2013 has arrrived and we wish all our Guests both old and new all the best for this coming year.

 Plan ahead in 2013 and in April & May 2013 we think it will be time to treat yourself .

Come to Cape Town for a long weekend ?

You can stay with us here at Atlantic Breeze Guesthouse, in Sunset Beach just a 15 minute drive by car to the City centre. If you book a double room for a 3 night weekend stay this April & May you will have a bottle of South African Bubbles & a cheese platter  to enjoy to make you feel welocme and at home!

Offer available, Friday Saturday and Sunday nights between

1st April and the 31st May only, subject to availability.

BOOK now to avoid dissappointment

To discuss call Jo on 021 551  7159 or email jo@atlanticbreeze.co.za or drop a note at the Contact us section.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

The origin of Kite surfing can be attributed to the nineteenth century when George Pocock used large oversized kites to harness wind power and propel carts and boats with it.

George was trying to find an alternative to horsepower in order to avoid the “horse tax” levied during that era. The method used by George is still in practice today and kite surfers continue to use a four-line control system.

A hundred years later, in 1903, Samuel Cody, an aviation pioneer, developed “man-lifting kites” and crossed the English Channel in a kite-powered, small collapsible canvas boat.

Today, kite surfing is a popular adventure sport enjoyed by people of all ages. Beaches with windy weather conditions are favoured for this sport and kite surfing championships are held around the world. Kitesurfing enthusiasts travel around the globe to attend such competitions.

If you are traveling to Cape Town for a holiday, you can enjoy kitesurfing at Sunset Beach. Cape Town is world famous for its kitesurfing activities and potential. Sunset Beach happens to be one of the most scenic kite surfing spots around the globe, looking on the famous Table Mountain. Weather conditions at the Sunset Beach are a kite surfer’s dream, and every day, you can find a different level of kite surfing challenge at Sunset Beach.

Many famous professional kite surfers come to Sunset Beach, Cape Town, to indulge in the unique experience it has to offer. Cape Town is different from most kite boarding spots around the world due to the variety of weather conditions that prevail here. Waters from the warm Indian Ocean meet the cooler Atlantic Ocean currents at the cape and the temperature difference creates strong, reliable winds that start early morning and continue to build up in speed as the day progresses, reaching over 30 knots by late afternoon.

The famous Cape Doctor, (Cape Town’s characteristic strong southeastern wind) helps create ideal kite boarding conditions that lure kite surfing pros like Ruben Lenten and five times kite surfing world champion Aaron Hadlow to Sunset Beach for training.

Kitesurfing season begins from October and stays till April, and the wind strength ranges from medium to strong on most days. Cape Town has more than 30 kite surfing spots to offer, each with its own quality and challenge.

For beginners, there are opportunities that allow basic kite surfing training with smaller waves, while there are other days when the winds are strong, ranging 3-5 metres in height for the more experienced kite surfers. Moreover, the lagoons and river mouths around Capt Town offer flat water areas that are more suited to beginners looking to learn a few freestyle tricks.

A kite surfing adventure is definitely recommended during your stay at Atlantic Breeze Guest House. Sunset Beach is just a few minutes’ walk from the guesthouse and you can easily sign up with one of the many Kite surfing clubs and kite surfing schools here. The courses offered range from basic training to advance level kite surfing. Other services offered by these clubs include guided kitesurfing in the form of a group.

Kite surfing is a great way of relaxing and enjoying yourself while in Cape Town. Free your soul and get away from the worries of your daily routine by challenging the wind and the waves.

With the majestic Table Mountain as your witness, embark on an amazing adventure, and harness the sheer power of nature with a kite surfing holiday in Cape Town, South Africa. As the waves soar, so shall your spirit, and you will have an experience of a lifetime.

Allow us to introduce ourselves. We are Jo & Roy Clarke and we own and run the Atlantic Breeze Guest House. We are escapees from corporate life in the UK, previously living in the south of England and we fell in love with the Western Cape, South Africa.

