Viewed from overhead, the small suburb of Paradise in Knysna appears a beautiful green with homes sparsely interspersed. Only the main road into Knysna separates Paradise from the Knysna River to the south and the suburb is bounded by the old Cape road to the west where tidal waters flow under the bridge to form a lake.
Paradise is on the Garden Route, one of South Africa’s premier tourist destinations. The suburb is aptly named, it’s a small piece of paradise with majestic views of the river and the Knysna Heads at the estuary entrance, and surrounded by evergreen forests.
You can enjoy blissful living at this Eden, a short distance from the lively town of Knysna, with relaxing beaches and forests walks.
Top 8 reasons to visit Paradise
1. Knysna is surrounded by water, visit the swimming beaches at Bollard Bay or Brenton on Sea, take a cruise along the Knysna lagoon or try the surf at Buffeslbaai (Buffalo Bay).
2. You can hire a rod in Knysna and walk down to the estuary for excellent fishing. Expect to catch a variety of fish including South Africa’s national fish, the Galjoen. Note that the Galjoen is on the threatened list, if you do catch one, kindly return it to the water.
3. Hike to the 800-year old Big Tree at the Diepwalle Forest Station. Nearby is the Forest Legends Museum that holds stories of the Knysna woodcutters and other of the forest's secrets.
4. Golfing on the Jack Nicklaus designed course at Simola Country Estate has to be one of the most rewarding rounds of golf you will ever experience, purely for the plush greens and fairways cleverly constructed amongst the surrounding natural beauty.
5. You’re likely to find fab and unusual handcrafted gems at the Scarab Village in Sedgefield, a short distance from Paradise.
6. Visit Knysna town to enjoy the history, chic shopping malls, islands, marinas and to sample the natural beers brewed at the longstanding Mitchell’s Brewery.
7. The Jaguar Simola Hillclimb is a 3-day motor event in May that culminates in the ‘King of the Hill shootout’. The shootout is a speed race up the Old Cape Road hill. This popular annual event averages an attendance of over 10000 people.
8. A resort not to be missed is Angie’s G-Spot on the Prince Alfred Pass and along the Keurbooms River. The proprietor advertises hot beer, bad service, lousy food and…you’ll have to read the rest of the sign yourself. Beautiful setting, friendly owners and excellent meals.
Transport
Paradise is 75kms away from the George Airport. A number of car rental agencies are located in Knysna and at the George airport, or you could order a rental online. Several metered taxi companies operate in Knysna. Shuttle service operators will transport visitors between George Airport and Paradise.
Did you know?
Knysna has a shipbuilding tradition that stretches back over 180 years. The first ship built here in the 1830's was made from stinkwood and weighed 140 tons.
The majestic stinkwood tree is a protected species and was once popular for furniture making and the bark used for traditional medicines. Local shamans would strip the bark at the base of the trunk, known as ringing, and this procedure kills the tree almost immediately. All for a piece of bark.
