Helen Martins' Owl House, often cited as South Africa's finest example of outsider art, is an extraordinary, other-worldly home of concrete and ground glass sculptures. Her creativity conjures up an array of emotions: from wonder to excitement, curiosity and sadness.

Gebou in 1905 staan die Nederduits-Gereformeerde kerk met sy gotiese toring teen blou Karoo lug, onmiskenbaar deel van Nieu-Bethesda. ’n Tekort aan lidmate het tot gevolg gehad dat die laaste permanente prediker in 1961 hier weg is en sedertdien behartig ’n dominee uit Graaf-Reinet die erediens.

Die houtsneewerk op die kerkbanke en die oorspronklike kandelare is uniek en alhoewel die antieke gas beligting nie meer in daaglikse gebruik is nie word dit steeds in Desember vir ’n spesiale Kersdiens gebruik.

Die kerk is onlangs gerestoureer en word gebruik vir troues, konferensies, werkswinkels en uitstallings. Reëlings kan gemaak word sou u dit wou besigt

Nieu Bethesda het steeds ’n stelsel werkende leivore wat deur die fontein op die plato bo die dorp gevoed word. Inwoners maak daagliks gebruik hiervan vir hulle blom en groentetuine. Vir ’n rustige wandeling kan besoekers aan die dorp die leivore volg tot by die fontein op die plato.

Oorkant die Uilhuis is ’n bruggie wat jou na die wesoewer van die rivier neem, volg die pad en jy kom by die oorspronklike watermeul van die dorp uit. Die watermeul is in 1860 deur Mnr. BJ Pienaar op die plaas Uitkyk gebou. Die oorspronklike hout wiel is later vervang deur die Staal wiel wat vandag steeds te sien is.

Grafte dateer uit die laat 1700’s en die Anglo Boere oorlog. Van die oudste grafstene is uit plaaslike rots gekap met die oudste gedateer 1786.

Daar is verskeie organisasies wat perderitte aanbied in en Om Nieu-Bethesda. Niks lekkerder as om soos ’n wafferse ruiter die omgewing te leer ken.

Die area in en om Nieu-Bethesda is geskik vir die rustige ontspanne fietsryer maar daar is oorgenoeg aksie en adrenalien vir die meer gevorderde bergfietsryer ook. Huur ’n fiets by Outsiders B&B en geniet die dorp en omgewing teen ’n slakke pas. As dit sweet en adrenalien is wat jou hart vinniger laat klop staan vroeg op en durf een van die roetes by Kompasberg of Ganora aan.

Die inwoners van die Nieu Bethesda dorpskip, Pienaarsig, maak handwerke om ‘n inkomste te verdien. Handwerkers sluit felter, draad werkers en skaapvel pantoffel makers.

In die voetspore van Helen Martins het verskeie kunstenaars hulle insperasie en “muse’ in Nieu Btehesda gevind , hulle self hier gevestig en Gallerye en Atteljees geopen.

Sou jy moeg raak van deur die strate wandel kan jy altyd by een van die dorp se koffie winkels stop vir koffie en ‘n bietjie praat. By Outsiders Restaurant kan jy rustig die hoofstraat-verkeer van koeie, donkies, honde, katte en ganse gade slaan. Die Village Inn is in dieselfde straat as die Uil huis en jy kan jouself tuis maak in die eetkamer of die Karoo son en koffie in die tuin geniet.

Die Kitching Fossiel Eksplorasie Sentrum beeld die Permiese tydperk in en om Nieu-Bethesda van 253 Miljoen jaar uit. Die Sentrum het fossiele van die area asook uit die res van Suid Afrika in sy versameling. Van die fossiele kom uit ‘n tydperk toe die kontinente nog een groot massa bekend as Pangea was. Dit is so vêr terug as 50 Miljoen jaar voor Dinosourusse.

‘n Besoek aan die sentrum neem jou na ‘n tydgleuf met onbekende plante en diere. Daar is lewensgroot modelle van prehistoriese diere en sketse van ‘n tyd toe daar geen gras, blomme of soogdiere was nie, ’n Tyd toe Therapsid, die soogdier se voorouer,  die dominante spesie was.

Bekyk Nieu Bethesda uit n ander hoek, en luister na Jakob van Staden lewenslange inwoner van die dorp terwyl hy jou met sy donkie kar deur die dorp en al sy staaltjies neem. Stories van toe hy nog ‘n student was en hoe hy die besigheid begin het.