Our passion is people and hospitality, (Roy is also passionate about golf, cricket & rugby!) and we are committed to building here at Atlantic Breeze a Home from Home Experience where our friends and guests, be it for business or pleasure, will come to stay and wish to return.

In our previous lives, we were both in the insurance profession. Roy has been retired, enjoying the golf course and the good life and Jo has come straight from business life to meet new and different challenges but both have always had a passion for great hospitality and good food – we have now opened our doors to welcome our guests and friends into our home.

Here at Atlantic Breeze we can embrace these passions, with sincere efforts to ensure your stay is memorable for all the right reasons. We are justifiably proud of what we offer our guests and of Atlantic Breeze Guest House.

We are well supported by our housekeeping team, Tsunghi and Nancy who you will find both obliging but discreet and not to forget the rest of the team…. Evie & Scarlett, our two cocker spaniels!

We have changed our lives; are having great fun and are meeting some fantastic people, fulfilling our dream here in Cape Town, South Africa.

Allow us to introduce our guesthouse team.

The girls, Nancy and Tusunghi who you will find to be attentive to all your room requirements. They work well together as a team and now supported by Armstrong have an excellent routine to ensure the rooms are clean and guest areas also are beautifully presented and and welcoming.

Armstrong, with a warm & welcoming smile will assit you with arrival & check-in and he also helps to maintain our small garden and pool to sparkle.
He can also cook you an excellent Braai as well!

You will find the team very willing to assist, attentive but very discreet.

Should you have extra requirements whilst staying with us such as washing and ironing one of the team will do this personally for you.Please just ask.

We want your stay with us here at Atlantic Breeze to be as enjoyable as possible – please remember to ask us if we can help , whatever your requirements might be.

Our passion is people and hospitality and we are committed to building here at Atlantic Breeze a Home from Home Experience where our friends and guests, be it for business or pleasure, will come to stay and wish to return.

Robben Island is famous for it’s political history and Nelson Mandela who spent more than twenty years of his life imprisoned here. The political struggle against the Apartheid regime came to fruition due to the efforts and hardships endured by Robben Island’s political prisoners. Today the island stands testament to the victory of good over evil and is considered a symbol of freedom.

Robben Island was being used as a prison as early as the 17th century when the Dutch first began to banish their political prisoners and Muslim leaders from the East Indies to this secluded island. In 1969, a shrine was built on the island in the honour of Sayed Abdurahman Moturu, the Prince of Madura. This shrine is called Moturu Kramat and it was common practice among Muslim prisoners to visit the shrine before leaving the Island.

Rebellious Xhosa chiefs during British rule were also shipped off to Robben Island. From the mid 1800’s all sorts of outcasts, criminals, prostitutes, lepers and the mentally ill were also sent to the island. All of these people were subjected to cruelty and abuse. The island also found use as a military and naval base.

The South African Prison Department officially took over the Island in 1961 and built a maximum-security prison here. This prison is famous for the brutality and inhumane treatment that the prisoners received. Visitors were allowed only once a year and children under 16 years of age were not allowed to visit the island so the inmates never got to see their children grow up. Even letters were restricted to two a year.

The inhumane treatment intensified further in 1971 and the political prisoners were isolated and subjected to harsh beatings and physical labour in the lime quarry. Food, bedding and clothing were insufficient and they had to endure long periods of solitary confinement.

The inmates’ conditions were eventually improved due to hunger strikes, legal action and international pressure. In 1991, all of the political detainees were released from Robben Island, and in 1996 the common-law prisoners were also moved to the mainland prison and Robben Island prison was formally closed.

Today, the Robben Island prison has been converted into a museum and is a popular tourist attraction. Daily tours to the island are available. Tickets cost R150 and can be purchased from ticket counters at the Nelson Mandela Gateway on the V&A Waterfront.

A thirty-minute ferry ride from the Waterfront takes you to Robben Island’s tiny harbour. You can buy drinks and snacks on the ferry. The ride tends to get a bit rough on windy days and sometimes the trip gets cancelled due to severe winds.

First time visitors should arrive 20 minutes early in order to enjoy an extremely interesting interactive exhibit in the waiting hall about the prison’s history.

