During my trip to Cape Town, the two day trips I had planned were for Robben Island and the Cape Peninsula. I didn’t realise that you could also do a safari from Cape Town in a day if you are pressed for time, but I have already been on a safari so that was not a consideration.

I had always assumed that Cape Town was at the very bottom of Africa at the Cape of Good Hope, but the cape is about 90km further south. Close enough to the bottom if you are looking at the whole map of Africa, but not so close that you can stroll out of your hotel to get to the bottom of the continent.

On my first day in Cape Town I met a Thai guy and a Korean guy at my hostel who asked if I wanted to go to the cape with them the next day. They were hiring a car so it would have been a cheap day out if we split the ride. It was forecast to be a rainy day and I still had two weeks to spare so I passed.

To get to the cape I took a tour. I picked Baz Bus, which is a popular backpacker tour bus in South Africa. Their main product is a hop-on hop-off bus service that travels along the coast and onwards to Johannesburg. They also have a Cape Peninsula day tour, which departs from Cape Town. I booked the tour at their head office in Cape Town, and they sell tickets in all the hostels.

The first stop on our trip was at Hout Bay where an optional part of the day included a boat trip to a nearby seal colony. The ocean was rough the day we were there and we were warned the boat wouldn’t be able to go all the way out.

I went anyway and as soon as we left I wished I had stayed onshore. Our boat was riding giant swells and slamming hard on the way down. On just this short trip I began to understand why sailors would fear passing by the cape. I was happy for the boat to return after realising that there would be no pleasure cruise today. Anyway, if you want to see seals you can see them sunning in the port, waiting for generous fishermen to throw them some lunch.

Driving south from Hout Bay the road climbs up a cliff face with amazing views of the coast. This is the view of Hout Bay.

I booked this tour primarily to see the cape and enjoy the scenic drive. What I wasn’t expecting was the additional bonus of penguins. Our next stop was at Boulders Beach, where there is a colony of African penguins.

Boulders Beach is also part of the Table Mountain National Park, which covers Table Mountain (of course) in Cape Town, all the way to the Cape Peninsula, though not in a single contiguous area. Table Mountain is not included in the tour so it is something you should see in your own time (and going up the mountain is a must).

The penguin colony is on the beach right next to the town. There are special walkways so people can’t go on the beach, otherwise you know people would do that. I know that you shouldn’t interfere with wildlife, but these little fellas are so cute that you just instinctively want to reach out and cuddle one, so I was grateful for the enclosed walkway, lest I create an international incident; “Australian tourist caught fondling wild penguins in South Africa.”

Part of this tour includes a short bike ride component. The mini-bus had a bike trailer and once we got to the peninsula we were issued bikes and helmets to ride for part of the way down. There is not much traffic here and it is reasonably flat so it’s an easy ride. Riding along with the wind whistling through the spokes of my bike, it really felt like being at the end of the world.

We had a picnic lunch at one of the tourist facilities and then it was on to the cape. Along the way we met a curious ostrich. I think he was interested more in his own reflection than with us.

Before I visited South Africa I had assumed that the Cape of Good Hope was the most southerly point of Africa. If you are looking to stand at the very bottom of Africa then you are on the wrong tour. The most southerly point of Africa is at Cape Agulhas, which is about 150km away. Cape Point is the western edge of False Bay, so named because sailors would reach the eastern edge of the bay thinking they are now sailing up the coast of Africa, when in fact they have entered a large bay.

In this photo you can see Cape Point and the other side of False Bay.

The park is filled with roaming baboons. They can be aggressive if they think you have food so be aware. Not that anyone would think a baboon is as cuddly as a penguin, but you do get occasional people who have never encountered a baboon or monkey and think it would be fun to feed them. Not a good idea.

On our way to the Cape of Good Hope we saw another ostrich. As you can see the coast is wild and wind-swept, and looking like a sailors nightmare. So much of this coast reminded me of the west coast of Victoria in Australia. The Great Ocean Road and the Shipwreck Coast in Victoria has a very similar feel (just replace emu’s with ostrich’s). I love rugged coastlines like this so I was happy to be here.

