GPS coordinates: 34º07'32.28" S / 22º07'05.16" E

Let the sun and sea breeze take care of your worries at ATKV Hartenbos on the Southern Cape coast. Here you will find everything under the sun by the sea. This resort, situated between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, approximately eight kilometres from Mossel Bay and forty kilometres from George’s airport on the Garden Route, boasts one of the mildest climates in the world!

ATKV Hartenbos is increasingly regarded as one of the most sought-after holiday, conference and tourist destinations in the Southern Cape. It is also an ideal base from which to add colour to your holiday by visiting numerous tourist attractions in the surrounding area.
The resorts offers a wide range of accommodation, which varies from rondavels, luxury two- and three-bedroom units and flats ideal for groups to camping and caravan facilities, most of which have a lovely sea view.

There are a wealth of activities and recreational facilities, including an heated indoor swimming pool, a well-equipped shop and one of the most modern Spur restaurants in the country.

During the course of its development, Afrikaans has produced a rich treasure of poetry that provides a wonderful image of our beautiful country and its people. Discover a part of this treasure on the ATKV walk right next to the sea. The sea poems of sixteen famous Afrikaans poets can be read on this two kilometre stroll. For studious holidaymakers the resort also offers a museum on the Great Trek, with interesting exhibitions.

National Marine Month in October 2009 came to an end on a high note when the new season of Blue Flag South Africa was launched at Muizenberg beach on Thursday 29 October 2009.   National Marine Month is aimed at creating awareness of South Africa’s marine and coastal environments and the benefits that our oceans and coast bring to our country.

Since the inception of the Blue Flag programme in November 2001, when the South African government (through the Marine and Coastal Management division of the former Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism) and WESSA (the Wildlife & Environment Society of South Africa) launched the programme, Blue Flag South Africa has grown significantly and sustainably.  [read more] 

This is the message that Mossel Bay Tourism wants to emphasise in the run-up to the coastal town's busiest time of the year.

"The Municipality has assured us that even if it doesn't rain, there's enough water in the reservoirs to last us until March 2010 - and in the meantime they're making every effort to ensure an adequate supply well into the future," said Mossel Bay Tourism's Marcia Holm.

"This includes a R30 million effluent water project which should - if the treated water proves suitable - be able to supply the PetroSA plant with all its needs, which are equivalent to the needs of the rest of the town."

"This would ease the pressure on the Wolwedans Dam, which is our main raw water supply," she said.

Aside from imposing punitive rates on households that consume more than 20 kilolitres per month (a reasonable amount for the average household), the municipality has also imposed restrictions on the use of hosepipes and irrigation systems, and limited the number of hours per week during which watering may take place, and is investigating various innovative engineering solutions - including the removal of exotic black wattles from the Moordkuil River (which feeds the Klipheuwel dam) because of their high water uptake.

"The aim is to achieve a 30% saving through water restrictions," said Ms. Holm, "but that should in no way affect the holidaymakers' enjoyment of the town."

Ms. Holm said that rumours about the water situation were irresponsible and untrue.

"The ATKV at Hartenbos, the country's biggest self-catering resort, will be operating normally this summer, as will the municipal caravan parks at De Bakke, Santos and The Point, and the only reason we'll have to turn anyone away is if our accommodation establishments are full," she said.

"As far as the 2010 World Cup is concerned, we are confident that the Municipal engineers will have found a medium-term solution to the challenges that we expect to face.

"Mossel Bay has agreed to host the Paraguayan National Team, and we're hoping that this will attract as many as 10,000 fans to the town during the tournament.

"But this is considerably less than the number of visitors we receive during an average summer season, so there should be no reason for speculation about our ability to provide our 2010 visitors with the services they expect.

"Still, the reality is that the Eden Region - and therefore the Mossel Bay Municipal area - has been declared a disaster area as a result of the current drought, which is severe indeed, so we're calling on everyone to 'Spaar water! Yonga amanzi! Save Water!'," said Ms. Holm.

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