When you get off at the harbour, a bus tour will take you to historic landmarks like the lime quarry, the kramat shrine, the leper graveyard and a church that was used by the prison wardens and their families.

On the road to the village centre you will also come across old Sailboat cannons. Most of the buildings on Robben Island are from the Second World War era, with 9.2-inch guns and bunkers that were originally a part of the armaments erected to defend Cape Town. You will also encounter a lighthouse that was built to warn ships of the rocky waters around the Cape. This coastline is famous for shipwrecks as well.

During the bus ride, a guide, probably a former inmate will brief you about the history and the details of the places you see. This provides a unique experience of interacting first hand with someone who has actually experienced history in the making at Robben Island Prison.

The bus stops at the limestone quarry where Nelson Mandela and other prominent ANC members spent many years of their lives doing harsh physical labour. There’s a cave at the quarry where prisoners could rest for a while, unspotted by the guards. This cave is an institution in its own self, as it became common practice for some of the more educated prisoners to teach others how to read and write by scratching in the dirt. Complicated subjects like History, politics and biology were also tackled at this phenomenal “prison university”. It was in this very cave that a good part of South Africa’s current constitution was written.

The last stop on this trip is the maximum-security prison. Here you will take the Footsteps of Mandela tour in the notorious B-section of the prison. All the cells are locked and empty but Mandela’s sparse cell is kept open for the visitors.

The A-section of the former prison houses the Cell Stories exhibition that evokes the meagerness of prison life. Loaned personal items of former prisoners are on display here. An amazing saxophone crafted from found bits and pieces by an inmate is also on display, and is still in working condition.

There is a photograph display in the communal cells called The Smuggled Camera Exhibition. The photos on display have been contributed by former prisoners who managed to slip cameras onto the island in the late 1980s. Watching these enlarged photos is a unique, heartwarming experience, giving an indication of the inmates’ solidarity, friendship and a common hope for better times.

Robben Island was once a haven for seals and ocean birds but the wildlife was ruthlessly plundered for fresh seal meat and penguin eggs by sailors when the Cape was originally discovered. Much has been done in recent years to restore Robben Island’s wildlife and ecology to what it used to be centuries ago. In 1991 the northern part of the island was declared a bird sanctuary. Buck, ostrich, and rabbits are easily spotted on the island.

The entire trip lasts three and a half hours and is a unique experience.

A trip to Cape Town is incomplete without visiting Robben Island as it has played a very important role in restoring freedom and democracy to the South African Nation.

The most common whale spotted along the Cape Town coastline is the Southern Right Whale. It gets its name from being the hunters’ favourite kind as it’s a slow swimmer and once killed, floats on the sea surface, hence considered the “right” kind of whale for hunting. Other species that you may encounter from False Bay include Bryde’s whales, humpback whales and killer whales (nicknamed “wolves of the sea” as they hunt in packs). You will also find Dolphins in the area and if you are lucky you may come across bottlenose dolphins on the east side of the coast while dusky dolphins are found on the west side. Heaviside’s dolphin, a species endemic to the western coast of Southern Africa, can also be spotted. Penguins and seals can also be spotted in the summer season.

False Bay is probably the best place to go whale watching in Cape Town. The whales use these warmer waters as mating, calving, and nursery grounds and in the summer months they may be seen just metres from the shore. Whales start arriving in the cape region as early as May and stay till November, with August – October being the peak whale watching season when the bay is dotted with whales.

The beauty of the Sunset beach and the Cape Town coastline in general is that you can watch whales frolicking in waters below from land based vantage points. Take binoculars with you in order to get a better view. You can spend hours sitting on one of the mountainside vantage points, enjoying a picnic basket and watching the whales play. The chances of whale sightings are much greater on wind free days. The whales can be spotted near river mouths and in sheltered bays and coves.

Hermanus is another great option if you have whale watching in mind. It is considered to be the world’s best land-based whale watching destination. The drive from Cape Town takes about an hour and half and every year thousands of whale lovers gather in Hermanus for an annual Whale Festival (also known as the Moby Dick Festival). The festival takes place in late September.

