These are our views and opinions on the caravan parks and campsites that we stayed on during our 5 week trip around the Western Cape. Our expectations and requirements may well be different to yours so please use this as a guide only. Our camper van for the trip was a VW T3 2 berth Comfort hired from Lekker Camper. They have a range of vehicles to suit most people and were a very helpful and friendly team.

Cape Peninsula

Imhoff Caravan Park (private) – 3 nights

Pros:

•Great access to the Cape Peninsular

•Large clean ablution block

•Quiet site during the week

Cons:

•Overpriced at R260 per night

•Ageing ablution block, basic facilities i.e. no washing/dryer machines, no swimming pool

•Younger, noisier crowd arrive on Friday evening for the weekend

•Although a guard present at entrance it didn’t feel particularly secure

•No wifi

Price – R260 per night (all prices based on two adults and a camper van)

Beans-On-Tour Rating = 2.5✭

Stellenbosch

Mountain Breeze Caravan Park (private) – 4 nights

Pros:

•Large wooded site with large pitches and plenty of shade

•Very clean ablution block

•Good facilities i.e. washing/dryer machines, TV room (ageing), swimming pool

•Soap provided at sinks in ablution blocks

•Within walking distance, 25-30 mins (or 15 mins if you find the hole in the fence just outside the gate to the campsite!) of the Root 44 market

•2 minute drive to the Stellenbosch Square mall

•Security gate and night patrols

Cons:

•Long walk to Stellenbosch town (approx. 6km)

•No allocated pitches so you need to leave stuff behind to ‘claim’ your pitch otherwise someone could have occupied it by the time you come back from a drive

•No wifi

•No grass pitches

Price – R240 per night (R350 during holidays which we feel is overpriced)

BOT Rating = 3.5✭

Montagu  

Montagu Caravan Park (private) – 1 night

Pros:

•Lovely grassed pitches although somewhat lacking in shade

•Covered and outdoor swimming pools

•Ablution blocks clean

•Very secure

•Within walking distance of the town

•Good value for money

Cons:

•Ablution blocks limited amounts of showers

•Difficult to get into the site to book a pitch

•No wifi

Price – R180 per night

BOT Rating = 4✭

Oudtshoorn

Klienplaas Park (private) – 2 nights

Pros:

•Allocated pitches

•Wifi!!!!

•Large swimming pool

•Modern and clean ablution block

•Soap provided at sinks in ablution blocks

•Staff very friendly and helpful

•Large grassed pitches

•Walking distance to the town

Cons:

•Security guard at night but park not gated

Price – R193 per night

BOT Rating = 4.5✭

Victoria Bay, George 

Victoria Bay Caravan Park (municipal) – 2 nights

Pros:

•The site overlooks the bay. Stunning views and access straight to the beach (see below picture taken from the van!)

•Large allocated pitches

•The water for dishes is scalding hot

•Free wifi – daily allowance of 250MB

•Gated entrance and security guard at night however you could easily jump the fence in places

•Soap in ablution blocks

Cons:

•Absolutely no shade for the pitches

•Ablution blocks a bit old and in need of some TLC in places

•No lights in the scullery at night

•No washing machine

Price – R210 per night

BOT rating =  3✭(but an extra point given for location! 4✭)

Knysna

Monks Caravan Park (private) – 2 nights

Pros:

•Grassed pitches and some have shade but not all

•Extremely secure with metal fencing topped by electric fencing

•Laundry service provided (we were not charged)

•Swimming pool

•Food and liquor shops outside front entrance to campsite

•Ablution blocks clean

•Staff helpful and friendly

•Soap and paper towels provided in ablution blocks

•Within walking distance of town (about 15 minutes)

Cons:

•No wifi

•Security lighting which is on all night is blinding

•Unallocated pitches

Price – R250 per night

BOT rating =    3.5✭

Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp

Jeffreys Bay Caravan Park (municipal) – 1 night

Pros:

