THINGS TO DO AND PLACES TO VISIT IN CAPE TOWN

According to Chinese Feng Shui - Cape Town is a perfect City by its geography . Those words introduces Cape Town when I rode the Red tour bus with my earphone plugged in at the commentary system available at every seat . 

Cape Town is the second largest populous city in South Africa. The locals called it Mother City due to it's breathtaking natural wonders with table mountain as the city's most prominent landmark. It's also home to bountiful vineyard, golden beaches, outdoor or indoor activities and everything in between plus deity looking guys and girls...yes! seriously they're everywhere in Cape Town . 

I was there for a week last February ; the best time to visit  and let me tell you I enjoyed every single minute of my stay. One week was not even enough.. wished I could have stayed longer. :(

Those planning and want to have ideas of what cape town has to offer . Here are my share of things to do and must visit places in Cape Town.

1.GO FOR HIKE OR RIDE CABLE CAR  TO TABLE MOUNTAIN

Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a famous landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town. It is a notable tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cable way or hiking to go to the top . 

How to get there

• Public Transport . My Citi Bus stops right outside the Lower Cable Station. The bus route runs from V&A Waterfront to Camps Bay at the top of Kloof Nek Road ( route 106 and 106 Waterfront Silo/ Civic Centre /Camps Bay ). Hop off and take the MyCITI shuttle ( route 110 ) that runs from Kloof Nek Road , up Tafelberg Road and right to the Lower Cableway Station.
• Red HopOn HopOff Tour Bus. It's an 80 minute round trip that starts from Two Ocean Aquarium in V&A Waterfront  all the way to one of it's stop route at Lower Cable Station.This is the most convenient way to reach the cable station for tourists. 

• Metered Taxis . Available for hire and can take you all the way to the cable car ticket office.

Where to purchase tickets?

• Citysightseeing Ticket Office 
• Lower Cable way Station
• Online @ http://www.webticket.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=681080

Buying tickets online are R5-R10 cheaper than buying them at the ticket office.

• Adult | one-way R110 | return R215
• Child [4-17yrs] | one-way R55 | R105
• Children u/4yrs travel for free

What time is the first trip of cable car?

• First trip up | 08:00
• Last trip up | 18:30
• Last trip down | 19:30

A restaurant and souvenir shop are also available at the top of the mountain where you get a spectacular view  while dining at surprisingly affordable price..



2.  SPLURGE SHOPPING  at CANAL WALK

Canal Walk  is a huge mall in century city  with lots of shops and a good choice of food outlets and lots of big name shops. I spent one whole day in this mall going through all the shops and as an addict shopper I was delighted to see flagship brands like F21 , Charles and Keith, La Senza , Bobbi Brown , Cotton On to name a few .  

Why Canal walk? Because the mall was built around a canal surrounded by residential buildings and offices.

shopping loot from canal walk

For list of shops and other activities in Canal Walk. You can visit their website at http://www.canalwalk.co.za/home.html

3. HOP ON and HOP OFF with CITY SIGHTSEEING   BUSES

The  most convenient way to to explore Cape Town is  through riding one of the open air double-decker buses of city sightseeing. The bus trip is a favorite activity among tourists and locals alike . The ride also gives information to visitors about the history and culture behind the cosmopolitan city and of course while enjoying the stupendous views all over Cape Town.   The hop on hop off tour around the city center or peninsula area covers almost all the attractions . Definitely a must try activity especially for first time visitors. 

How much does a ticket cost?

1-Day tickets cost R150/each or R130/each online.

Where can I buy a ticket?

The Tour Office is situated in Shop 1 outside the Two Ocean’s Aquarium. You can also buy your ticket on the bus with credit or debit card.

What time does the first tour bus start operating?

08:25 First bus departs from City Sightseeing Office directly to Cableway on Table Mountain.
09:00 First bus departs from City Sightseeing Office to begin with Red City Tour.

What time does the tour bus stop operating?

16:30 Last bus departs from City Sightseeing Office to start with final Red City Tour finishing at 18:35.
[17:15 during September and April finishing at 19:20.]

How often do the busses pass the bus stops?

Every 15 minutes.

A set of earphones is included with your bus ticket, which can be plugged in at every seat. A multilingual commentary system tells the history and stories of the unique stops and everything in between.

Photos taken while on board  Red Citysightseeing tour bus.

http://www.citysightseeing.co.za/capeTown ..For more information about the citysightseeing buses in cape town

4. TAKE A TOUR TO   ROBBEN ISLAND 

Robben Island, is located off the coast of Cape Town .A previous high security prison where Nelson Mandela  ( the first President of South Africa ) was imprisoned. Today the prison  is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a popular tourist attraction in Cape Town . The prison is likely to be compared of that Alcatraz Prison Island in San Francisco USA.

courtesy of google image

How to get there

Enter the V&A waterfront via the main entrance (Hans Strydom Ave) and ferries depart from the Nelson Mandela Gateway near the Clock Tower at the V&A Waterfront.

Robben Island Terminal in V& A Waterfront

you can see the island from afar up from table mountain

Ticket cost ?

 R220 for adults and R110 for all children under the age of 18.

Schedule of Departure 

Ferries depart at 9am, 11am and 1pm, weather permitting. The standard tour to Robben Island is 3.5 hours long, including the two half-hour ferry rides

Where to Purchase Tickets?

Book Onine . Robben Island Online Ticket Reservation

5. WEAR YOUR BIKINI  AND ENJOY CAMPS BAY BEACH

Camps Bay is a renowned white sand beach located in affluent suburb of Cape Town. The beach attracts throng of tourists and locals especially during summer. The beach is complete with everything from white sand , clear water ,large palm trees , cafes , restaurants , bars , clubs , and hotel. Just saw a glimpse of this beautiful stunning beach and it kind'a reminds me of our own Boracay . The best part of my tour here was the good looking guys in their sexy trunks..hehehe...oh my if they were all lifeguards on duty I would like to get myself drowned... :)

Camps Beach is also one of the bus stop route of RED Citysightseeing Bus. You can hop on and hop off from here as well

6. FEEL POSH AT  VICTORIA AND ALFRED WATERFRONT

The V & A Waterfront being the third installment after the synonymous success of waterfronts which were previous docklands developed into shopping , dining and entertainment area . The counterparts are located in San Francisco and Sydney harbor. 

Fortunately , the apartment where I stayed was just in front of V & A Waterfront and it has been my day and night view and it was both spectacular . It truly is a wonderful location where you can do plenty of activities from shopping , fine dining , entertainment , etc . 

The Waterfront also serves as a gateway to everything and places in Cape Town as it houses the Robben Island Terminal , Citysighseeing Red City and Blue Peninsula Bus , dock site for helicopter tours , Two Oceans Aquarium , Museums ,Victoria Wharf Shopping Center , Clock Tower , etc.

The V&A is basically a must see in Cape Town. The same as any large shopping complex you would find in any large city in the world with the usual regulation shops etc.It is stylish, has great dining and shopping and is basically in the bucket list  of sights to see by  tourists . You can buy souvenirs, handcrafted goods, get your hair braided, taste regional cuisine, and much more .

Apart from the touristic appeal, however, the water front offers very pleasant walks and sitting areas to just enjoy the fresh breeze and the sound of the waves. What makes the V & A unique however is the impromptu entertainment, there is always a live band playing , street artists doing some magic tricks .  Thus ,If your looking from getting away from the centre of Cape Town, then this is the ideal place to be.