Everyone who has heard the name “Africa” usually has a picture in their minds, with the influence of the media; adobe huts, people walking barefoot, a mass caught between tribal life and modern life, homeless people in the city center, children in need of water in the countryside, hunger, disease, misery…. When we say that, the factors that can only be seen in a certain region are attributed to the whole continent.. Now it’s time to put all that aside because we’re in Cape Town. This is a city that will break all your prejudices about Africa.. In my Cape Town Travel Guide, I hope you find an overview of the most fascinating city I’ve ever seen, along with any other details you may need.
• South About Africa
• Getting to Cape Town
• Getting to Cape Town
• Accommodation in Cape Town
• Food and Drink in Cape Town
• Currency
• What to Pack in the Suitcase?
• Security in Cape Town
• When to Go to Cape Town?
About South Africa / Cape Town Travel Guide
While preparing a travel guide, I prefer to give my travel notes rather than giving information about the country. I usually. However, I did not want to go without mentioning the Republic of South Africa (hereinafter, South Africa for short), because it has very different characteristics compared to other countries.
The African continent is 5 in terms of population density.. South Africa, which is the largest country, has 3 capitals; Cape Town is the legislative capital. Its official language is exactly 11! English, one of these languages, is the common language spoken by the whole country, since it is designated as the official correspondence language.. Afrikaans, which you will hear frequently if you go, is the name given by the Dutch during the Apartheid regime to the blending of their own language with local languages.. It is now one of the most widely known languages, as Afrikaans was forcibly taught in schools to non-whites at that time.. It has to be said that South Africa, which Mandela called the “rainbow nation”, deserves this name to the fullest.
How to Get to Cape Town / Cape Town Travel Guide
Non-stop flight from Istanbul to Cape Town takes approximately 11 hours. Since we went from Izmir, our journey took more than 15 hours.. We preferred THY’s direct flights in order not to prolong it any longer.. We used 30,000 miles for Izmir-Cape Town on the way while buying a ticket.. We made the return from Johannesburg paying $458. If you are not short of time, if it is more important to buy an economical ticket, you can check the connecting flights to Ethiopia..
The Republic of South Africa is among the countries that do not require a visa from us. You don’t need to do anything about a visa before going to Cape Town.. You can get a 30-day visa at entry without paying any fee.
Transportation in Cape Town / Cape Town Travel Guide
First of all, we know that Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities to visit by motorbike. i have to say. We were very eager to rent a motorbike for at least one day and visit the beaches that meet the ocean one by one, but due to the rain and wind, this plan took its place among those who went to waste.. The only advice I will give about transportation will be rent a motorbike in Cape Town, if you can, of course.
Let’s come to Transport in Cape Town General information about strong>…Public transport in Cape Town is not very developed; buses do not pass everywhere; distances between places to visit are far from each other. The biggest savior of those who want to visit touristic spots close to the city center is the buses they call Hop on Hop off Bus (also known as City SightSeeing), which we know as the red tourist bus in many cities.. These buses have alternatives that draw several different routes here and work in the city bus logic.. You buy the daily ticket of the bus type you choose, get on the bus from the nearest stop to your location, and get off at the places you want to see.. The best part of the buses is that you can get guide service from headphones, there is even a Turkish language option.. I can also say that the city tour by open-top bus on a sunny day was more enjoyable than I expected..
Attention:
There are many alternatives for Hop on Hop off bus tickets. Some options also function as the Museum Card we have; You pay a little more money, but you can enter the 3 points you choose without waiting in line, without paying an entrance fee.. We unknowingly bought such a ticket thinking it would be more profitable, but we were completely wrong.. If you don’t want to waste money on the air, definitely don’t buy tickets that include entrance fees.
Bad news: You can’t use the Hop on Hop off buses throughout the city, they have a limited route.. The good news: Cape Town is one of the top cities with Uber. You can get transportation for half the price of taxis.. Uber has been our only friend for both the city center and the places where the bus does not go, such as “Lion’s Head”.. Not to mention the joy of chatting with the drivers who drive by singing songs.
