with a time difference of two hours, jet lag isn't an issue.

The Western Cape area has become a big draw for both Irish and UK visitors and many are buying second homes there. And with the rand at a low of 10 to the euro, even expensive property looks like good value.

The Beckhams, Elton John and Roman Abramovich have all been seen house-hunting here, and suburbs such as Constantia and Haut Bay are awash with Euro4m-plus modernist mansions. But homes a short drive up the coast can be found for much less.

"You can pay in the region of Euro63,000-plus for a nice home here, " says Sally Wilson of Aylesford International's South African office, "but the area wouldn't necessarily be the best and the property would probably have one bedroom."

Wilson says a family-sized home in a nearby coastal town would start from Euro103,000, while a large beachfront house on the Atlantic seaboard just outside Cape Town would cost around Euro856,000. "But if you venture up the west coast, which is less developed, you would be looking at a nice home for around Euro162,000."

Many of these properties either overlook, or are a short walk from, the beach - and what beaches they are. The Western Cape is edged with long ribbons of white sand and rugged cliffs of red stone.

Often you'll have a bay all to yourself, bar a wandering ostrich or a visit from dolphins.

The bonus of buying here is that you tend to get more property for your money - as well as more peace and space.

Land is readily available and plots start from Euro45,000 for 300sq m (3,229sq ft), even in some beachfront areas. So anyone with a hankering for a home here might find it more cost effective to self-build. It also gives you the opportunity to design your dream home.

A recent change to the law, however, has decreed property can no longer be built within 100m of the beach. This means that any coastal land with planning permission already in place has become highly sought after and risen dramatically in value.

Plots in the Oyster Bay development at Pinnacle Point near Mosselbaai, for example, are selling through Aylesford from Euro627,000 for 1,000sq m (10,764sq ft). The cost of building will add around the same figure but that will give you a sea-facing home on one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world.

Dubliner Paul Deveney is one new resident. He bought a 2,000sq m (21,528sq ft) plot two years ago for Euro370,000 and is building a vast, threestorey home with glass walls, marble fittings and pool, on the cliff edge. Ronan Keating is a neighbour and the Pinnacle Point golf course is on the doorstep. "I bought here because it's the most special place, " says Deveney. "I only wish I'd bought earlier."

Go further west and you still can find plots for around Euro150,000 near the town of Knysna. Jeffrey and Carola Babcock, from Buckinghamshire in England, fell in love with South Africa while on holiday and, in 2005, bought a 7,200sq m (77,500sq ft) plot overlooking the sea at the Pezula resort.

After three years of working with a local architect and builders, the couple are now in the final stages of completing their bespoke four-bed home, which sits high on a coastal bluff and will have 120-degree views of the sea, a pool and a large garden.

Though shy of revealing exactly how much it cost, Jeffrey says that "it can work out at less than Euro750,000 to buy land and build a huge house designed totally to your specifications with fantastic views".

www. aylesford. com; 0044020-7351 2383
www. pezula. com; 0027 44 302 5332;
www. sothebysrealty. co. za; 0027 21 673 1200;
www. quintessentiallyestates. com; 004420-7758 3331

BUYERS GUIDE
�Non-nationals can own without restriction in South Africa. For long-term stays, a residency permit is needed
�Once terms and a completion date have been agreed and surveys carried out, the title deeds are investigated by the Deeds Registry office, before registration and transfer. A transfer tax of 5 to 8% is also levied
�Non-nationals can borrow up to 50% of the property value from a South African bank. Note that interest rates are at 12.5%
�Check that beachfront land you're buying has permission to build or you may end up with nothing but a patch of sandy soil