Surprising facts and tips learned while traveling in Cape Town, South Africa!
South African cities are casual. When packing, jeans are acceptable almost everywhere – though I would turn it up a notch for visiting vineyards or nice restaurants.
Speaking of, the food is incredible. Lots of breads, seafood, game meat dishes and desserts are a must. Some of the best restaurants in Africa are in Cape Town. La Colombe is an especially memorable meal!
Hitch hiking is legal. You will find many people waiting for cars along the sides of the road.
You will need a car to get around. Don’t hitch hike. If you don’t want to rent a car, Ubering is safe, cheap and reliable.
There are some very dangerous areas you want to avoid. They are not any of the obvious tourist areas but you should also be aware driving through towns.
There are a lot of smokers (of all kinds) in Cape Town. You will likely be offered substances if you’re out and about at night.
South Africans don’t love shoes. Being barefoot is acceptable in more destinations than you would expect. We witnessed hikers and wine goers sans shoes. Our friend told us he didn’t wear any until he was in elementary school. This is more of an FYI.
Hiking is one of the best ways to see Cape Town. Lion’s Head was an incredible sunrise adventure. It’s only an hour to the top, unlike Table Mountain that would be a full day activity. Instead the Cable Car is an easy 5 minute ride and the you can walk around once you’ve reached the summit. Bring a jacket because it gets especially chilly at the top.
Even though you are far from Kruger, there are animals worth keeping an eye out for. We loved the dassies, ostriches and penguins. The baboons near Cape Point are cool to see but keep your distance and don’t bring any food with you.
One of the attractions in Cape Town is shark diving. Most visitors still expect the great white sharks but they went MIA as the orcas took over. There are other sharks, but there’s not a 100% chance you will see them. Apex Shark Expeditions was fantastic.
There’s a large homeless population. Walking is absolutely safe during the day but it’s discouraged at night. If you do want to walk around, the V&A Waterfront, Kloof Street and Camps Bay are my recommendations.
Tipping is typically 10-15%.
Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. I suggest taking out $100-$150 in cash for tips and souvenirs at markets. Request small bills if you can! R20s and R50s will come in handy.
One of your days should be spent along the coast line of Cape Town. Go south towards Cape Point. The Cape of Good Hope is usually considered the most southern point in Africa, however if you want the accurate location, head 100 miles further to Cape Agulhas. Pair this with Chapman’s Peak and Boulder’s Beach.
Hire a local guide! They can chauffeur you on day trips, take you to the local places and make the best suggestions for the rest of your trip. Leslie was a fantastic guide for our trip to Cape Point and Boulders Beach.
The South African pace tends to be on the laid back end. Expect to wait for your coffee…but it will be really good!
The adapter for Kruger Park is Type M but Type C and N are also usually found in Cape Town. Not all universal adapters include these so check beforehand.
South Africans love to drink and often get into trouble doing so. It sometimes leads to drunk driving and violence. To avoid overcrowding the hospitals, South Africa even had alcohol sales during the pandemic.
Cape Town locals are very active: hiking, biking and surfing are all daily activities.
Coming from the states, South Africa is very affordable. Meals, transportation and activities will be a fraction of the cost. So spend that money on the flight!
Almost all of the South African wines we had on the trip were amazing. If you see wine from the following years, you can’t go wrong: 2007, 2015 and 2017.
There are 900 wine estates producing more than 9,000 labels annually in the Western Cape. Many of wineries are within an hour’s drive of Cape Town and should be a day trip at the very least.
Absolutely go to Robben Island to learn more about the apartheid history and culture of South Africa. Reserve four hours for this which includes the ferry, bus ride and prisoner tour. The Bo-Kaap area is the next best stop for history.
Don’t just stay in the V&A Waterfront area. Head south to Camps Bay and enjoy a beach-style vacation for a couple days. Clifton Beach is a solid choice but there are lots of hidden gems in the area.
One of the best parts of South Africa is the variety in terrain and activities. Nature, city life, vineyards, mountains, coastal sites and beaches. There is something for everyone in South Africa.
South Africans are some of the friendliest people I have ever met. Everyone in hospitality greets you with a big smile and is genuinely happy and appreciative you are there.