Another alternative for transportation in Cape Town is MyCity, the city bus of these places.. If you are going to use it several times, you must first buy a card for 30ZAR (8 TL).. This money is only card fee.. Then you use this card by loading money at the appropriate stations.. If you say you want to use it once, you have the chance to buy a disposable card by paying 35ZAR (9.4 TL), you can think of it like a ticket.
As a matter of fact, the ideal solution for transportation in Cape Town is to rent a car.. It is possible to find a vehicle around 70-80 TL per day.. Roads throughout the city are wide and smooth, but remember that traffic flows on the left.. We have experienced reverse traffic by renting a car in Northern Cyprus before.. Although we adapted in a short time, there was a constant tension in the environment.. (For more details, you can click on the North Cyprus Travel Guide.) We did not prefer to rent a car because we did not want to experience that tension again during the holiday.. However, as far as I can see, there is no troublesome traffic, you can rent a car if you are confident.. I think it is ideal for going to places that are far from the city and where there is no transportation vehicle, such as Cape of Good Hope and Simon’s Town where penguins are located.. If you don’t want to drive but still want to travel by private car, you can rent a car with a driver from companies like Around About Cars.. Moreover, you can go to Namibia, Botswana or Zambia with these vehicles and make your own African tour..
I can say that daily tours are also extremely popular in Cape Town.. “Places to Visit in Cape Town” I talked about these alternatives in more detail according to the points.
Accommodation in Cape Town / Cape Town Travel Guide
Cape Town , one of the most visited cities by “backpackers” worldwide. Budget-friendly hostel options are plentiful. We spent the first 2 days at 91 Loop, which is one of those options, right in the heart of the city.. Do not look at what I said hostel, there are also private room options in the consistency of a hotel room.. We were extremely satisfied with this hostel, which is located on Loop Street, which is considered the center of the city and nightlife, 2 minutes away from the Hop on Hop off bus ticket sales office, and we paid 50 dollars per room per night.
The other 2 days we stayed at the Greenfire Lodge at Sea Point, 5 minutes from the ocean, because this hotel was the starting point of the 24-day safari tour.. SeaPoint; taking the Atlantic Ocean in front of it and the Table Mountain behind it; the sieves of Cape Town residents; accordingly, where there are cafes and restaurants; “I wish I lived here too.” a region of sensation. If you want to feel like you are in California, you can choose your accommodation from this side.
As long as you do not rent a car, it will be beneficial for you to arrange your accommodation in Cape Town in the city center.. When choosing a location, you can consider Long Street, Loop Street or the V&A Waterfront.. When you go out in the evening –it would be a shame if you don’t, because you will see that the heart of the city beats here.
Food and Drink in Cape Town / Cape Town Travel Guide
The case of Cape Town being a cultural mosaic city Undoubtedly, it is reflected in their food.. You can find the best selections of world cuisines here.. I think what I mean would be better understood if I said that there are people who come to Cape Town just for a gourmet tour.. The V&A Waterfront is the number one stop for this. The most famous chain Ocean Basket. (Since we used our right in Johannesburg, we did not try the ones in Cape Town, but it is strongly recommended by everyone who goes.)
In short, you should not return without drinking wine in a city that is home to Africa’s oldest vineyards. let me remind. Details will be the subject of a separate article, and my knowledge is unfortunately not enough.. However, I think I can say that there are 2 famous beers, Black Label and Castle, that you will enjoy them by tasting them and choosing your favourite.. The cider called Savanna has been on our hands all holiday..
* My favorites
The hamburger restaurant on Long Street Royal Eatery drew me in with the Bonobo song that played in my ear as soon as I walked in. Hamburgers with vegetarian options are around 85 ZAR. Oreo milkshake is on the list of legends.
In Willoughby&Co at the V&A Waterfront., so to speak, eating excellent sushi until they burst, drinking 2 carafes of wine, 2 people paid 700 ZAR in total and we became the happiest people in the world for that moment.
* “Well, that’s it!” what I said
We ate a mixed seafood platter at the restaurant Quarter 4 located at the V&A Waterfront, it had shrimp, squid and fish prepared in the standard way.. The place has an impressive view because it is by the sea, but I cannot say the same for the food..
