Sep 27, 2013 11:57 AM GMT
For those that have been there, what do you recommend to do and see? Hotel recommendations?
Capetown, South Africa
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Sep 27, 2013 11:57 AM GMT -
Sep 27, 2013 2:29 PM GMTHike up Table Mountain & cable car down, cycle tour to Cape Point (with penguins on the return leg), vineyard tours, Long Street at night is packed, V&A waterfront nice but a bit bland, I found the museum at the end of Company Gardens interesting , Cape Castle wasn't bad.
I can't comment on hotels , I was back-packing.
Are you staying in Cape Town or travelling outside it as well? -
Sep 27, 2013 6:29 PM GMTI’m from Cape Town and am studying hotel management.
It all depends; there are the expensive ones, the one & Only, Cape Grace, 12 Apostils and the Table Bay.
Places to see, Cape Point Robin Island and those listed by KEW1 -
Sep 27, 2013 9:56 PM GMTTable Mountain is a must - just be careful - various parts are a continual site of armed robberies of hikers and bikers.
Eg: http://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/mountain-muggings-bad-start-to-year-1.1470907#.UkXyhxCEpxU
The Mountain Club of South Africa (Cape Town section) used to have pretty good updates on the "hotspots" to avoid - (like the Rhodes Memorial area -
http://mcsa.briefyourmarket.com/Articles/Rescue-Safety/
If you have a car, visit the wine growing areas outside of Cape Town - they have great wines there - not imported to the US.
Drive down to the Cape of Good Hope - one of the most beautiful drives in the world, with very little traffic.
See a performance by Pieter-Dirk Uys, the renowned satirist. This is a cultural awareness must see. He is witty - sharp as a tack, a brilliant comedic writer, and top notch impersonator. He can be sitting on stage, doing a monologue, and turn away for a moment, and by putting on a wig or simple shawl and changing his face and voice, become a completely different person. He can convincingly portray Mandela and Winnie, Bishop Tutu, Botha, Mandela's jailer, DeClerk, and a reformed formerly prejudiced Jewish housewife, all in a single performance, For a time he had a national weekly television show with Mandela. Always in trouble with the the authorities for ridiculing them (both under apartheid and now), he has never been afraid to show them as they are, although sometimes in hidden meanings.
www.pdu.co.za/
http://www.evita.co.za/program.html
Visit a wild game park. -
Sep 28, 2013 12:27 AM GMTI haven't been but South Africa, along with Australia are on my "must go to" list. -
Sep 28, 2013 11:51 AM GMTKirstenbosch, the peninsula, lots and lots of cute little restaurants and such! -
Sep 28, 2013 3:22 PM GMTGo cage diving with Great Whites. Just watch out because these white guys can jump.
http://www.sharkcagediving.net/ -
Sep 28, 2013 3:54 PM GMTFrom the top of my head:
-Table Mountain.
-Robben Island
-V&A Waterfront just for shopping and souvenirs.
-Cape Point.
-Any of the local towns outside of CT are great for a day trip.
-Go wine tasting around Stellenbosch.
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Sep 29, 2013 1:54 AM GMTRobben Island for sure. Views back to Cape Town and Table Mtn are incredible. -
Sep 29, 2013 5:34 AM GMTSpier Winery, Stellenbosch -
Sep 29, 2013 5:40 AM GMTthe_leo saidFrom the top of my head:
-Table Mountain.
-Robben Island
-V&A Waterfront just for shopping and souvenirs.
-Cape Point.
-Any of the local towns outside of CT are great for a day trip.
-Go wine tasting around Stellenbosch.
This is a great list. I would also recommend that you go on a safari if this is your first trip to SA -
Sep 29, 2013 6:11 AM GMTGo to Chobe for safari. It's in Botswana, but less "touristy" than Kruger. -
Sep 29, 2013 7:19 AM GMTRIGuy60 saidGo cage diving with Great Whites. Just watch out because these white guys can jump.
http://www.sharkcagediving.net/
You can croc cage dive in Oudsthoorn (town where my profile pic was taken).
Abseil down Table Mountain. -
Sep 29, 2013 7:40 AM GMTBeen there 6 times in the last 10 years.
