Physical Address
Pearly Beach
Western Cape
7220
Taking place from 7 to 13 September 2026, the annual initiative arrives just in time
for a refreshing start to spring. In the Overberg, visitors can choose between two
distinctly different experiences: exploring the rugged coastline at Agulhas National
Park or enjoying wildlife, hiking and mountain scenery at Bontebok National Park
near Swellendam.
There are more than a dozen artisanal book shops dotted across the Overberg, each with its own character, charm and grumpy rumpled owner who normally does not suffer fools. In other words excellent places for our erudite readers.
A few days ago, the sky over the Overstrand turned a shade of grey we won’t soon forget. The Cut-off Low of May 2026 brought a relentless force that tested the very foundations of our region.
Just over two hours from Cape Town, Swellendam is the kind of place that invites you to slow down — but never leaves you bored. Perhaps it’s the way the road opens up as you leave Cape Town behind, trading traffic for farmland, mountains and sky. Or the fact that, in just over two hours, you arrive somewhere that feels entirely removed from urgency.
At Air Force Base Overberg near Bredasdorp this past weekend, the South African Air Force (SAAF) opened its gates first to school learners on Friday, 20 March, before hosting a full Innovation Tech Show on Saturday. Across both days, the message was clear: aviation in South Africa is not just about legacy—it’s about continuity.
From Easter markets and art routes to live music and family-friendly festivals, the Overberg is packed with things to do this season. Here’s your guide to what’s on across the region — and where to be over the coming weeks.
The Baardskeerdersbos Art Route returns from 27–29 March 2026, with a new central hub, a strong line-up of artists and a weekend programme that rewards those who take their time.
There are days along this coast when everything aligns—the light, the temperature, the absence of wind—and the landscape seems briefly suspended in a kind of clarity. This was one of those days.
We set off from Skulpiesbaai beach on a warm 28°C afternoon under an uninterrupted blue sky, walking east along the De Kelders cliffs towards the Drip Caves.
Later this month the skies above the Overberg will host something a little different. On 21 March 2026, Air Force Base Overberg will open its gates for the first South African Air Force Technology Show, an event designed to showcase the future of aviation, robotics and aerospace technology in South Africa.
There’s a mountain that rises steeply behind Groeneweide Farm near Franskraal, just outside Gansbaai. Most people know the farm for its weekly Parkrun – runners and walkers gathering early on Saturday mornings among the fields and coastal fynbos.
