Cape Town has so much to offer the traveller, and not just for things to do in Cape Town itself, but also the excellent day trips from Cape Town as well.
I have visited Cape Town 2 times on 2 different trips through Africa that started in Ethiopia and I travelled overland by local transport until reaching Cape Town.
After some hard African travel, it’s the perfect city to relax in. In fact, I have often thought about moving there someday.
You will love it there I’m sure!
Things To Do In Cape Town
Table Mountain
First things first. Table Mountain! Technically it’s outside of Cape Town city and could be rendered as a day trip from Cape Town, but it’s such an iconic sight and hiking up it or taking the cable car up is one of the best things to do in Cape Town.
Personally I took the cable car up as we had planned to do a lot of walking when on top and had other plans for later on in the day. Next time I will hike up though!
Once on top it can be very windy and there’s some small pleasant hikes to do with epic views.
Visiting Table Mountain is a must do activity.
Cape Town Marina
The area around the marina is a nice place to stroll around with some places to eat and a great view across to Table Mountain.
Explore Bo Kaap
Bo Kaap is a colourful neighbourhood and central enough to make it easy to get to. It has a darker side to the area as it was used as slaves houses when the Dutch brought slaves across from Malaysia and Indonesia.
Upon the abolishment of slavery in 1830 the people living there brightened up their neighbourhood in celebration and coloured their houses in bright colours that you can still see today.
Check Out Long Street
Long Street is a buzzing street that crosses all the way down the centre of Cape Town and is full of bars and restaurants. This is one of the best places to go in the evening/ nighttime for some of the more fun things to do in Cape Town at night.
The Long Street Cafe is inside an old Victorian building and is one of the best places for a drink in the city.
Hit The Beaches Around Cape Town
There are some great beaches around Cape Town with Clifton’s beaches being very popular.
Muizenberg beach has some nice waves and you could try your hand at surfing while there.
Historic Cape Town
Cape Town has a lot of history behind it and you can stroll around and see many of them.
Robben Island has an evil history with apartheid and you should definitely take a boat tour out there to learn about some of South Africa’s grim history during apartheid.
Boulders Beach Penguins
The penguins here are super cute and it’s easy to reach from Cape Town being only 1 hours drive south from the city.
The beach is home to around 2000 African penguins that are endangered. It’s a great family outing as kids love penguins!
Cape Point Peninsula
Cape Point Peninsula is a wild and rugged area to explore and only an hour or 2 drive from Cape Town. Take a hike up to the old lighthouse, find secluded beaches to relax on, hike to an old WW2 shipwreck. It’s a great day out.
Coffeeshops in Cape Town
Cape Town has some good coffeeshops and as a blogger who works online, Cape Town is an excellent city to work as a digital nomad. Relaxing in a coffeeshop is the best environment for getting some writing done.
One of the best coffeeshops in Cape Town is the Truth Coffee Roasting at 36 Buitenkant Street in the city centre. The steampunk inspired decor is awesome but the real standout os the quality of the coffee. Even if you don’t like coffee go there to check out the decor.
Origin Coffee Roasting is another excellent coffee shop and has been around for ages. I remember first going there in 2010. Address: 28 Hudson Street.
Tribe Coffee is a chilled out place in the Woodstock neighbourhood with great coffee and good vibes. It’s a hip area as well. Address: The Woodstock Foundry, 160 Albert Road.
There are so many good coffee shops in Cape Town and as a big coffee drinker, I couldn’t write a post about Cape Town without including a few.
Day Trips From Cape Town
There are lots of good things to see nearby that aren’t too far away and make for excellent day trips from Cape Town.
Great White Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai
Great white shark cage diving in South Africa is the ultimate nature thrill! This is one of the best wildlife experiences I’ve had, and I’ve had a lot!
You can organise a tour in the city and a tourist agent or your hotel/hostel should be able to help out arrange it as it’s a popular activity with visitors. Or if you have rented a car then book ahead with a tour operator in Gansbaai and drive there yourself.
You will be driven a few hours to the small town of Gansbaai to the east of Cape Town where you will then get on a motorboat which will take you out to where great white sharks congregate between a small island and the mainland. They call it ‘shark alley’!
You’ll spend a few hours out there and get into a cage in the water with snorkelling gear and if lucky have many great white sharks swimming around you and getting close to the cage.
It’s an awe-inspiring thing to see a great white shark swim slowly up to you with it’s jaw slightly open.
Spot Whales at Hermanus
Hermanus is on the way to Gansbaai and you could combine a short stop in Hermanus on the way back from cage diving. Hermanus is famous for the whales that get very close to the shoreline.
The Cape Winelands – Stellenbosch
Ok, I’ll admit I never made it to Stellenbosch myself as was busy driving out towards Port Elizabeth on the Garden Route of South Africa. But I heard from so many others that if you love wine then you have to go to Stellenbosch!
Another option recommended is the smaller town of Franschhoek, with fewer crowds apparently and a more relaxed vibe. There are many other places to go to and you can visit some of the best wineries in South Africa around there.
South Africa
South Africa is really a dream destination for a backpacker or any traveller. There is so much to see and do, it’s not as expensive as western Europe (for example) and has a great travellers scene with lots of good hostel/guest house options.
It’s easily one of my favourite countries.
There are some seriously good hostels and budget hotels in Cape Town (find one with that link).
Take the Lonely Planet Cape Town & The Garden Route for a great overall guide for the region.
I recommend using SafetyWing Travel Insurance for your trip, just in case, it’s best to be prepared.
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