The area around Nieu Bethesda boasts around 280 bird species including water birds, mountain birds and several species of raptor and other birds of prey. Be on the lookout for the Blue Crane, South Africa's national bird.

Die  Sneeuberg Brouery en Deli is in wese ‘n een man saak, wat jy hier eet en drink word hier gemaak, selfs die koffie word hier gerooster.

Die bier is die ware jakob, mout, gars en fontein water, geen preserver middles. Probeer sommer al drie biere: Die skerper meer bitter Karoo Ale die effe soet Honey Ale en ten laaste die donker Roasted Ale.

In Nieu Bethesda bly die melkweg die baas, met geen straat en ander skerp ligte is sterre kyk ‘n belewenis.

Compassberg (2502m) is the highest peak in the Sneeuberg range and second highest in the Eastern Cape. It takes four to five hours to climb to the top and descend again. The base of the mountain is a forty minute drive from Nieu Bethesda.

The mountain offers different degrees of difficulty, depending on your route. The walk up the northern slope is not hard and the way is marked with piles of stones. From the top, the koppies roll beneath you, Graaff-Reinet sits in the distance and on a clear day you can see up to 20km from the coast.

Come prepared! Compassberg is extremely exposed to the cold Karoo winds. Always take water and more clothes than you think you need.

You will need permission from a landowner to climb Compassberg. Your place of accommodation in Nieu Bethesda will provide contact details.

A half-day hike along the canyon will take you from Ganora Farm to De Toren, offering the opportunity to experience the Karoo's wildlife at close quarters.

The Canyon is a stunning natural phenomenon that runs from Ganora farm to De Toren, a few kilometres from Nieu Bethesda.
The half-day hike will bring you close to the Karoo's wildlife; you could see anything from otters and tortoises to buck and Black Eagle nesting sites. The walk runs beside a water furrow. Horse-riding down the canyon is another option.

You will need permission from the landowner to hike the canyon. Your place of accommodation in Nieu Bethesda will provide contact details.

Ganora Farm runs guided hikes to rock art sites. The rock art found here in San and Khoi shelters date back 10 000 years. This is evidence of Later Stone Age people, possibly the area's earliest inhabitants. Rock art were not depictions of everyday life but are are an insight into the spirituality of the people who drew them.

The Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre offers half-hour guided tours to the Gats River bed to view fossils found there. The fossils date back 253 million years in the Permian Period. Walk back to the centre over a historical foot bridge.

Hike along the water furrows to the natural spring that is the Nieu Bethesda's water supply.

Camdeboo National Park surrounds the town of Graaff-Reinet and covers 19 405 hectares. The renowned Valley of Desolation, sometimes referred to as the “Cathedral of the Mountains”, provides visitors with awesome panoramic views and an unforgettable experience. Magnificent dolerite pillars rise up to heights of 90 – 120 meters, overlooking the vast karoo plains.

Mountain Zebra National Park, situated about 12 km from Cradock, was proclaimed in 1937 to save the endangered Cape mountain zebra. Today, the national park seeks to conserve the unique biodiversity of the area and provides a haven for over 370 zebra, black rhino, buffalo and antelope such as eland, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, gemsbok and mountain reedbuck.

Graaff-Reinet is the fourth oldest town in South Africa, having been established in 1786. The town sits in a bend in the Sundays River in the shadow of the Sneeuberg Mountain. Graaff-Reinet falls within the Camdeboo National Park. Much of Graaff-Reinet still has the feel of a 19th century town with some streets restored and as many as 200 buildings declared as national monuments.

Take a two hour trip up the Loodsberg Pass in an old railway trolley. The route ascends into the desert mountains, passing the occasional sheep farm and solitary windmill. The tour can accommodate up to six people. Bookings are essential.

At Ganora Farm there are fossil beds dating 240 million years, Bushman etchings and Boer artifacts. Horse-riding, mountain-biking and bird-watching are all possible.

Cradock is a 19th town on the banks of the Greak Fish River. The site of the town was coveted by both the Boer settlers and the Xhosa as good grazing grounds for cattle. Today, Cradock is a typical Karoo farming town with a number of historical attractions.

Karoo Cats is a conservation program near Cradock that aims to create public awareness of the plight of small cats through research, public awareness and education.

The last hippo recorded in the Karoo was 250 years ago. P.C Ferreira's dream has been to bring them back, specifically to the Karoo Gariep Conservancy. In December 2006, three hippos found a new home in a hippo pool on the New Holme farm in the Hanover area.

Visit the website www.karoogariep.co.za for more information.