Go to:
Table Mountain - views second to none
Stellenbosch - wine and deep history
Franschhoek - wine, chocolates and amazing cafes
Paarl - wine
V&A Waterfront - culture and stunning scenery
Simons Town - culture and scenery
Muizenberg - colourful beach huts and restaurants
Cape Point - where the indian and atlantic oceans meet
Constantia - wine and amazing history -
Sep 29, 2013 8:16 AM GMTWestAussieGuy saidBeen there 6 times in the last 10 years.
Go to:
Cape Point - where the indian and atlantic oceans meet
Someone lied to you, they meet at Cape Aghulas. Small, quiet town, good seafood.
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Sep 29, 2013 12:22 PM GMTkew1 said
WestAussieGuy saidBeen there 6 times in the last 10 years.
Go to:
Cape Point - where the indian and atlantic oceans meet
Someone lied to you, they meet at Cape Aghulas. Small, quiet town, good seafood.
Tell that to the park rangers down there. I think "lied" is a bit strong. Lol -
Sep 29, 2013 12:49 PM GMT^^^
I didn't want to say you got it wrong, some people get a little defensive here!
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Sep 29, 2013 1:09 PM GMTkew1 said^^^
I didn't want to say you got it wrong, some people get a little defensive here!
If you go down to Cape Point you'll see massive whirlpools where the cold and warm water meets and mixes. One of the most surreal and kind of creepy things I've seen on my travels.
Agulhas is a nice spot though, but is better known as the most southern point of Africa.
My partner is from Cape Town, so I've come to know SA quite well. -
Sep 29, 2013 6:17 PM GMTkew1 saidHike up Table Mountain & cable car down, cycle tour to Cape Point (with penguins on the return leg), vineyard tours, Long Street at night is packed, V&A waterfront nice but a bit bland, I found the museum at the end of Company Gardens interesting , Cape Castle wasn't bad.
I can't comment on hotels , I was back-packing.
Are you staying in Cape Town or travelling outside it as well?
+1
Stay at Long Street backpackers, great place.
Pre-nights out we gave the street kids McDonalds, and they made sure we got home safe -
Sep 29, 2013 7:15 PM GMTi lived/worked there for 2 years. i wouldn't recommend staying in the hostels on Long St, unless you want to party with 20something backpackers and stay up all night!
- stay in the neighbourhood known as DeWaterkant Village: its one of the oldest historic areas of Cape Town, is safe with 24hr security guards on street, and its walking distance to all the gay bars, downtown Cape Town, and has a small village feel to it.
DeWaterkant Village http://www.dewaterkant.com/ - everything from home and apartment rentals (yes, renting someone's functioning but "de-personalised" home), to guesthouses (small hotel), to single travellers rooms.
The Charles http://www.thecharles.co.za/ - small hotel - love this place!
The Village Lodge http://www.thevillagelodge.com/ - small hotel
- this is also close to the Cape Quarter shopping mall - lots of high end handicrafts, and local fashion.
- drive up Signal Hill - lovely 360 degree view of the coast/oceans/mountains
- drive along Beach Rd and swim at SeaPoint public pool - only R15 to enter (bring your own lock) its a lovely clean outdoor 50m pool by the side of the ocean, with grass which you can lay on to sunbathe. it closes at sunset.
- drive along Victoria Rd from Seapoint to Camps Bay - the road hugs the edge of a mountain side, and the view is stunning when you see the 12 Apostles mountain range
- Clifton 4 beach is the gay beach just before you reach Camps Bay.
- dive in a cage with great white sharks at Gansbaai (there's have a bus from Cape Town's V&A waterfront)
- visit the University of Cape Town - great views, and you'll wish you had gone to school there.
- workout at the Virgin Active in Greenpoint - lovely, open late, has a pool, great equipment (free weights and machines) and lots of eye candy!
- if you are in desperate need for global brands and want to shop til you drop, go to Canal Walk - its a gigantic mall in Century City about a 20-30min drive out of the city centre.
- drive out to other areas around Cape Town, and if you can find an organised tour, visit the townships to see what life is really like. we had those tours in Johannesburg too, for people to see Soweto and other townships in a safe and friendly manner. -
Oct 04, 2013 5:21 PM GMTkingmo saidi lived/worked there for 2 years. i wouldn't recommend staying in the hostels on Long St, unless you want to party with 20something backpackers and stay up all night!