At the Cape of Good Hope there is the obligatory photo opportunity at the sign. After fighting off four bus loads of fellow tourists I got a few seconds to get my photo.

Another thing I learned on this tour is that the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean meet somewhere near Cape Agulhas rather than at the Cape of Good Hope, as so many people believe. Our guide told us that people believed that you could actually see a difference in colour of the water where the two oceans met, as if the oceans knew they were two separate entities as determined by mankind. For the record, there is there is no difference in the colour of the two oceans where they meet.

Even though it’s the most south-western point of the African continent and not most southerly, it’s one of the most iconic geographical points in the world. I usually find that I am disappointed in myself whenever I get sucked in to visiting a geographical extremity, but here it’s so worth it because:

a) it is one of the most famous, and
b) the drive and the coast line to get here is so scenic.

Overall I enjoyed this tour. We had a great guide and driver, and it was the cheapest tour I could find for a whole day tour. I did feel frustrated when we were driving along such spectacular coast line that I couldn’t stop along the way, but these are the tradeoffs for the convenience of a tour.

The ticket cost 690 Rand (about $48USD) and there are discounts if you have a the main Baz Bus tour ticket.

View the 1 day Cape Peninsula tour here, or book anywhere in Cape Town where you see the Baz Bus sign (they seem to be everywhere).

An alternative list of tours can be found on GetYourGuide. This includes half day tours if you don’t have all day, plus private car tours.

If you are comfortable with driving then I would recommend renting a car, especially if you have a group.

Cape Town has a range of museums and memorials remembering the era of apartheid. The most well-known symbol of apartheid is Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison.

Robben Island is about 7km off the coast of Cape Town at its closest point, and it has served as a prison since the 17th century, when the Dutch realised its potential as a prison.

The ferry to Robben Island departs from the V&A Waterfront at the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island; a purpose-built pier and exhibition centre.

Before you go though visit the Jetty 1 Museum, which is also at the V&A Waterfront. This jetty is where ferries would take prisoners, guards, and supplies to the island.

This ferry terminal houses a small collection of photos and artifacts of the jetty’s role in the processing of prisoners.

At the ferry terminal there is more information about the apartheid system and those who opposed it.

The ferry takes about half an hour and the trip is worth it for the cruise itself. The ferry ticket includes the tour of the island.

Upon arrival at the island there are waiting buses which drive around the islands main sites.

One of the stops is the lime quarry where Nelson Mandela was forced to labour. In the background is Table Mountain, which was a daily reminder of freedom from the island. At the entrance of the quarry is a pile of rocks where Nelson Mandela and former prisoners added one rock each at a prisoner reunion.

We stopped for a drinks and toilet break which doubles as a moment to enjoy the view of Table Mountain from across the bay.

The island is a haven for birdlife, including a bazillion seagulls and the African oystercatcher, which is a coastal bird found in southern Africa.

After driving around the island we were taken back to the prison for the next part of the tour. Our guide was a former political prisoner, who was imprisoned here for five years in the 1980’s. It’s mind-blowing to think that in my lifetime people were being imprisoned because of the colour of their skin.

He said his family doesn’t like visiting Robben Island, but he finds coming here and doing tours is a form of therapy.

Most people come to Robben Island to visit Nelson Mandela’s cell. After we had been led through the cell block our guide asked which cell was Mandela’s. We didn’t know because all the cells looked the same. I was expecting to see a cell that had been turned into a mini shrine with photos and flowers, or at least a plaque.

I think that it’s great that there is no marker. He was a prisoner among hundreds of others who were unjustly imprisoned during the apartheid regime. The island has also been home to two other presidents: Kgalema Motlanthe, and current president Jacob Zuma (who was not the most popular figure at the time of my visit).

