to calve! Schools of dolphins are frequently spotted in the surf and with lookout points, braai spots, and toilet facilities, Dana Baai Beach is perfect for family outings that include swimming and fishing!
Robinson Pass
The Robinson Pass is a classic Southern Cape route with sweeping curves and eye-catching views, cutting through the Ruiterbos Valley connecting Mossel Bay with Oudtshoorn. There are hiking options available through the Fynbos-strewn mountains, and an overnight option available at the historic Eight Bells Mountain Inn.
Event Highlights
One of South Africa’s top motorcycle-only experiences – The Buffalo Rally – will be hosted by ATKV Hartenbos in April 2021.
Also at the venue, the grand finale of the 23rd annual Beach Touch Rugby Pro Series is set to take place in December at Hartenbos Beach. The world’s toughest inflatable boat race – The 5-day Trans Agulhas Challenge – which features 40 inflatable boats battling waves, wind, and the elements - is expected to return to the events calendar in 2021. Mossel Bay plays host to the end of Stage 1 on Day 1.
The Hartenbos Monties Cycle Race is a well-loved feature on the local cycling calendar in Hartenbos and Groot Brakrivier on 26 December, while the Groot Brak Grabadoo is an awesome way to see out the year, drawing over 1300 cyclists, runners, and walkers. Mountain bikers can choose from four exciting routes ranging from 15km to 71km. Not long after, in January, a special group of extreme cyclists signs up for South Africa’s toughest extreme one-day mountain bike race, the Momentum Health Attakwas Extreme, confirmed to be taking place on 16 January 2021.
MosJazz, the Southern Cape’s premier Jazz Festival, takes place at the Santos Resort, and is known to feature local artists such as Kurt Darren, Alistair Izobell, Jimmy Dludlu, and many more! This event takes place on 21 – 25 January 2021.
Meanwhile, the Garden Route 4x4 Expo is hosted at Bartelsfontein Farm annually featuring top of the range products needed to make every outdoor 4x4 experience memorable, as well as activities for young and old! The 2020 event takes is scheduled for the 18 - 20 December.
The Robinson Pass Festival is an event for the entire family, hosted annually at the Ruiterbosch Lodge, and features a countryside festival, a fun run/walk, as well as a vintage tractor and car parade. Look out for this winter event in 2021! If vintage cars are your thing, also check out the Mossel Bay Wheels Gathering (MBWG) in December. The car show features unusual, special, and rare vehicles for people crazy about anything on wheels!
Keep a lookout for the popular ATKV Hartenbos Holiday Programme, which includes music, entertainment, sports, and loads of fun for the whole family over the summer holidays.
For an updated events schedule, got to www.visitmosselbay.co.za/events/ for the latest news.
Time to Escape
With all of these exciting options to choose from, it’s time to start planning your Great Escape to Mossel Bay! Go to www.visitmosselbay.co.za to plan your full itinerary online or for more information, contact Aneli Ge**er, Chief Operations Officer, Mossel Bay Tourism, 044-691-2202. From the beachfront to the mountainside, the site will give you all the details you need to plan the perfect staycation, including upcoming events, things to do, where to eat, and of course where to stay.Come home to Mossel Bay – where modern humans have always known the heart is.
162 000 years ago, the coolest lodging was a seaside cave outside Mossel Bay. The remains inside the archaeologically important Pinnacle Point grotto bear witness to what countless generations thereafter have found to be true: few things beat a beach holiday.
The reasons our common ancestors were drawn to Mossel Bay all those years ago are the same reasons that still beckon us today: pristine beaches, tranquil lagoons, fragrant fynbos, abundant wildlife, fresh seafood and year-round beach weather.
It is the best place to make memories, from sandcastles and first kisses to parties, engagements, weddings, honeymoons and anniversaries – and back to sandcastles again! There is a place and a season for everything and everyone in Mossel Bay.
Midway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, it is easy to travel here by land, sea or plane. You can stay in atmospheric campsites, homely holiday houses, waterfront flats, luxurious hotels and authentic game lodges.
In the high summer season, Mossel Bay is a vibrant party of concerts, festivals and beach fun. Those in the know wait until the crowds have subsided and soak in the best weather, long days and soothing quiet.
No matter who you are, or where you’re from, the call of Mossel Bay is real. The Stone Age cave people felt it, the seafarers felt it, and you will feel it too. Mossel Bay is where your heart is. Welcome home!
