Featured Home Exchange Property #0580: South Africa, Western Cape, Stellenbosch

South Africa, Western Cape, Stellenbosch – 4-bedroom house,  perfect base for exploring the beautiful winelands

Established by European settlers in 1679, Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa next to Cape Town. It sits squarely in the heart of South Africa’s wine country amid scenic mountains, lush valleys, and wonderful weather.

There are plenty of outdoor recreational activities, wildlife experiences, cultural attractions, and hip things to do and see in this town of 120,000 people, but the most popular is touring the vineyards and wineries. The Stellenbosch Wine Route is the country’s oldest and most famous.

The route includes over 140 farms and is divided into five sub-routes for easier navigation.  Wine tasting, sales and tours are available at most cellars. But many wineries have added attractions and activities to distinguish themselves from the others -- restaurants, cheese shops, art galleries,  romantic carriage rides in the vineyards, wildlife encounters, musical events, activities for children, and annual festivals, to name a few.

You can select which winery to visit by checking out the activities and events they have planned and/or by the varietals/type of wine they produce. Index guides are readily available. For information on Stellenbosch attractions, wine tours, and more, go to: http://www.stellenbosch.travel/attractions#sthash.8OpenCQV.dpuf

Your home exchange house is conveniently located on the northern end of Stellenbosch with the Simonsberg Mountains in the background. In under a 10 minute drive, you can enjoy horseback riding, fishing, golf, hiking and walking trails, shops, restaurants, cultural attractions, casino, and a gym/health club.

You can be in Cape Town in half an hour and enjoy all the attractions of the big city, including the most visited tourist spot in the country -- The Victoria and Albert Waterfront in the old harbor area -- and its many shopping, dining and entertainment options.

This four-bedroom, two story holiday exchange house can comfortably sleep eight people. It is newly built in a secure community and has a private fully-walled garden in the back. You can barbecue outside under a covered veranda, or inside in a fully-equipped kitchen. The lounge and dining room are nicely appointed.

For more information on this Stellenbosch retreat, click the property #0580. Continue exploring this site if you are not a member of the International Vacation Home Exchange and would like to learn more. Click the links to HOW IT WORKS.

Featured Home Exchange Property #0415: Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

"Four Bedroom, Three Bath Buburban Townhouse 10 Minutes from the City"

Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and, like the country, a thriving, bustling melting pot of ethnicities, cultures and religions living together in amazing harmony. Kuala Lumpur’s greater metro area is an urban agglomeration with some 7 million residents. About 44% are indigenous Malays; 43%, Chinese; 10%, Indians. Almost all other Asian countries are represented in the population as well – Indonesia, Nepal, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Vietnam. A sizeable community of European, Japanese, British and American business people and ex-pats round out the mix. Gastronomes know Kuala Lumpur as a cosmopolitan city where you can dine in almost any language.

Most residents of Kuala Lumpur are literate in English, a compulsory language taught in school. If you speak English, you should have no problem getting about and sightseeing in this wonderful city.

There is one sight you can’t avoid not seeing – the 88-floor Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest twin towers in the world and an iconic landmark of Kuala Lumpur. See it up close on a tour beginning with interactive displays that trace the Towers’ development from inception to completion. Then ride a futuristic elevator up 170 meters to a two-storey sky bridge connecting the two towers. Next stop, the 86th floor and breathtaking views of Kuala Lumpur.

Back down on earth at the feet of the Towers, an upscale retail center, all 1.5 million square feet of it, beckons with luxury goods and high-end labels.  It also includes an art gallery, a philharmonic theatre, an aquarium and Science center. If you can’t find anything to buy here, perhaps you’ll find something in one of the 65 other shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur.

Besides the Towers, other major tourist attractions include the Jamek Mosque built in 1907; the elaborate Sri Mahamariamman Hindu temple; St. John’s Cathedral built in 1883; Petaling Sreet, Kuala Lumpur’s bustling Chinatown; Batu Caves;  and the National Museum, offering fascinating exhibits of Malaysian history and culture.

For trendy bars, nightclubs and lounges, head for an area known as the Golden Triangle. The Hard Rock Café, Beach Club, the Hakka Republic, Luna Bar, Rum Jungle and many other hot spots are located here.

Your IVHE home exchange in Kuala Lumpur is in the affluent suburb of Sri Hartamas. Nearby amenities include two golf courses, a country club, health club and spa. Plus, a variety of restaurants, bars and shopping opportunities are a five-minute drive away.

Getting around from this home exchange location is easy. Taxis are readily available and inexpensive. Bus service takes you directly into the city. Or, you can drive yourself. For just four extra credits, your host offers the use of a Malaysian-made Proton Wira 1.8 notch back, four years old.

This is a townhouse that feels like a cottage. It has its own front driveway, a garden and two lovely ponds. The kitchen is modern and fully equipped. If you would like to dine in one night but don’t want to cook, you can call for a pizza delivery in 20 minutes.

Three of the four bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms. The house is fully air conditioned and equipped with a computer and home-entertainment devices.

Find out more about this Malaysian gem in Kuala Lumpur. Click the property # above for more information and pictures.

If you are not a member of the International Vacation Home Exchange but are curious, explore this site further at WHO WE ARE and HOW IT WORKS.