My thoughts on the tour

I felt privileged to have a former prisoner as a guide, but with so many people visiting the island the tour group was too big. There were over 50 people in our group and the guide had a hard time trying to corral everyone into the same place before starting his next presentation. People at the back were wandering off doing their own thing or talking loudly during his talk, which was distracting and disrespectful.

I also didn’t like that we were put onto a bus and shipped around the island without being out to get out of the bus to see the sites (apart from the photo opportunity place). The bus had 3-2 seat configuration so it was packed.

I think a better option would be to offer bicycles so you can see the island at your own pace, in addition to the bus option. The island is only 5 square kilometres and flat, so it would be an easy cycle for most people. A well-defined bike path with information boards at the most important stops would be a great outing.

For the prison tour, they should offer self-guided tours or tours with former prisoners. As more visitors come to the island and the inevitable dwindling numbers the former prisoners, maybe this will be a future reality.

Overall though Robben Island is one of the highlights of visiting Cape Town, and even if the political aspect doesn’t interest you should go to get the best view of Cape Town.

Booking Robben Island Tours

I’m told that you probably wont get a ticket if you just turned up before the boat leaves, so book ahead. I turned up at the terminal the day before to buy a ticket which was 300 Rand (about $20 USD).

If you are short on time and want to lock in a date then have a look at these Robben Island and Cape Town combined tours

On my trip to South Africa I spent two weeks in Cape Town which gave me enough time to visit the best cafes in Cape Town without getting over-caffeinated.

I didn’t know what to expect so I was happily surprised to find a burgeoning cafe scene here. I was also surprised that there were no Starbucks in the city (they are opening in September, 2016) which is becoming a rarity these day to visit a city with no Starbucks.

I have met a few digital nomads who have spent considerable time in Cape Town, but I was still wondering if there was a cafe working scene here and if it was safe to bring your laptop to a cafe. Most of the cafes I went to had wifi and I saw laptop workers at nearly all the cafes. At the time of my visit internet access was expensive (at least it was when buying data for my phone) so wifi at some of the cafes I visited was either slow or limited by time.

In this post I’ve listed the cafes I visited, and I have made a Google and Foursquare map for easy reference.

Cape Town cafes map

Google Maps: Cape Town cafes map

Origin

My first coffee in South Africa was from a stall at a market in Johannesburg serving Origin coffee. It was a great relief to know that South Africa served good coffee. In Cape Town, Origin have a cafe between the city and Green Point in a beautifully converted brick warehouse.

Location: 28 Hudson St, Cape Town.
Website: originroasting.co.za

Yours Truly

Yours Truly have a few branches around town including a small cafe on Long Street. My favourite was the cafe on Kloof St, which has garden seating out the front.

Location: 73 Kloof Street, Cape Town.
Instagram: @yourstrulycafe

Truth Coffee Roasters

As I was walking to Truth I saw two well-dressed gents standing outside. I thought “wow the hipsters of Cape Town take their dressing-up seriously”. It turns out that these guys work here, and the cafe is a steampunk theme cafe. The cafe is in an old warehouse and it is decorated just how you would think a steampunk cafe should be decorated. All the staff are fabulously-dressed with goggles, top-hats, brass-buttoned vests, and coat-tails.

They have wifi there so I brought my laptop. While there were some others there with laptops I still felt a bit out of place. What I really should have been using was some kind of steam-powered typewriter.

Location: 36 Buitenkant St, Cape Town.
Website: truthcoffee.com

Batavia

Batavia is in Bo Kaap, which is the district that was home to Cape Malays; immigrants and slaves from Southeast Asia (mostly Malaysia and Indonesia). While the district is well on the way to being gentrified, the spirit of the area lives on with Batavia (the name of old Jakarta). This district is famous for its colourful small houses, and Batavia does its bit with a bright blue paint job.

Location: 114 Church Street, Cape Town.

Shift Espresso Bar

Gotta love a cafe whose tagline is “death before decaf”. Shift is in the fashionable Green Point area, so if you are staying in the CBD this is a good excuse to visit Green Point.

