Gansbaai accommodation, a lone fisherman and a colony of Geese.

Gansbaai accommodation is today rather luxurious compared to its humble beginnings. Although archaeologists suggest that early accommodation in Gansbaai started long before the arrival of the young man in this story, with cave dwelling hunter gatherers many thousands of years ago, it is the story of Johannes Cornelis Wessels that truly lends Gansbaai much of its present day character and indeed much its current lineage.

Young Cornelis, just 18 at the time, walked from Stanford over the dunes to what was to become Gansbaai. This is a mere twenty minute car trip today but in 1881 when the journey was undertaken this was no doubt a more difficult by foot over the hot sand dunes with the relentless winds that savage the area. Now Corenlis was a keen fisherman, in fact it was all he did. He belonged to a group of nomadic fishermen that were common along that coast in the late 19th century. Young Cornelis arrived at this lonely bay with the clothes on his back and a fishing rod, so legend has it. There was no sign of any other inhabitants and certainly no inkling of the accommodation in Gansbaai that we see today. Despite this he did what any good fisherman would do when arriving at a new undiscovered spot and cast a line. Now I don't know much about fishing but what happened next is a clear indication in my mind that the fishing was good. Johannes Cornelis Wessels built himself a house and never left.

The fishing was so good in Gansbaai, accommodation was needed immediately. So it was all due to a good days fishing that the community this community was formed. A fisherman desperate for a private fishing spot and fishing so good it required instant accommodation. Gansbaai might not have been what it is today if young Cornelis had had a bad day of fishing back in 1882. Thankfully today the choice of accommodation consists of slightly more than the stone, daub and reed house he made for himself. In fact today for the modern traveller hoping to find that secret fishing spot that attracted Cornelis over a century ago there is no shortage of accommodation. The coastal waters around Gansbaai are still considered some the best fishing in the country.

Unwittingly Cornelis was also starting what was to become a fierce local fishing scene, which is understandable as the fishing is good and the town was built on a tradition of protecting your fishing spot.

At the time of Cornelis' discovery that costal region was part of a farm known as Strandfontein, meaning beach fountain, named for the fresh water fountain by the harbour which provided fresh drinking water to the community. A family of geese had taken up residents in this fountain and it wasn't long before the area became known as Gansgat which means "goose hole," -Only a fisherman- It didn't take long before it was changed to the more respectable Gansbaai, goose bay.

Holiday accommodation in Cape Town

Choosing holiday accommodation in Cape Town should not be done solely based on budget. The attractions of Cape Town are not all focused in the city centre in fact many are to be found outside the city limits. As public transport cannot be relied upon it is imperative that you know in advance what you would like to see and then choose your holiday accommodation in Cape Town accordingly. Like all cities that are popular with tourists there are several major attractions that can distract potential visitors from the real beauty to be found not far from the busy centre.

Cape Town is often seen in terms of, Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront, Cape Point and Camps Bay, and rightly so, they should be high on the list of things to see when visiting Cape Town they are not however the be all and end all of the tourist trail. There are many gems to be found not two hours outside of the city limits and when booking holiday accommodation in Cape Town it is important that you remember that getting to these places can be tricky and expensive, especially if it is just for a day trip. It’s worth considering your options for staying in these places for a couple of nights to give you the opportunity to explore them properly.

The wine routes around Cape Town offer a magical way to spend the day, if not two or three days.  Whether it’s sampling the local plonk, exploring the countryside and indulging in some of the many award winning restaurants that litter the region your days will be full. The small towns in the region offer spectacular options for holiday accommodation. Cape Town will soon seem like a secondary thought on your itinerary after a few days spent in Stellenbosch or Franschhoek. The region a couple of hours North of Cape Town also provides you with an opportunity to explore an area and culture that many tourists don’t know exist. During spring the fields around the town of Darling are transformed into an impressionist’s canvas as flowers, many of which are unique to the region bloom, covering the ground in a carpet of colour. This once a year explosion of nature is not to be missed if you’re in Cape Town at the time and by carefully planning your holiday accommodation in Cape Town you can ensure that you are nearby when it happens.

Public transport through most of South Africa is unreliable at best, so reaching the hidden gems outside of Cape Town may require a rental car. One doesn’t however want to waste days of their holiday driving from place to place. Planning your holiday accommodation in Cape Town properly can ensure that you are close to the places you want to see. Even if the attractions seem close to your holiday accommodation, a place like the Cape Point could take the best part of a day to see if you’re staying in the CBD. While the drive is lovely and well worth it, if one has evening plans or small kids it would be worth finding holiday accommodation on the southern end of the peninsula for a few day.      

When planning your trip to Cape Town, holiday accommodation is obviously your primary concern with a little foresight and planning you can choose a place that will allow you to see the best of Cape Town.