The renowned Bay View Hospital in the Garden Route town of Mossel Bay is helping to lure many 'surgery tourists' to the area from South Africa and abroad, who are likely to leave with more than the usual souvenirs of their holiday ? like a tummy-tuck.

Attracted by its seaside location, high standards and relatively low prices compared to the rest of the world, the hospital is gaining an excellent reputation internationally for its cosmetic surgery, thus bringing more exposure to the region and the town in particular.

Wendy van Heerden of Lew Geffen Sotheby?s International Realty, Mossel Bay says, "Many upcountry buyers who may not have considered Mossel Bay as an investment option in the past, are discovering our quiet Garden Route town, almost by accident, when they make use of our local Bay View Private Hospital."

The Hospital is renowned as one of the finest, best-equipped private hospitals of its kind in the country. Patients flock from all across SA and overseas to Bay View, which is on a par with international standards and boasts a number of highly experienced surgeons who have built names for themselves in the area of cardiology, and now more recently in cosmetic surgery.

"Mossel Bay has the lowest profile of the Garden Route towns, despite offering everything in terms of weather, amenities and incredible scenery for which the area is renowned," notes van Heerden. "According to the Guinness Book of Records, Mossel Bay has the second most moderate climate in the world after Hawaii. The area is commonly known as the ?Karoo-by-the-sea? for this reason.

"Probably the best attraction of Mossel Bay is that it has not become too trendy or sophisticated and has managed to retain that small seaside-town charm. As a result property prices have not reached the highs seen in the rest of the Garden Route ? there is still incredible value to be found.?

Van Heerden says mid-level homes with sea views range from R800 000 ? R1.5-million and for a renovated, up-market home with excellent views you can expect to pay no more than R1.7-million.

"Modern, new apartments sell at around R1.2-million. Among recent sales, a beach bungalow of 62m? in the highly sought-after Point Village was sold for R620 000. This was in need of renovation ? but for its position alone you would pay triple anywhere else along the Garden Route.?