Location: 45 Main Rd, Green Point, Cape Town.
Website: facebook.com/Shiftespresso/

Bootlegger Coffee Company

This cafe is in a heritage building on Regent Rd in the trendy neighbourhood of Sea Point. The area reminds me of a seaside Sydney suburb and when I visited the cafe was filled with people working away on their laptops.

Location: 39 Regent Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town
Website: bootlegger.co.za

Deluxe Coffeeworks

There were three branches of Deluxe at the time of my visit. I went to Roodehek St which is filled with cycling gear and has a great hipster vibe.

Location: 6 Roodehek St, Gardens, Cape Town.
Website: deluxecoffeeworks.co.za

Kamili Coffee

This cafe is in the same building as a tour office right in the middle of town. Not really a place to work from but ideal if you are planning your sight seeing.

Location: 29 Shortmarket St & Long St, Cape Town.
Website: kamilicoffee.co.za

Latitude 33

Latitude 33 (named after the latitude Cape Town is on) is a surfer-themed cafe on Bree St.

Location: 165 Bree St, Cape Town.

Bean There

Bean There serve fair trade coffee and have a selection of cozy couches and tables.

Location: 58 Wale St, Cape Town.
Website: beanthere.co.za

Tribe Coffee Roasting

I didn’t go to their main cafe at The Foundry (160 Albert Road) but I went to the one on Buitengracht Street. This cafe is inside a motorcycle show room serving real coffee.

Location: 112 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town.
Website: tribecoffee.co.za

Motherland Coffee Company

While I have listed independent cafes here I still like to visit chain stores to see how they compare around the world. Motherland is a South Africa chain and they have a branch on St Georges Mall.

Location: Mandela Rhodes Place, Wale St & Georges Mall, Cape Town
Website: motherlandcoffee.com

Closed cafe

Hard Pressed Cafe: 1 Bree St, Cape Town.

]]> https://www.nomadicnotes.com/cafes-in-cape-town/feed/ 0 19671 https://www.nomadicnotes.com/notes-on-cape-town/ https://www.nomadicnotes.com/notes-on-cape-town/#comments Fri, 10 Jun 2016 07:37:25 +0000 http://www.nomadicnotes.com/?p=19667

Cape Town is a place I have been wanting to visit for years. I’ve read Cape Town as being described as a cross between San Fransisco and Sydney, and a few long-term travellers I know have called it their favourite city in the world. With such endorsements, I was curious to see what it is like, especially as a base for being a digital nomad.

As with my other “Notes on…” posts, this is a collection of thoughts and observations on my time in the city rather than a travel guide.

Table Mountain

Table Mountain is synonymous with Cape Town and part of its identity. I knew it was a prominent feature of the city but it is hard to appreciate until you see it in person. The city is built at the base of the mountain, and sometimes it feels like it is towering above it. You turn a corner of a street, and there it is.

[Castle of Good Hope and Table Mountain.]

I got a brief glimpse of the mountain when I arrived, then it soon disappeared behind thick cloud and I didn’t see it for another day. On my first full day I went to the V&A waterfront to get a view of the mountain behind the old docks. This was the picture I had in my mind of Cape Town so it seemed like an appropriate place to start exploring the city.

I arrived at the waterfront but there was no mountain in sight. If it was not for this frame I wouldn’t have known where it was hiding.

[Where’s the mountain?]

The clouds eventually cleared to reveal one of the greatest city backdrops that you will see anywhere.

No trip to Cape Town is complete without a trip to the top of the mountain. There is a trail for hiking, or you can take the cable car.

Don’t bother going if it’s a cloudy day because you won’t see anything. When I went up there was some cloud about but when it clears you get the best view of the city.

It’s like Sydney, in the eighties

While walking around the city on my first day I couldn’t help but think that it felt like Sydney (or a big Australian city) in the eighties. My South African friends, I don’t mean that as a put-down so put the pitchforks down and hear me out!