In Hermanus, a walk along the cliff path stretching 12Km from end to end usually results in an encounter with a whale. You can see them as close as 20m away just beyond the breakers or frolicking in the sheltered bay. The Whale Crier’s kelp horn also signals the most likely spots for whale sightings.

Popular whale spotting sites include an outstanding vantage point on Boyes Drive winding along the mountainside. Fish Hoek is another excellent place to see the Southern Right Whales lolling about particularly close to the boulders. The chances are that you may even get soaked from one of their blows!

The coastal road between Fish Hoek and Simon’s Town has some good whale watching spots. The route from Boulders to Smitswinkelbaai offers even more spectacular mountainside vantage points for whale watching.

Spotting whales in the ocean can get tricky as sometimes they are mistaken for rocks. A great way to find these elegant creatures is to look for white patches in the ocean where the waves break on the whales’ bodies.

For a closer interaction with the whales and dolphins you can take one of the many boat-based tours from Simon’s Town, the V&A Waterfront, Hermanus, Plettenberg Bay, and Hout Bay. Another highly recommended option is a commercial sea kayaking trip, available from Simon’s Town.

You can also experience fabulous aerial whale sightings via helicopter flips around the peninsula.

Whale watching is a unique experience and no place in the world makes it as special as here in Cape Town, where a simple walk along the beach can be transformed into a cherished memory and a unique encounter with one of nature’s most wonderful creatures.

Allow us to introduce our two English Cocker Spaniels, that are almost part of the team !

Evie, aged 4 years, our blue roan cocker and Scarlett, the 1 year old chocolate roan, who is young and full of mischief – they too are escapees from the UK, well they just had to come along with us – but they did come through all the right channels to be with us here at Atlantic Breeze.

Their passion is also people , meeting and greeting but only when allowed - plus they love food and walking along the beach.

Atlantic Breeze Guest House is decorated in an elegant modern African style, offering the ultimate comfort, with bedrooms named after African animals and having luxurious en-suite bathrooms, satellite and local TV channels, air-conditioning, a safe, a fan, a hair-dryer, a digital alarm radio, a hospitality tray and all the comforts you require.

The Guesthouse’s – Giraffe Room

The luxury Giraffe room is spacious and airy, has a Queen sized bed and has generous full en-suite bathroom facilities and includes many of your other home comforts. This room is on the first floor, and suitable for an additional bed if required – an ideal room for a family!

Indulge yourself with our personally prepared breakfasts, there is plenty of choice – freshly made to order scrambled eggs with smoked salmon – delicious and a great way to start to your day.

Atlantic Breeze Guest House is decorated in an elegant modern African style, offering the ultimate comfort, with bedrooms named after African animals and having luxurious en-suite bathrooms, satellite and local TV channels, air-conditioning, a safe, a fan, a hair-dryer, a digital alarm radio, a hospitality tray and all the comforts you require.

Luxury Zebra double room, accommodation in the Western Cape

The luxury Zebra room is a lovely and spacious, with a Queen size bed plus a large single bed, ideal for a family or for those that prefer plenty of space. You can enjoy a full bathroom en-suite facility and the Zebra room includes many of your other home comforts. This room is on the first floor, with a double aspect looking out to the front of Atlantic Breeze.

Indulge yourself with our personally prepared breakfasts, plenty of choice – try some fresh berries for a healthy delicious start to your day and your eggs cooked the way you like best, just tell us what your prefer.

Atlantic Breeze Guest House is decorated in an elegant modern African style, offering the ultimate comfort, with bedrooms named after African animals and having luxurious en-suite bathrooms, satellite and local TV channels, air-conditioning, a safe, a fan, a hair-dryer, a digital alarm radio, a hospitality tray and all the comforts you require.

The Lion double room, fine accommodation in the Western Cape situated near Cape Town

Our Lion room is a delightful double bedded room with en-suite facilities found on the first floor and with garden view and many of the room comforts you would expect.

Indulge yourself with our personally prepared breakfasts, plenty of choice – try the French Toast with freshly squeezed orange juice and sprinkled with sugar for a different start to your morning.