- My First impression of Morocco, on the First Day of a Major Islamic Holiday
- I Regret Shark Cage Diving in South Africa
- 12 Essentials For Your African Safari Packing List
- What To Expect on a Budget Africa Overland Tour
- 17 Fun Things to See and Do in Cape Town
- South Africa and Namibia’s Beauty is Overshadowed by the Ugliness of White Supremacy
- Skydiving in Namibia’s Adventure Capital
- I Got Stung By a Scorpion in Africa
- Morocco – Everything You Need To Know Before You Go
- Essaouira- Morocco’s Surf and Art Town
- 16 Things to Do and See in Fes – Morocco’s Ancient City
- Akchour Waterfall – Morocco’s Lost Paradise
- Volubilis – Morocco’s Ancient Roman City
- A Trip to the Sahara Desert in Morocco
- Morocco 2.0 – Sometimes a Place Deserves a Second Chance
- Chefchaouen – Morocco’s Blue Pearl
- My Experience in Fes – The “Real” Morocco
- 20 Things to Do and See in Marrakesh
- 16 Fun Things to Do in Tangier
- Bungee Jumping at Victoria Falls
- Top Things to See in Botswana on a Budget
- Angel’s Pool at Victoria Falls in Zambia
- Top Things to Do at Victoria Falls – Africa’s Adventure Capital
- Top Things to See and Do in Namibia
- Southern and East Africa – Everything You Need To Know Before You Go
Cape Town, the lifestyle capital of South Africa, is a vibrant city full of culture, beaches and natural beauty. I spent a week in Cape Town and with so much to see and do, I still didn’t have time to experience everything I wanted to.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN CAPE TOWN
ROBBEN ISLAND
Take a tour of the prison where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned during the apartheid and learn about South Africa’s apartheid history.
GO TO A BRAAI
South Africans will use any excuse to have a braai (the Afrikaans word for “barbecue”), which is a social event used to get people together and celebrate. These are especially popular on Sundays for a good Sunday Funday party.
MZOLI’S
This is a definite must! Mzoli’s is a restaurant in a township on the outskirts of Cape Town. It’s a great cultural experience and one of the best Sunday fundays in Cape Town. The place gets packed with people dancing, a DJ playing, and people enjoying braai (delicious BBQ meat). The best way to describe it is like a backyard party and the whole neighbourhood is invited. And it’s BYOB!
TABLE MOUNTAIN
One of the New 7 Wonders of Nature and one of the oldest mountains in the world with amazing views of Cape Town. You can hike up (about 2 hours) or take the cable car (return R220, about $15US). Check the weather before you go (which can change quickly) as clouds and high winds are common, which cause the cable car to shut down.
HIKE LION’S HEAD
A 45-60 minute hike to the top will give you amazing views of Cape Town and Table Mountain. I liked Lion’s Head better than Table Mountain because if you want to go, you have to earn it because there’s no cable car, which means it’s a lot less touristy and crowded than Table Mountain. And the top of Lion’s Head is really narrow, so you can see a 360 degree view from anywhere you’re standing. I actually preferred the view of Table Mountain, rather than the view from Table Mountain. It’s a good idea to bring a flashlight for the walk down after the sunset in the dark.
VICTORIA AND ALFRED WATERFRONT
Where you can experience beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean, an endless amount of restaurants and cafes (my favourite- Market on the Wharf, where you can find just about any kind of cuisine), live entertainment, artisan textiles, fashion and jewelry, and a massive shopping mall.
With a few different routes to choose from, the hop on hop off tour of Cape Town covers all the places you’ll want to go. Of course it’s touristy, but it’s also a really convenient way to get around and see all the sights.
LONG STREET
A fun, grungy, bohemian backpacker mecca in the city centre with shops, cafes, hostels and bars.
BO KAAP
A small, vibrant and colorful neighbourhood in the city centre of Cape Town. The majority of the people living here are descendants from slaves who were brought over from Indonesia and Malaysia. You can learn more about this at the Bo Kaap Museum. This is also where you’ll find Cape Town’s Muslim community and many beautiful mosques. You can also find great Malay food in Bo Kaap, so go hungry.
CAMPS BAY
Often compared to the French Riviera with its upscale hotels and restaurants overlooking a beautiful beach with turquoise water. It’s great for having an overpriced lunch on one of the many patios for the beautiful view.
KIRSTENBOSCH BOTANICAL GARDENS
At the foot of Table Mountain, this UNESCO World Heritage Site showcases South Africa’s rich and unique biodiversity.
NIGHTLIFE
LONG STREET
At night, it’s just as grungy as the day, but it’s a fun place because the street is riddled with lively bars.
SHIMMY BEACH CLUB
Located at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Shimmy Beach Club is a trendy Ibiza-style club, with an infinity pool overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. On the weekends, it’s a pool party during the day and a club at night. It is more upscale, but since it’s a beach club, you can get in at night even if you’re wearing casual beach clothes. Sunday during the day is the best time to go, which is the favorite day for South Africans to party.
DAY TRIPS
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
An easy day trip from Cape Town, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.
BOULDERS BEACH
This is where you see the penguins! You can do this during your Cape of Good Hope trip.
SHARK CAGE DIVING
While it’s a very popular activity in South Africa, it’s also an unethical practice and I regret going. Read more on my experience here.
STELLENBOSCH
With over 140 vineyards, Stellenbosch is a great place for trying the world renown South African wine. And it’s only 50km away from Cape Town, making it an easy day trip. It’s best to book a day tour with a tour company, unless you can find someone who won’t drink (or you can stay in Stellenbosch overnight if you really want to get your wine drinking game on). I booked with African Story for R650 (about $45US), which includes tastings at 4 different wineries, one proper wine tour, lunch, and cheese tastings.
WHERE TO STAY
I stayed in Green Point neighbourhood, which I highly recommend. It’s the trendy SoHo of Cape Town, near the waterfront and it’s pretty central to most things. It’s nicer and cooler (temperature-wise) than Long St because it’s near the water. I stayed at Atlantic Point Backpackers and Never @ Home, which are both great, social hostels that I highly recommend. Over 4 years later and I’m still friends with 5 people I met at these hostels.
GOOD TO KNOW
South Africans drive on the left.
Uber is great for getting around. The buses in Cape Town are good, apparently, but I never had to take one because Uber is ridiculously cheap.
Cape Town is a windy city on the water, so the weather can change quickly.
Amarula is South Africa’s favorite liqueur, which tastes just like Bailey’s, so it’s obviously delicious.
Peri Peri is a delicious South African spice blend that is amazing with chicken or even cashews.
The food and drink are really cheap in South Africa.
You can drink the tap water in Cape Town.
SAFETY
Racial tension in South Africa is still a massive issue due to white supremacy, apartheid and systemic racism. See more about that and my experience here.
At night, take a taxi, don’t walk alone or go anywhere by yourself.
I’ve always wanted to visit South Africa. Thanks for the tips! Your photos look incredible 🙂
Thank you!