The Central Business District (Downtown) is a low-rise city with the tallest building (the Portside Tower) measuring 139 metres. Instead of the CBD being filled with glass box towers there is a good collection of old buildings from the colonial days.

[It’s not just the name that made me think it could be in Australia.]

I love the old commercial buildings that can be found throughout the city.

It reminds me of Australia before it was taken over chain stores, with old department stores and brands you’ve never heard of.

There are still “mom and pop” sandwich shops and kiosks instead of 7/11’s,

And plenty of Victorian-era shops on Long Street.

Other things that reminded me of Australia

With the shared British colonial heritage, rugby and cricket culture, and great fresh food, there is a lot of cultural similarities to Australia. The prices didn’t remind me of Australia though – it’s a third of the price for eating out here compared to Australia.

If there is one thing that can make me home sick it’s the site of eucalyptus trees, which Cape Town has many planted randomly around the city.

Also Sydney-like is the seaside suburb of Sea Point. If it wasn’t for the mountain of Lion’s Head poking its head up in the background these apartments could pass for being in Sydney.

Cool cafes and a CBD renaissance

So structurally Cape Town resembles eighties Australia, but Cape Town might just be at this sweet point in history where it has all the modern trappings of an international cosmopolitan city without being swamped by the big chains.

McDonalds and KFC are here, of course, but at the time of my visit Starbucks had not yet arrived in Cape Town. I thought they would have arrived after the World Cup, but they will be in the city later in 2016. With no competition from the big chains the independents have had time to establish themselves. There are a lot cool cafes and restaurants in the CBD, which feels like it’s part of a rebirth of the inner city.

During my two week stay I went to a different cafe nearly every day, and the cafe culture here is as good as anywhere I have seen in the world. I have a separate post for cafes in Cape Town.

[Cool cafes in converted warehouses – the natural habitat for this digital nomad. (Cafe: Origin Cafe.)]

Bo Kaap

Bo Kaap is a district in central Cape Town that used to be known as the Malay Quarter. The area was home to Cape Malays, who were slaves from the Netherlands East-Indies (now Indonesia) as well as other “non-desirables” (as deemed by the Dutch East India Company) who were sent here from Southeast Asia in exile.

Coming from what is now Indonesia, the Cape Malays brought islam to South Africa, and there are numerous mosques in the area.

The area is famous for its colourful little houses and cobbled streets. I could tell as soon as I started walking this area that it is not what it once was. With its prime city location and views of Table Mountain it is well on the way to gentrification.

The capital of South Africa is…?

“What is the capital of South Africa?” is a pub quiz question I never recall having heard. Before I came to South Africa I had assumed that Johannesburg – being the biggest city and air travel hub – was the capital of South Africa. There are in fact three capitals in South Africa; Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial), and Cape Town (legislative).

[Cape Town Parliament building.]

Company’s Garden

One of my favourite places to walk in was the Company’s Garden. The garden was established by the VOC (the Dutch East India Company), which if any company in the history of the world can claim to be the company, it would be them.

The VOC established the garden as a source of fresh vegetables for ships passing the cape.

Set in the middle of the CBD, it’s like the Central Park of Cape Town, except it is more botanical garden than park; there are specimens of all kinds of plants and trees here.

Clouds

One sunny day a low cloud quickly crept down from the mountain and engulfed the city. It was such a marvel to watch that I kept walking around to experience this phenomenon.

[A cloud engulfing the city.]

A few hours later a friend randomly emailed me an article about the Amateur Cloud Society, which is an association of cloud lovers. The timing was spooky and is was good to know there are others out there who contemplate clouds. Not that I would apply, because not joining clubs that would have me as a member and all that. My point being that in Cape Town the clouds, like its natural beauty, are part of what make the city.

Some days were clear and sunny and yet there was the layer of cloud stuck on top of the mountain, which is known locally as the table cloth.

[Table Mountains table cloth.]

