A new life for lighthouses...

Even though these familiar towers along our coast are slowly being usurped by Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, many have been given a new lease on life as popular tourist destinations.

Realising that people continue to be drawn by these historic buildings and their picturesque locations, the National Ports Authority has established the SA Lighthouse Adventure Tour Operations (SALATO).

They offer the SA Lighthouse Experience which caters for both day visitors and holidaymakers away from home. SALATO offers everything from lighthouse tours, curios, coffee shops and museums to self-catering accommodation and camping facilities.

The eight lighthouses on offer are spread along South Africa’s coastline from Cape Columbine, near Saldanha Bay, to North Sand Bluff in Kwazulu-Natal.

Cape Columbine (Paternoster)
Named after the barque Columbine which was wrecked there in 1829, the headland of Cape Columbine is situated five kilometres from the tranquil fishing village of Paternoster, roughly 200 kilometres from Cape Town.

Apart from the lighthouse, you can visit the Columbine Nature Reserve which offers a combination of coastal fynbos, succulents, and sparse rocky outcrops. There’s also bird watching on offer.

Courtesy Lighthouses of South Africa

If you don't mind the occassionally noisy foghorn, you can stay alongside the lighthouse at one of the two fully serviced, self-catering cottages, each of which sleeps eight people, or in the backpackers’ accommodation. Also in Cape Columbine reserve is the Beach Camp which offers rustic, but comfortable, accommodation in tents and A-frame chalets.

Mouille Point (Cape Town)
The oldest operational lighthouse in South Africa, first used way back in 1824, is situated within two kilometres of the centre of Cape Town and the V&A Waterfront.

The lighthouse has a unique ambience with its authentic woodwork, stone floors and distinctive architecture, while the attractions of the Mother City are ever present.

Although there's nowhere to stay at the lighthouse itself, there’s a wide range of accommodation on Cape Town's Atlantic seaboard.

Slangkoppunt (Kommetjie, Cape Town)
This lighthouse, the tallest cast-iron tower on the South African coast, is situated on the western side of the Cape Peninsula. A 45-minute drive from Cape Town, Slangkoppunt boasts spectacular views of the coastline along with ample fauna and flora.

Stay at one of the area's numerous guest-houses for the time being as self-catering accommodation will soon be available at the lighthouse.

Danger Point (Gansbaai)
In operation since 1895, the Danger Point Lighthouse stands roughly 10 kilometers from Gansbaai — a picturesque fishing village on the Atlantic side of Cape Agulhas.

Courtesy Lighthouses of South Africa

Apart from the historic lighthouse, there’s the colourful appeal of Gansbaai harbour and the excitement of shark cage diving around Dyer Island. Click here to find out more about adventure activities near Gansbaai. Alternatively visit the penguin and seal breeding grounds, or make the 50km trip to Hermanus, famous for its whale watching.

The lighthouse offers a fully equipped self-catering unit, sleeping six, with another planned for the near future.

Cape St. Blaze (Mossel Bay)
You will find Cape St. Blaze at Mossel Bay, the famous harbour town situated roughly halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

The lighthouse offers an intriguing look back at South Africa’s maritime history, as does the Bartholomeus Diaz Museum complex in the centre of town. Here you’ll find the Old Post Office Tree — a milkwood that from the 1500s became a makeshift post office for passing ships.

If Mossel Bay sounds like your kind of place the lighthouse offers a fully-serviced self-catering cottage that sleeps eight people. Alternatively, book accommodation in one of the town’s many hotels and guesthouses.

Courtesy Lighthouses of South Africa

Great Fish Point (Port Alfred)
The diminutive Great Fish Point lighthouse is one of the shortest lighthouses in South Africa, standing a mere nine metres high! Luckily, it's built on top of a headland 76m above the ocean, giving it a great vantage point.

Port Alfred has many attractions including great beaches and a golf course. Deep-sea angling and big game fishing can be arranged, and the area has many dive sites with several shipwrecks to explore. The lighthouse has two fully serviced cottages, each accommodating eight people on a self-catering basis, and camping facilities are being developed.

North Sand Bluff (Port Edward)
The newest lighthouse presently in service on South Africa's coastline is situated in the lush village of Port Edward on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.

Over and above the lighthouse, there are numerous beaches for swimming and relaxing, including Port Edward and Leisure Bay. Fishing spots are abundant, while the Aloe Trail (a 1km walk from Slash Rock to the Gully in front of the lighthouse) is ideal for whale watching.

You can stay in one of the two fully serviced self-catering cottages which each sleep six. There is also lots of of other accommodation available in the area.

Port Shepstone
Part of the KwaZulu-Natal south coast town, this lighthouse stands on the southern side of Umzimkulu River mouth.

Enjoy the guided tour of the lighthouse, make the most of the warm Indian Ocean waters or visit the African craft markets. If you're lucky enough to be here in June there's the spectacle of the annual sardine run to enjoy.

There’s no accommodation at the actual lighthouse but there is lots on offer in the area.

		Exploring South Africa's lighthouses For general enquiries on exploring and staying in lighthouses, contact +27 21 449 4729 or 083 284 6470. Additional information is also available on the National Ports Authority website. The SALATO central reservations office can be contacted at: Tel: +27 21 449 2400 Fax: +27 21 449 5625 email: salato@npa.co.za For more detailed information on each of South Africa's lighthouses, visit The Lighthouse Company, who offer organised tours, merchandise and can assist with arranging accommodation.