CAPE TOWN: THE MOTHER CITY OF NATURAL BEAUTY AND GOURMET CUISINE
You’ve probably seen photographs of Cape Town at some stage in your life. Perhaps of Table Mountain overlooking the city, or the breath taking view from the top. The city is most famous for these postcard perfect images of one of the world’s seven wonders of nature. But the Mother City will offer you so much more.
Discover a world of unique experiences, the Western Cape’s delicious wine and cuisine, and the rich culture and proud heritage of South Africa’s people. Not to mention some of the best beaches on the planet – you can visit several of them in the same day!
WHAT TO SEE
Cape Town’s transport system serves as a gateway to other destinations within the Western Cape, which means that you are easily linked from your central accommodation in the city to a picturesque little town an hour or two away. These include towns like Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek – popular day trips for sightseeing and wine tasting. Hermanus is also a great town to visit during the breeding season (August to November) for southern right and humpback whales. You can spot these majestic marine mammals just off the coast!
The V&A Waterfront is Cape Town’s most visited tourist attraction and most popular shopping venue. It also hosts the Two Oceans Aquarium and Nelson Mandela Gateway – from where you can take a ferry to visit the historical the Robben Island. You can also hop on a ferry to check out Hout Bay, Simon’s Town or the Cape fur seal colonies off the coast of False Bay.
At the tip of the Cape Peninsula, 60 km from the city, lies Cape Point – part of the Table Mountain National Park and a Natural World Heritage Site. With sheer cliffs that tower more than 200 metres above the sea and rugged rocks that cut deep into the ocean, this international icon has great historical interest with many visitors. The Portuguese explorer, Bartolomeu Dias gave the ‘Cape of Storms’ its name in 1488 and the Point was treated with respect by sailors for centuries. You can still see the remnants of many shipwrecks around the coastline. The natural vegetation of the area (fynbos) is the smallest, but richest of the world’s six floral kingdoms. Cape Point is a must-see for any nature lover.
WHAT TO DO
Are you someone who enjoys the finer things in life? Or an adrenaline junkie looking for extreme activities like paragliding from Lion’s Head, or doing the world’s highest bungee jump from a bridge? Cape Town can cater to your specific and unique needs as a visitor. Just one of the many reasons why this city is frequently voted as one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
Spend some time with a unique colony of African penguins at Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town. Take a day trip to the Cape Winelands to satisfy your sightseeing and wine tasting needs. Or take the kids for a picnic in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden – a 36 hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains over 7,000 species of protected natural forest and fynbos. If you enjoy a spectacular sunset, then places like Signal Hill and Sea Point Promenade are for you. Or enjoy a delicious meal and a cocktail while watching the sun go down over Camps Bay.
For those quintessential Cape Town photographs, be sure to book a trip to the top of the mountain with the Table Mountain Cableway – providing visitors with a world-class experience since October 1929. Alternatively, there are many hiking trails to satisfy the active visitor too. The mountain’s magnetism has a way of drawing you in, and every Capetonian will agree.
Have you ever wanted to come face-to-face with a great white shark? You can in Gans Bay! There are reputable shark cage diving operators in this fishing village – located about 160 km from Cape Town. Enjoy an exhilarating, yet safe experience of diving with this endangered marine predator, as well as learning about marine biology and the local ecosystem.
WHERE TO SLEEP
Not only does Cape Town offer you a plethora of accommodation options, but it’s the unique setting and infrastructure of the city that makes visiting it so convenient. When you stay in the city, your hotel is always a stone’s throw away from a good public transport service like MyCiTi – Cape Town’s convenient, reliable, scheduled and affordable bus service. But if it’s a luxury service you are looking for, then your hotel will most certainly be able to offer you a private shuttle service as well.
Cape Town really does cater for everyone’s accommodation needs. Whether you’re looking for that 5 star experience or an affordable hotel like the popular City Lodge V&A Waterfront, Cape Town has a great deal of options for you. You can also choose to relax in the lap of luxury at a boutique hotel or spain the city. Maybe you are a backpacker searching for a cheap, budget hotel or hostel? Cape Town’s got them! You won’t find it difficult to get the right place at the right price.