mp413

I am a single late-20s female traveling alone...trying to decide where to spend a night on my way to Knysna. Since I'm alone I am more interested in a place that I can walk around in safely, that has some life to it as opposed to a sleepy kind of town (which I will save for a trip with my boyfriend - any thoughts as to which town would better suit my preferences? It's hard to tell from my guidebooks...I have heard many people say Mossel Bay is skippable...but Swellendam sounds a little quiet. Swellendam sounds like it's in a gorgeous setting, but is there a town center with restaurants etc.?

Thanks!

mp413

I forgot to mention I won't have a car, I'll be using Baz Bus and/or local transport which means my only accommodation options are those in the center of towns on the major bus routes. Thanks!

shmulb

You don't say when you are going ! Mossel Bay is on the Ocean and easy to get around. Swellendam is inland. Both not major tourist attractions. Why not just continue to Knysna, Its only another hour or so from Mossel Bay. If you do decide to Stay We stayed at the "Mossel Bay Backpackers". A very nice quiet place with a helpfull and energetic staff.
www.safarinow.com/go/mbaybackpackers/
We did Sand surfing arranged by them on Christmas day. Fun but very strenuous.
You can see some pictures of the area here
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...0&y=wh4o9j

mp413

Thanks shmulb, I'll be there in a month! (If that changes anything.) You suggest going on to Knysna instead - does that mean Swellendam and Mossel Bay aren't really worth a stop?

Thanks!

Kavey

We did a self-drive in 2004 and stopped in Swellendam just to break up the journey. It's a pleasant enough place for a stopover - we found a lovely little guest house for a very reasonable price and had a lovely local dinner - but, even with it's pretty natural setting, it's certainly missable! We did have a giggle touring the faery sanctuary - a private house and garden belonging to a rather kooky lady (and her doting husband) who believes absolutely in the existence of fairies and has created a tribute to them. The entire garden is full of the most kitch selection of toadstools, fairies, goblins, signs and crystals. Inside is a grotto lit with twinkling fairy lights. The lady of the house swans about handing out photocopies (xeroxes) of fairy tales and there's a little shop selling ornaments and models. Entrance is free but a small donation is requested. It's not meant to be hilarious but we found it so. Delightful but la la.

poekie

Go straight to Knysna. Swellendam good for a stop for a cup of tea and a bit of a look around and you can skip Mossel bay.

shmulb

I agree with the previous posters, skip both and Go direct to Knysna.

mp413

The only problem with going straight is that it will mean spending an entire day on a bus (something like 7:45am - 4pm, and there's no overnight bus). So just for the sake of avoiding that I was planning to stop in one or the other place (or any other place on that route that anyone has nice things to say about).

It sounds like on the whole Swellendam is a better stop?

Michel_MetfordPlatt

A lot of people are a bit disappointed with Mossel Bay as it looks like any old English seaside village (has a good shipwreck museum though). Worth a stop at the museum yes, but not an overnight. Go to Swellendam, which was its own short-lived republic in 1795 (yes!).

Make sure you check out the guys who have taken over Augusta de Mist. It's now one of the top 10 of the whole Overberg (according to Trip Adviser anyway).

The faerie sanctuary is really worth a miss, but the Drostdy Museaum in Swellies is the only one of its kind in all SA. Plus the national parks! And the best whale-watching is 30 minutes away. Definitely beats Hermanus hands down. All the top places in the Overberg are in fact in Swellies nowadays (as of 2011 at least).

In Swellendam single women at any age can walk around at ANY time of the day or night.

Anyway, the guys at AdM will take care of you. Check them out http://www.augustademist.com

Some of the other guesthouses are basic, but the top ones make Swellendam into a destination. Most people stop two days there now. It's what Franschhoek was before the hype.

Michel_MetfordPlatt

Reading all the posts, Swellendam has put its act together. Stop there, you won't be sorry!

AlwaysOnTheRoad

Warning. Note that this "Michel_MetfordPlatt" is revising old posts to promote a specific property.