THE COUNTLESS CHARMS OF CAPE TOWN | |
| TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF THE MOTHER CITY | |
© Dean Alan Innerarity | deanalanphoto.com It's best to begin with broad brushstrokes when describing the go-there-now appeal of Cape Town and surrounds. Stunning, dramatic landscapes. Endless adventure and at-your-leisure seaside experiences. Vibrant urban life and beyond-bucolic pastoral pleasures. Legacies of a rich history meshed with the pulsating rhythms of the new, now and next. All make for quintessentially want-to-stay-longer travel. So where to start? A few pointers.
Even if you're traveling from a part of the world that's fairly close to South Africa, be sure to plan for enough days incountry to take in the near-endless sights and sensations of the many layers of the Cape Town experience. A good rule of thumb: add two-or-more-days-at-a-minimum to your planned itinerary (mid-week outbound and return days work well, and with weekends bundled in adds up to lower fares). And reconcile yourself to the fact that - as is the case with many of the world's great destinations - you may well never get to do and see everything. Take comfort in the assurance that everything you see and do will be superlative. Take a tour or more A brilliant way - especially if it's your first visit - to acclimate yourself to the astounding array of attractions and activities in and around Cape Town is to do what you might not normally do and get yourself oriented on a city tour. Even if you're not a group-stuff groupie, you'll find that the Hop-On-Hop-Off Cape Town bus is invaluable as an introduction to both the city's many must-sees and the beauty of the close-in suburban land- and seascapes. The tours, run by City Sightseeing, take you around on double-decker buses with half-open tops, and there's excellent insight and commentary along the way on two routes through and around Cape Town via individual headphones. Full-day access means you can get off at your preferred attraction, grab lunch, exploit your photo ops and, yes, hop onto the next bus that arrives about every 15 minutes. And, for a leisurely intro to all while you weigh your options and lay out plans for your stay, both routes do a full circuit in just about two hours, leaving plenty of time to plan to return to your top picks. A full- or half-day tour of the Cape Peninsula is a must do. Whether you choose a group tour or private chauffeured drive (a great go-at-your-own-pace option, for much less than you might imagine), from the penguins at Boulders Beach to the the Winelands to soaring Cape Point cliffs and much more, you'll be burning through that bucket list. African Eagle is one of a number of operators offering both options. With the abundance of available choices, check with your hotel concierge or take to TripAdvisor (and/or your favorite booking site), knowing that you quite simply can't go very wrong given the power of the region's marquee must-dos.
Take a sip and stay Experiencing South Africa's celebrated viticulture is to taste exceptional examples of The Grape and to take in stunning, unforgettable scenery. The wine routes that branch out from Cape Town make for magical day-trips or day-or-two retreats from the city. For a close-in taste of the Cape wine country experience, Groot Costantia - South Africa's oldest wine estate - makes for a delightful day out, with tours of the the historic manor house and wine cellars, great dining and spectacular scenery. All such a short stone's throw from Cape Town that it's a stop on the Hop-On Hop-Off tour. Take the Table Mountain trip as soon as you can The trip up to the top of Table Mountain is a Cape Town staple. It's important to know that weather conditions on and around this heart-stopping natural wonder tend to change more rapidly than you can say tablecloth. Buy tickets in advance to avoid the possibility of an hour-long line wait, and check the cable-way status on their website before heading out. Conditions are easy to suss out from most places in the city. Day looking clear? No clouds around. Do it. Take your tickets and get to the cable-way station before the situation changes in what will likely be a flash. The best summation of the Table Mountain situation comes from the the official cable-way website: "The cable car can be closed due to high winds – don’t rely on it to get you home." [ More essential info here > ] Take to the sea © Dean Alan Innerarity | deanalanphoto.com Arguably the best way to take in Cape Town is from the water. On the V&A Waterfront you'll find an endless variety of operators offering harbor tours, shark dives, sunset champagne cruises and more on a near-endless variety of craft from catamarans to sailboats and everything in between, with the most offerings during the high summer season. An important note if you've got plans to visit Robben Island: get our tickets online as soon as you can, as the ferry tour (departing from the V&A Waterfront facility) sells out weeks in advance.
Take this advice No matter how much you do, there'll still be more to see and experience in and around Cape Town and beyond in South Africa. Know that no matter how much you do, you'll soon be planning to go back. A really good thing. - Dean A. Innerarity | dean@deanstravel.com A great side trip in Cape wine country: Grande Roche Style > | |