Cape Town
Cape Town is Africa’s most visited city and is truly one of the most iconic cities in the world; with its setting between Table Bay and Table Mountain the huge metropolis nestles beautifully into a natural basin and, along with its wonderful climate, it is not hard to imagine why travellers flock to this place.
It is very much a multicultural city though as with most places possessing a colourful lineage it has also had a tumultuous past; beginning with trade disputes between explorers and tribes people in the 15th century all the way up to apartheid and its aftermath. Today though Cape Town is a safe city in which to wander as long as simple common sense is followed. Upon arriving there any traveller will realise that the Cape Flats are areas to be avoided, though if curiosity gets the better of you there are organised tours to these townships.
The South Africans are not averse to their sports and they have a fine tradition of rugby and football; also the treacherous waters of the Cape of Good Hope that so rattled Vasco de Gama are now home to some of the biggest surfing and kitesurfing events in the world, there are of course some fairly hefty sharks in the area but attacks are a rarity.
Cape town also possesses a buzzing nightlife, and if anyone of any race or creed were to stroll down to Long Street on a given night they are sure to find a truly multicultural/multiracial scene – unfortunately this is a bit of a rarity in the rest of South Africa. Cape Town is a great place to explore the surrounding areas rich biodiversity, so there is no excuse not to get out to the national parks and game reserves and get amongst it. It really doesn’t matter if you’re a backpacker scraping the pennies or the proud owner of a luxury yacht, Cape Town will have a wealth of amenities and experiences to offer – so take the plunge and explore, dream, discover.
