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South Africa's quirkiest places to visit from its 'Big Hole' to a museum about owls

South Africa has plenty of world-famous attractions and landmarks but if you're after something a bit different you can head to quirky spots such as a giant pineapple, 'big hole' and a museum entirely dedicated to owls

[Cape Town and Table Mountain, South Africa]

Cape Town and Table Mountain, South Africa(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

South Africa is famous for its wildlife, beaches, mountains, winelands and hospitality.

But beyond the countrys obvious charms, there are plenty of quirky places to visit that reflect the Rainbow Nations fantastic sense of humour and its taste for eccentric adventure.

We're talking a giant pineapple, a Sex Shop and an owl house.

We take a look at some of the weird and wonderful places to add to the itinerary if you're looking for something a bit different!

Which one's going top of your list? Let us know in the comments below.

Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel, Cape Town

[A view of the terrace at the Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel in Cape Town]

Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel

Camping is big in South Africa. Many childhood holidays are spent in sites across the nation. But if you dont fancy waking up to a hippo outside your tent or tripping over guy ropes on your way to the loo, then how about a night in a vintage American Airstream? On a rooftop. In the middle of Cape Town.

You can do just that at the Grand Daddy, a beautiful four-storey Victorian hotel right in the middle of vibrant Long Street in the heart of the city.

The sunny rooftop plays host to seven luxury trailers which have all just had an individual makeover from some of the countrys top designers, depicting the wildlife, winelands, beaches, deserts and gold that define a road trip through this diverse land.

Glamping was never this glam, dahling. You can pop in for a drink at the rooftop Skybar if youre not staying at the hotel.

Find out more at granddaddy.co.za.

The Big Hole, Kimberley, Northern Cape

[Wide view of The Big Hole in Kimberley, a result of the mining industry, with the town skyline on the edge]

A view of The Big Hole in Kimberley(Image: Getty Image)

This does exactly what it says on the tin its literally a big hole in the ground. But the reason for it is an important part of what makes South Africa tick diamonds! Some 150 years ago, thousands of prospectors armed with shovels, picks and hope descended on a remote hill and turned it into a massive crater 234 yards deep with a mile-long perimeter.

Over 40 years it yielded 2,722kg (6,000lb) of diamonds all dug out by hand. The open-air museum and visitor centre give a fascinating insight into the gruelling challenges the miners faced, and you can follow the journey of a diamond from a lump of rock to a polished gem.

Find out more at thebighole.co.za.

The Big Pineapple, Bathurst, Eastern Cape

[The largest artificial pineapple in the world can be found in the town of Bathurst]

The largest artificial pineapple in the world can be found in the town of Bathurst(Image: Getty Images)

At nearly 60ft tall, the Big Pineapple is the biggest one in the world (theres a slightly smaller one in Australia).

The three-storey structure made from fibreglass, steel and concrete dominates the surrounding pineapple fields.

The fruit was first planted here by settlers in the 1860s, and the mad, giant pineapple was built in 1990.

Inside is a shop and museum celebrating all things pineapple, and you can climb to a viewing platform at the top for views across the fields to the Indian Ocean at the lovely beach resort of Port Alfred in the distance.

A 40-minute drive inland will take you to the historic university town of Grahamstown (now called Makhanda).

Soweto Towers bungee jump, Orlando, Johannesburg

[A man bungee Jumping at Soweto Towers, Johannesburg]

A man bungee Jumping at Soweto Towers, Johannesburg(Image: Getty Images)

Leaping off a bridge or a crane attached by just a rubber band is nuts at the best of times never mind from a wobbly bridge suspended between two 984ft cooling towers covered in graffiti.

Welcome to Soweto Towers, where South African culture and adventure combine in a most thrilling way. The two towers from a decommissioned power station have been restored and beautifully decorated, and you can admire them from above, below or afar in the colourful suburb of Orlando. Then bungee, freefall or base jump off the very top if youre crazy enough.

Find out more at sowetotowers.co.za.

Afterwards be inspired at the nearby homes of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, or head to the hipster Neighbourgoods Market if youre in Jozi (as the locals call Johannesburg) on a Saturday.

Ronnies Sex Shop, Route 62, Western Cape

[The exterior of Ronnies Sex Shop on Route 62 in South Africa]

Ronnies Sex Shop on Route 62

So youre driving along Route 62 (South Africas answer to the USAs Route 66) heading towards the town of Barrydale in the Western Cape, and suddenly there it is Ronnies Sex Shop.

Highly scandalous in the conservative platteland countryside! Well, not really. What started out as a joke on the owner by his mates has now become an institution.

When Ronnie Price opened his roadside fruit and veg stall in the 1970s, his naughty pals added the word sex to the sign painted on the building and a legend was born.

Ronnie who can still be found behind the bar turned it into a pub, and people came from all over to donate their autographed underwear, which festoons the bar and ceiling, alongside some very risqu graffiti on the walls.

A crowdfunding appeal kept the place afloat during South Africas very strict lockdowns, and Ronnie is back doing what he does best pulling pints for bikers, farmers and curious tourists.

Unfinished freeway, Cape Town foreshore

[An uncompleted flyover bridge lies in downtown Cape Town]

The Unfinished Freeway(Image: Getty Images)

The ultimate road to nowhere. Capetonians no longer even notice the Foreshore Freeway Bridge that ends abruptly where the N1 motorway hits the Waterfront, but its a source of great fascination to newcomers.

The freeway was started in the 1970s to alleviate rush hour traffic (something that still plagues this city, wedged as it is between the sea and that mountain) but the project ran out of funds.

Urban myths about its termination include a shopkeeper refusing to sell his property, and an engineering miscalculation which meant the ends didnt meet up.

Whatever the truth of it, the project was never finished and, despite various plans and concepts over the years, it still isnt. But its a top location for film stunts and fashion shoots.

Owl House, Nieu-Bethesda, Eastern Cape

[A number of owl-shaped sculptures in a garden at the Owl House in South Africa]

Some of the sculptures at the Owl House(Image: DAILY MIRROR)

Just outside the dusty little dorp (small town) in the middle of the Karoo desert is a fascinating/creepy (depending on your perspective) museum dedicated to owls.

A reclusive woman called Helen Martins returned to her remote family home in 1928 in her early thirties. After her parents died in the 1940s, she along with builder Koos Malgas who interpreted her unusual ideas from the 1960s onwards set about transforming her home and garden into what became known as the Owl House and Camel Yard.

Hundreds of exotic concrete and glass statues of owls, wise men and camels abound, drawing visitors from all over to this little village of just 1,000 people.

Find out more at theowlhouse.co.za

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