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4 Stars - 39 Opinions
Building being painted in the Bo Kaap
Old Lighthouse at Cape Point, South Africa
The Michaelis Collection
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Hello,
Hoping for some assistance from the locals---
I've been reading various reports about the winters in Cape Town. Some saying July/August is cold and rainy, and others saying that the weather has been warming up in recent times and can get above 80 degrees farenheit in August. What can be expected this time of year if we rented a place on the beach?
I found several beautiful beach rentals with direct access to Camps Bay....is this a good area to stay or are there other recommendations? Anything we should be cautious of when booking these rentals?
Thanks for any assistance!
G_G
Camps Bay is a stunning area. Lovely beach. Lots of restaurants. Weather is unpredictable. Yesterday was like summer today it's cold again. If Gerald pops in he can give you more info on the weather. Enjoy.
Hey, thanks for the info and feedback on Camps Bay. Yes, some of these rental listings around Camps Bay look exquisite and luxurious with private pools and all sorts of amenities. Because it's 'low season' the prices are very reasonable this time of year. I just wasn't sure what the surrounding areas are like.
Who is Gerald? Sounds like he's the man to know in the area!
Also, do you know if there are direct flights from Cape Town to Mauritius? I couldn't find who the local carrier is for this route.
Thanks a bunch for your help (and nice beads, btw!)
G_G
Who is Gerald? Don't know.
This August has been particularly wet and cold so far. Nobody is talking of global warming here in the last two months!
Sorry, take Cape Town beaches off your plans for August unless you like walking and collecting stuff washed up after storms. We are known as the Cape of Storms for a good reason, and August is just a bad month.
Sure, we have some lucky days, like last Sunday. But when this happens we go and look at the spring flowers up on the west coast.
Ok so now you know who Gerald is. Your other question. SAA and Air Mauritius do the the Mauritius routes. The flights are from JHB and I think maybe from Durban as well. Look at www.flysaa.com.
Thanks everyone for your very helpful advice! Gives us something to work with when planning this out. Your hometown has been high on the travel list for many years, so now it's time to make it happen! (just want to make sure the timing is right as I want to enjoy everything the area has to offer!)
.....and nice to meet you Gerald_D ! :-)
Warm regards,
G_G
I think that Cape Town's best months are March & April.
Good to know !!!
I agree with Gerald on March/ April for Cape town. We've tried all the other months but March and April are the best.
Coming up to Signal Hill one evening just to watch the sunset was the best idea ever! And here's a beautiful photo taken by my friend (with a better camera!) of the city of Cape Town by night. Soooo magical!
Chapman's Peak is a much travelled and absolutely stunning drive, taking you from Hout Bay to the other side of the mountain along a windy and narrow road, coming out at Noordhoek (in the Fish Hoek valley). There has been extensive work done on it in the last few years as there had been some fatalities with rock falls, and so it has been made a lot safer, although this has taken away the natural element somewhat.
This shopping centre is the largest in Africa, but it is just like any other large shopping centre anywhere else in the world. High prices to help pay for the high overhead. Was not worth the time and expense to get there. Selection in the stores in the CBD and at the V&A Waterfront area was almost as good, with lower prices.
(work in progress)
I have never used the City Sightseeing bus in Cape Town, but looking at the website, it seems like so much fun that I can't wait to give it a go! South Africa is notorious for its lack of public transport, so our kids regard any trip on a train or a bus as an absolute treat!
There are two routes, both of which take in the majority of the major tourist highlights in the Cape Town area, including the beaches of oh-so-trendy Camps Bay. The Blue route also includes beautiful Kirstenbosch (for the botanical gardens) and Mariner's Wharf at Hout Bay.
Passengers are free to get on and off the bus at will.
The cost is extremely reasonable, as you could easily spend that on petrol and parking fees in a day, and of course, it alleviates the need to drive or find parking.
Fares (as of October 2010):
Adults R120 per day (R110 online booking)
Kids R60 pd
Kids under 5 go free.
Optional 1 hour boat trip (an extra R80)
Until 20 December 2010, there is a special offer that allows two kids travelling with a farepaying adult to go free.
What are you waiting for?
Cape Town is very well supplied with restaurants. On my first trip, two of our favorites were Kaapse Tafel and Mama Africa. Kaapse Tafel is a small, intimate place serving Cape cuisine--we had some great fish there. The 'pan-African' food at Mama Africa is OK, but the real draw is the live bands. Another excellent restaurant experience I had in Cape Town on another trip was at Constantia Uitsig, which is in a small winery on the Cape about a half-hour from downtown. Go for lunch--the outdoor terrace is amazingly pleasant.
There are a lot of great foodie destinations in Cape Town. These change pretty rapidly, so do some research before you go! One of the top-rated spots now is One.Waterfront (very expensive!)
On my first trip to the city, we ate at a very glamourous place in Camps Bay called Blues, which had good food, a lot of cell phones, and not very attentive service. This is one common feature of quite a few places in Cape Town--a lot of flash, not so much satisfaction. Not surprisingly, seafood is a central part of the menu in Cape Town. The fish in SA tends to be fantastic, so be sure to take advantage of it!
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