The Bus System

While Cape Town has a commuter train service that travels to nearby towns, there is no metro system. What they do have instead is a decent bus system. Upon arrival at the airport there is a bus station clearly indicated outside arrivals. The station has a ticket office, so there is no need to look for change for the 100 rand note that the ATM just dispensed.

[Airport bus stop.]

The main “station” is Civic Centre, which is a big interchange that operates like a metro, with barriers to the waiting area and each bus parking in a designated area.

[Civic Centre bus station.]

What is most impressive about the bus system is the stored-value bus passes. You can buy a single ticket, but a pass with credit offers cheaper tickets. The pass is also a visa debit card so you can put credit on the card and use it anywhere in South Africa that accepts cards. The card costs 35 Rand ($2.30 USD) so it is a cheap alternative to maintaining a debit card at a bank.

[MyCiti bus pass and Visa debit card.]

Where I Stayed

I split my time between hostels and hotels. never@home is a hostel in Green Point, across the road from the football stadium and not far from the V&A Waterfront.

I was hosted by the Tsogo Sun group at SunSquare and Southern Sun Waterfront.

Further Reading

Visiting Robben Island and the Cape Peninsula day tour.

]]> https://www.nomadicnotes.com/notes-on-cape-town/feed/ 2 19667 https://www.nomadicnotes.com/lake-st-lucia-hippos/ https://www.nomadicnotes.com/lake-st-lucia-hippos/#comments Tue, 31 May 2016 22:08:58 +0000 http://www.nomadicnotes.com/?p=19564

When it comes to the big animals of Africa the hippopotamus lives in the shadow of the Big Five: African lion, African elephant, cape buffalo, African leopard, and rhinoceros.

The term “Big Five” was coined by game hunters for being the five most difficult animals to hunt on foot. It has since become a check-list for tourists of animals to see when visiting African animal reserves. Even the South African government has gotten in on the game by, ahem, lionizing the Big Five on the national bank notes.

Perhaps the olden-day hunters weren’t fond of hunting on water. Or perhaps they knew how dangerous hippos are. Yes, these ridiculous-looking aquatic vegetarians are the most deadly mammals in Africa (the most dangerous animal being the mosquito).

I was surprised to read that hippos were dangerous. Anyone who has played Hungry Hungry Hippos would not to get in the way of a hippo feeding frenzy, but that is common sense.

[A hungry but not hungry hungry hippo.]

Perhaps my perception of hippos was influenced by Fantasia.

[Image from The Disney Wikia.]

It wasn’t until I read an account of a man who was swallowed by a hippo and lived to tell the tale that I knew about the dangers of hippos.

This story was the first thing I thought when I found out I was visiting a hippo reserve. I was invited to South Africa as part of an Australian media trip on behalf of South Africa Tourism.

iSimangaliso Wetland Park (formerly known as the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park) is a national park on the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, a province in eastern South Africa. It became South Africa’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1999.

Here is a description from the isimangaliso.com website:

The 332 000 hectare Park contains three major lake systems, eight interlinking ecosystems, 700 year old fishing traditions, most of South Africa’s remaining swamp forests, Africa’s largest estuarine system, 526 bird species and 25 000 year-old vegetated coastal dunes – among the highest in the world. The name iSimangaliso means miracle and wonder, which aptly describes this unique place.

The park is the third-largest protected area in South Africa and it has 280 km of coastline, running all the way to the Mozambique border. It’s a huge area with lots to see, so for our short visit we focused on the Lake St. Lucia estuary, which has the biggest hippo population in South Africa.

This was my first wildlife experience in South Africa I was wondering was how easy would it be to see the animals. That question was answered almost as soon as we got on the boat, with hippos in abundance from the moment we started cruising.

Our first sighting was of a crash of hippos (or also known as a bloat of hippos) that had crashed out on the bank of the estuary. Hippos spend most of their time in the water, so to see them on dry land was a good start. We all rushed to one side, excited for our first hippo sighting, as if it might have been one of the few sightings of the day.