- stay in the neighbourhood known as DeWaterkant Village: its one of the oldest historic areas of Cape Town, is safe with 24hr security guards on street, and its walking distance to all the gay bars, downtown Cape Town, and has a small village feel to it.
DeWaterkant Village http://www.dewaterkant.com/ - everything from home and apartment rentals (yes, renting someone's functioning but "de-personalised" home), to guesthouses (small hotel), to single travellers rooms.
The Charles http://www.thecharles.co.za/ - small hotel - love this place!
The Village Lodge http://www.thevillagelodge.com/ - small hotel
- this is also close to the Cape Quarter shopping mall - lots of high end handicrafts, and local fashion.
- drive up Signal Hill - lovely 360 degree view of the coast/oceans/mountains
- drive along Beach Rd and swim at SeaPoint public pool - only R15 to enter (bring your own lock) its a lovely clean outdoor 50m pool by the side of the ocean, with grass which you can lay on to sunbathe. it closes at sunset.
- drive along Victoria Rd from Seapoint to Camps Bay - the road hugs the edge of a mountain side, and the view is stunning when you see the 12 Apostles mountain range
- Clifton 4 beach is the gay beach just before you reach Camps Bay.
- dive in a cage with great white sharks at Gansbaai (there's have a bus from Cape Town's V&A waterfront)
- visit the University of Cape Town - great views, and you'll wish you had gone to school there.
- workout at the Virgin Active in Greenpoint - lovely, open late, has a pool, great equipment (free weights and machines) and lots of eye candy!
- if you are in desperate need for global brands and want to shop til you drop, go to Canal Walk - its a gigantic mall in Century City about a 20-30min drive out of the city centre.
- drive out to other areas around Cape Town, and if you can find an organised tour, visit the townships to see what life is really like. we had those tours in Johannesburg too, for people to see Soweto and other townships in a safe and friendly manner.
SOWBONA!
I literally just came back(landed in JFK yesterday morning)from a 10 night trip to South Africa. Had a Great, Great time! I would agree that De Waterkant area is a great place to stay. We were at The Protea Hotel Victoria Junction. Protea is a SA hotel chain of mostly 3*/3.5* hotels. The Victoria Junction was a cool looking modern hotel, with a Chicago loft style look to the rooms and public spaces. It is in spitting distance to the gay bars.
Beefcakes is the gay pub/bar with shirtless servers; food and entertainment is available and it's very popular with the local gay community. The are several other bars and clubs in the area, some with your typical upstairs darkroom.
Food is EXCELLENT, with fruits and vegetables being incredibly fresh and tasty. And food prices are CHEAP, CHEAP! This is one country where it pays to go to nice restaurants - try to skip the touristy types. Check out the ratings on tripadvisor.com.
You Must take a Winelands Tour. We went with
http://www.wineflies.co.za/
It was an Amazing tour; we visited 5!!! wineries AND had a Braai (South African for Bar-B-Que)Lunch at one of the wineries all for the incredible price of $60/pp, which includes round trip transportation, all winery fees and lunch. We had a really good time and enjoyed this particular tour for it's funky, casual, vibe but still having a VERY knowledgeable guide.
The Table Mountains are Beautiful, and there's a lot of places to hike around-you can spend hrs up there.
You should take a Township Tour - here is the company I went with:
http://www.proteamsa.co.za/
It was a very eye opening experience and I'm definitely glad I went.
Although food costs and wine were incredibly cheap, everything else was expensive, so no point in shopping for clothes and other stuff you can get in the States.
We did a safari at Kruger Park and had a great time; it was incredible seeing zebras and giraffes and elephants right in front of you.
I may start a separate thread regarding my experiences, but please IM me directly if you want more info. -
Aug 07, 2014 11:16 PM GMTClifton 3 is the gay beach, and Sandy Bay (nudist beach) Llandudno beach is the cruising beach. De Waterkant is the gay area, awesome restaurants like Manhattans and clubs, all the beautifull people go to de Waterkant.