Spur, a steakhouse chain you can often come across in the south of Africa. We ate an average T-bone, ribeye and snails at their Sea Point branch. I liked it very much as it was the first time I ate snails in my life, but I don’t have any criteria to compare it to.. So it’s up to you whether to go or not..
* What I dislike
Fish&chips are very popular in South Africa. We wanted to fulfill a tradition during our lunch break in Hout Bay, but I found the fish too oily..
Currency /Cape Town Travel Guide
South Africa’s currency is the South African Rand; briefly used as ZAR. The use of euros and dollars is not very common, but credit cards are accepted in almost all places.. You still need to have ZAR with you. (Since the Namibian Dollar rate is fixed to ZAR, you can also use ZAR in Namibia.)
As we left the airport, we saw American Express and exchanged currency there.. We would have paid a lower commission if we had not rushed and used the Breau de Change that will appear after walking a little more.. By checking the commission your bank will receive, you can also use the ZAR withdrawal method from the ATMs there..
Before I went, I had installed the application called XE Currency on my phone, I recommend it to you as it is super convenient when comparing prices.
What to Put in the Suitcase? / Cape Town Travel Guide
The sockets in Cape Town are British type, that is, they have 3 holes, but they also have 2 different types, new and old.. So the converter you take away from here may not suit your location.. Fortunately, you can get a suitable converter in every place.. The product I recommend to take with you is double or triple socket. You can find a converter, but you cannot charge every equipment at the same time..
No matter what season you go, don’t forget to buy and use sunscreen. The sun of Africa is nothing like ours around here..
In spring and winter anti-wind jacket can save lives. In Cape Town, you may be sweating in a t-shirt on one beach and freezing in a jacket on another beach, the city has such a changeable atmosphere..
A good precaution is to get a copy of your travel documents and drop it off at the hotel or house you’re staying at when you go out.. In fact, I recommend that you make this a habit for every international trip and not leave without passport photocopy.
Security in Cape Town / Cape Town Travel Guide
One of the most frequently asked questions is “Is Cape Town safe?” Cape Town is one of the safest cities in Africa. I think it’s safer than Istanbul. I did not feel the slightest uneasiness, as most points in the city center are extremely cosmopolitan.. There is private security everywhere, although it is not noticed.. For example, while we were walking at night, young people appeared next to us and asked us for money.. In 5 seconds, a burly man from afar shouts, “Put!” did it and the youngsters disappeared. Of course, there are things to consider. For example, you better not go to deserted streets, especially at night.. The places where you can have trouble are already evident with their faces.. It will be in your best interest not to carry large amounts of money with you and not to count money in public.. (What I wrote is only valid for Cape Town, for South Africa in general, especially for Johannesburg, don’t think about it.)
When to Go to Cape Town? / Cape Town Travel Guide
Cape Town impressed me so much that my answer to this question is: Always! Most of the activities to be done in the city (climbing Table Mountain or Lion’s Head, seal island visit, shark diving, helicopter tour, whale watching etc.) are shaped depending on the weather.. Therefore, it would be a good idea to determine the activity you want to do and choose the time you want to go accordingly.
The best time to enjoy the city in Cape Town is of course the summer season, that is, between December and May, but the prices are low. The period when it is the highest and the city is most crowded is also. “I also go to the sea while the summer is gone.” you may be dreaming. Let me state that the sea water temperature in Cape Town is colder in summer than in winter because the water of melting glaciers from Antarctica reaches here.. The winter season is not like the winters we see in Europe, there is no freezing cold or snowfall.. For example, on a sunny day, the locals swim in the sea.. The only problem is that if you are going in the winter, you have to be prepared for the strong winds blowing from the ocean.. August is the windiest and coldest month. So when did we go? We encountered the worst weather of the year in August, there was a strong storm for 2 days, the wavelength at the seaside reached 6 meters, all our plans were turned upside down.. Despite this, it is still “Cape Town is the most beautiful city I have ever seen in my life.” i can say. It’s impossible to leave Cape Town unhappy!
Best times for some activities:
On climbing routes April-June for clear weather and little wind, September-November to see plenty of plant varieties
July-September for whale watching
May-October for shark watching or diving
December-February to enjoy the beaches and experience the nightlife to the fullest
Wine route – For vintage March-May
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