•Direct access to the beach

•Within walking distance of town

Cons:

•Unallocated pitches with no shade and not all have braai facilities

•No wifi

•Ablutions outdated and dirty and in need of TLC

•Not particularly secure

•No washing machines

•Extremely bright lights at night that made it difficult to sleep

•Felt like a gypsy campsite

Price – R208 per night

BOT rating =    1.5✭

Addo

Homestead B&B (private) – 2 nights

Pros:

•Shaded grassy allocated pitches

•Wifi at reception

•Gated entrance

•Plunge pool

•Set in well looked after garden of the B&B

•Within 10 minute drive of Addo Elephant National Park, where you can self drive the park in the van!

Cons:

•Peripheral fencing not great

•Ablution blocks outdated and in need of TLC

Price – R250 per night

BOT rating =   3 ✭

Plettenburg Bay

Keurbooms Lagoon Caravan Park (private) – 2 nights

Pros:

•Large grassy pitches, some with shade

•Direct access to lagoon beach

•Large ablution blocks

•Washing machines and tumble dyers (buy tokens from reception)

•Lines to hang up washing

•Children’s playground

Cons:

•Not within walking distance of town

•No wifi

•Cafe on site but it was closed

Price – R240 per night

BOT rating =   3.5 ✭

Hartenbos

Dibiki Caravan Park (private) – 2 nights

Pros:

•Large grassed allocated pitches

•Ablution blocks modern with soap, towels, hairdryers and stools

•Wifi access through campsite but a bit slow

•Swimming pool, playground, coffee shop and tv area with braai facilities and with picnic tables

•Wash room including washing machines, tumble dryer, ironing boards and irons, dish washing sinks with washing up liquid and sponges

•Secure site with gated entrance

•Bar with pool table

Cons:

•No shade on the pitches, actually, no shade anywhere

•No braai facilities on each pitch, only shared facilities in the tv area

Price – R220 per night

BOT rating =    4✭

L’Agulhas

L’Agulhas Municipal Caravan Park – 1 night

Pros:

•Right next to beach

•Medium-sized grassed pitches but no shade

•Sufficiently sized ablution blocks with toilet paper provided

•Cheapest price so far at R155

Cons:

•Not secure

•Ablution blocks not the cleanest

•Shared braai facilities

Price – R155 per night

BOT rating =    2.5✭

Gansbaai

Strandskloof Caravan Park (private) – 2 nights

Pros:

•Large fenced grassed allocated pitches

•Ablution blocks very modern and clean with soap and air freshener provided

•Washing machines and tumble dryers

•Swimming pools, volleyball and entertainment room (closed when we were there)

•10 minute drive from Kleinbaai for shark cage diving

Cons:

•Not with walking distance of town

•Expensive at R300 for medium season

•Gated entrance but low fencing around campsite

•No wifi

•Oil drum braai

•No shade

•Limited dish washing facilities

Price – R300 per night

BOT rating =    3✭

Hermanus

Onrus Caravan Park (municipal) – 2 nights

Pros:

•Large allocated pitches

•Right next to the sea

•Gated entrance and peripheral fencing

•Large shopping centre 5 minute drive away

Cons:

•Overpriced at R268

•Ablution blocks rundown, dirty and included animal droppings!

•Pitches are dirt and sand, not grassed

•Not within walking distance of town

Price – R268 per night

BOT rating =    2.5✭

Franschhoek

Otters Bend Lodge (private) – 3 nights

Pros:

•The only campsite in Franschhoek

•15 minute walk from centre of town

•Communal building with kitchen and lounge/diner

•Wifi available in communal building

Cons:

•Not a proper campsite (in the garden of the guest house)

•Only one bathroom to be shared by all camping and 3 bed dorm

•Electricity points sparse

•Wifi was broken!

•A bit run down and in need of some tlc

Price – R250 per night

BOT rating = 3✭