We needn’t have rushed. As we went further into the estuary it became apparent that there were hippos everywhere, with lone hippos and groups looking like submerged logs in the water.

We soon got up close to another group/crash/bloat and the first time you see a hippo “yawn” it becomes obvious why you would never want to cross one in the wild.

I mean look at those teeth!

This one looked like it was stalking our boat.

I christened him/her Captain Willard from Apocalypse Now.

Watching the young ones playing in the water with their big mouths open they are surprisingly cute, but yeah, you still wouldn’t want to get near them.

More to the park than hippos

The estuary is only a small fraction of the national park, so you aren’t going to see a wide variety of animals here.

Throughout our afternoon cruise we did see other animals, including Nile Crocodiles (or if the internet had named them, African Murder Logs).

And getting my Big Five account started there were plenty of Cape buffalo along the way.

Driving back from the cruise our guide suggested we make a detour to the beach before heading back to town.

This wide, sandy beach offered another glimpse into the diversity of this park.

Getting there

Durban is the closest city with an international airport. Durban to St Lucia is under four hours drive on an international-standard freeway.

Where To Stay

For hippo viewing, boats depart from near St Lucia. We stayed at Elephant Lake Hotel in St. Lucia.

Resources

iSimangaliso Wetland Park – Official park site.
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal – Information from South Africa Tourism.

Disclosure: My trip to iSimangaliso Wetland Park was provided by South Africa Tourism (Australia).

]]> https://www.nomadicnotes.com/lake-st-lucia-hippos/feed/ 2 19564 https://www.nomadicnotes.com/southern-sun-waterfront-cape-town-south-africa/ Tue, 17 May 2016 06:09:51 +0000 http://www.nomadicnotes.com/?p=19558

Hotel Name: Southern Sun Waterfront
Address: 1 Lower Buitengracht, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa

I stayed at the Southern Sun Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa. I stayed as a guest of the hotel to review their property.

Southern Sun is part of the Tsogo Sun group, which is the largest hotel and tourism company in South Africa. On this trip to South Africa I had stayed at Tsogo Sun hotels in Johannesburg and Durban, and they were all great places to stay.

The Southern Sun Waterfront is in the Cape Town downtown area, where the CBD meets the waterfront area. Probably the best known part of Cape Town (aside from Table Mountain) is the V&A Waterfront. The old docks are already well established but there was more redevelopment happening when I visited which will bring the waterfront right up to the city.

The Waterfront is next door to another Southern Sun hotel, The Cullinan. From a distance they look like the same property so keep that in mind when arriving. Here is the view when approaching from the waterfront. The Cullinan is on the left and has a little dome on the roof. The Waterfront is to the right and is the same cream colour.

I checked in to my room which was bright and spacious with a soft and comfortable bed that was a delight to sleep on.

The room I was in was in part of the curved section of the hotel. This provided an unusual shape for the room which made the room feel larger and homely.

A good work desk with light and local and international power outlets.

The bathroom had a separate bathtub and shower section.

The tea and coffee making facilities included a pod espresso machine.

Old-school newspaper service with the local newspaper hanging on my door in the morning. I like reading local newspapers to get a feel for what is happening in the city and country.

I had breakfast at the hotel which had a large buffet selection of continental and hot meals.

The hotel has a pool at the back on the ground floor. It is accessible via the bar area so you sit outside and enjoy a drink in the sunshine.

Wifi is free for hotel guests and available throughout the property. You get 500MB free per day, so make sure you aren’t downloading lots of files if you want your internet to last for the day.

Overall this was a great place to stay in Cape Town. If you are staying in Cape Town for a few days you can easily walk to the city and waterfront. The is a shuttle bus that goes to the waterfront but I walked and it took about 15 minutes to get to the Robben Island ferry. The hotel is also close to Long St, which is famous for its bars and restaurants.

Visit the Southern Sun Waterfront site.

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