A vibrant city filled with galleries, restaurants and bars. White-sand beaches, clear waters, inviting weather year-round, outdoor thrills, and a picturesque skyline dominated by the stunning Table Mountain. It’s easy to see why Cape Town is Africa’s most popular tourist destination.
Cape Town is one of the most diverse cities in the world and it’s easy to find evidence of this when exploring the various neighbourhoods. Wander the lively cobbled streets of Bo-Kaap – the historic Muslim quarter with brightly coloured houses and mosques that is home to descendants of slaves brought over by the Dutch in the 16th and 17th century. The neighbourhood is a stark contrast to the glitzy nearby beach towns of Camps Bay and Clifton.
To learn more about South Africa’s history take a tour of the infamous Robben Island (7km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand), where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years.
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Cape Town, located on a peninsula between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, has mild winters, warm summers and moderate rainfall throughout the year. Winter temperatures range from 7-12 degrees. Spring is unpredictable, with pleasant, sunny days often interrupted by the "Cape Doctor", a wind that blows from the southeast bringing gusts of up to 120kph. In summer, temperatures can reach the 40s (though the Cape Doctor keeps it bearable). March to April and early May have the best weather and gentle winds.
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Peak Season:
The city is popular year-round, but you can find cheap flights to Cape Town by planning ahead. The peak travel season is from November to end of January and it is particularly crowded during school holidays, especially the local summer holiday period from December 1 to January 15. Easter, July and August are also busy.
Off Season:
From February to March and in October, the weather is pleasant, there are fewer crowds. The best deals can be found in winter, which still enjoys glorious days among the gloomy ones.
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From Cape Town International Airport there are minibus services that take about 30 minutes to get to town. Many hotels offer courtesy buses for guests.
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Cape Town sprawls across a large area, but you can always use Table Mountain to get your bearings. Central Cape Town is small and easily explored on foot.
Public transport can get you around the city during the day. Many visitors use the commuter trains, particularly the line to Simon’s Town. City buses services stop in the early evening. Avoid public transport after dark.
Rikkis (open rickshaws) are a cheap way to explore the City Bowl area. Reasonably-priced minibus taxis operate mostly along bus routes. You can also hail a minibus taxi, but make sure you ask the driver where it is headed as they are unregulated and may not be safest option.
You can call for regular taxis, which are metered and expensive, but worth considering late at night.
If you are renting a car, be aware driving can be unpredictable and confusing, especially since the same road can change names several times. Get a GPS and remember Table Mountain is a handy landmark.
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- You might not automatically think of heading to the beach in winter, but it’s the perfect time to watch the southern right whales’ migration. Peak whale watching season is July to August, but they can still be seen up to October. The best places to watch: False Bay, Boyes Drive, Cape Hangklip and Walker Bay.
- It’s literally a site you can’t miss – Table Mountain National Park. Take a cable car ride to the top of the 1,086m mountain, or, if you’re feeling a little more active, try hiking one of the various tracks. They should take between one and three hours depending on your fitness level.
- Formerly known as the Malay Quarter, Bo-Kaap is famous for its romantic cobblestone streets and brightly coloured houses many dating back to the 1750s. The area is a lively mix of African, Indian, Sri Lankan, Malaysian and Indonesia cultures and many of the residents are descended from the slaves brought to South Africa by the Dutch in the 1700s. For a unique experience try a Bo-Kaap Cooking Tour.
- Enjoy some of South Africa’s most famous wines against a backdrop of beautiful mountain scenery with a tasting tour of Constantia Valley’s vineyards. If you want to explore a little further afield, why not try and early morning visit with a group of playful, wild meerkats in Oudtshoorn with Meerkat Adventures
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The main airport for travellers taking flights to Cape Town is:
Cape Town International (CPT).
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Writer, traveller, Tweeter, blogger and part-time adventurer. A kiwi living in London off to explore the world! I can never travel enough!