During the winter months, in the interior and in the Cape, many of us long for the sunny summer months. Years ago, I had an aunt who lived in the freezing Bethlehem in the Free State, but who, like a swallow, came to make her home every winter in a flat on the Natal coast. Although we are not all as privileged to migrate like swallows, we can at least find a way to escape the winter for a while to some of South Africa’s warmer parts. <\/p>\n\n
Below are five towns where the sun mostly shines, and where heavy jackets often never even come out of the cupboard.<\/p>\n\n
In the heart of the Lowveld, winter remains almost a stranger in Mbombela. While the rest of the country hides under blankets, daytime temperatures here still climb comfortably to 22\u00b0C, with clear, cloudless skies and almost no rain. It is precisely these dry, sunny winters that make Mbombela one of the most pleasant places in the country to be in June, July, and August. <\/p>\n\n
The city is also the gateway to the Kruger National Park, with the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport right on the town’s doorstep, and the beautiful Panorama Route, Sudwala Caves, and the Lowveld National Botanical Garden all within driving distance. It is no wonder that so many people settle here. <\/p>\n\n
On the property front, Mpumalanga is the second best-performing province in the country in 2025, just behind the Western Cape, with house prices growing by about 7% in value. Luxury estates such as Shandon and Matumi Golf Estate attract buyers looking to invest R5 million to R10 million for a dream home in the bush, and estates now account for 43% of all property in the town. You don’t just buy a house here; you buy a lifestyle. <\/p>\n\n
Ballito’s winter is almost a joke\u2014sunny, dry, and comfortably warm, with daytime temperatures hovering around 23 to 24\u00b0C. July is also the driest month of the year, with as little as a few percent chance of rain, perfect for beach walks, whale watching from the coast, and a round of golf without a drop of rain in sight. The annual Ballito Pro, the longest-running professional surfing competition in the world, brings even more life to Willard Beach in late June and early July. <\/p>\n\n
It is therefore no wonder that Ballito is one of the country’s hottest property markets, literally and figuratively. Semigration from Gauteng is the main driver, and the North Coast corridor is expected to grow by about 7% to 10% in value in 2026, considerably faster than the Durban average. About 41 new families move to Ballito and Salt Rock every month, and the average property price in the town is already above the R5.7 million mark. <\/p>\n\n
St Lucia’s winter is mild and dry, with days still rising to about 24\u00b0C and nights cooling slightly to 18\u00b0C. This is exactly when the town shows its best side: humpback whales migrate past the coast, wildlife viewing in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park improves as the vegetation thins out, and the humid summer heat makes way for clear, dry air. <\/p>\n\n
St Lucia is, in fact, the only town in South Africa located entirely within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park itself. Because the town is literally surrounded by the park, there is little room to expand, which naturally keeps property here scarce and therefore desirable. Furthermore, a R4 billion development plan is currently underway at iSimangaliso, which could further strengthen the area’s future appeal. <\/p>\n\n
On the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape, the winter in Port St Johns can hardly be called a winter. Daytime temperatures still remain comfortable around 19\u00b0C to 21\u00b0C, with nights cooling slightly, and July is the driest, sunniest month of the year. This makes Port St Johns an ideal destination for those who want to experience the rugged natural beauty of the Umzimvubu River mouth, pristine beaches, and legendary Wild Coast hospitality without freezing. <\/p>\n\n
Regarding property, Port St Johns is undergoing a quiet revolution. The town has been earmarked by the government’s District Development Model to become South Africa’s next coastal city, with Transnet already setting aside R7 billion for new port facilities in the area. For those who get in early, it offers a unique opportunity to be part of an emerging market before the rest of the country discovers it. <\/p>\n\n
Mossel Bay’s winter is not as warm and sunny as the previous four destinations, with daytime temperatures remaining around 17\u00b0C to 18\u00b0C instead. But compared to the freezing interior, it is still much milder, and the town boasts about 320 days of sunshine per year, constant and pleasant all year round, with little extreme heat or cold. <\/p>\n\n
The town has also been the Western Cape’s top destination for semigration for several years, with more new residents than any other coastal town in the province. Furthermore, Mossel Bay has been officially declared South Africa’s most financially sustainable municipality, which further explains its popularity among families, retirees, and investors. Meanwhile, rental properties continue to deliver strong yields of about 7% to 8% per year, making Mossel Bay a smart choice for investors as well, not just for those who love the sun. <\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Wherever you want to escape the winter, from the Lowveld’s forest paths to the Wild Coast’s pristine beaches, feel free to see what is available on HuisKlik in these sunny parts of our country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20513,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-real-estate-articles"],"yoast_head":"\n