South Africa, ZAR24 million (£1.36 million)

Sotheby’s International (00 27 073 711 4111) On a quiet night in this beautiful white house on Bantry Steps, overlooking Bantry Bay, Cape Town, you can hear whales; most nights, the sounds of the sea can be heard in every room. There are large decks on each floor with shutters, wood-burning stoves within, five bedrooms, a pool and a hot tub.