Cape Town and Kruger has been one of the most magical trip I have been on. The rich unique history and culture of South Africa and the magnificent landscape and creatures of Kruger makes this a journey of a life time and everyone should do it once. Cathay Pacific recently launched a direct flight to Cape Town so there is really no excuse. We came here for our friend's wedding and the various commitments made our itinerary a bit 'unconventional'. However it just means we have to come back again as we didn't get to enjoy the sights properly.
Accommodations
As we are staying for quite a long period of time in Cape Town we decided to stay at an Airbnb on Adderley Street in the City Centre. For the price and comfort especially for a long stay I really believe an apartment was a better option. There are really so many high standard options you can choose from in the neighbourhood.
Sightseeing
V&A Waterfront
The V&A Waterfront is a mixed-use development comprising residential and commercial property, hotels, retail stores, dining, leisure and entertainment facilities. Spanning 123 hectares, it’s a space where you can work, live, eat and play. You will find yourself in this area quite often.
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top. The tablecloth is a sight to be seen.
Wine Tour - Franschhoek
There are plenty of wine regions which you can explore in Cape Town but the Franschhoek area has a Wine Tram which you can hop on and off at different chateaus. With the Tram you have about 3 stops which you can make depending on how much time you want to spend on each. I'm not connoisseur but I do love a good brunch place so Babylonstoren certainly has my vote for the best place to stop for lunch. The other ones have their quirks but I don't know enough about wine to comment. As we didn't have a car we booked the tour with the City Sightseeing Cape Town in the city centre. This is a full day tour and you can choose to get dropped off at the Waterfront instead of the City Centre (Long Street branch).
Cape of Good Hope and Boulder's Beach Tour
One again City Sightseeing Cape Town saves the day and created this full day tour. You get driven to the Cape of Good Hope in the morning and you will have an opportunity to have lunch at one of their restaurants/stores. The food is meh but thats to be expected at these tourist sites. In the afternoon you will be driven to Boulder's Beach where you will be able to see some adorable penguins. As the bus drives along the coast you will go past St. James, Kalk Bay and Muizenberg which are places you may want to visit another time.
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is a contemporary art museum located at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa. It is the largest museum of contemporary African art in the world.
Robben Island
Now, Robben Island is a World Heritage Site and museum, offering daily tours. The tour begins at the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront with a multimedia exhibition, museum shop and restaurant, after which, guests hop onto the ferry for a scenic trip to the island. Once on Robben Island itself, the tour is guided by a former political prisoner of the island, for unique and incomparable insights into the island’s history. We come here with a sense to learn rather than a place to take pictures. We made a conscious decision to not take any images as we feel this is a place to reflect rather than instagram.
Camps Bay
Camps Bay is one of the many bays on offer in Cape Town. Filled with luxurious mansions in the area the beach front offers a variety of premium drinking and eating venue. We came towards the evening and it was too windy and dark to see anything once the sun was set. I would recommend you to come during the morning or afternoon for lunch. Unless you are chilling at the beach you probably need no more than 2 hours here including lunch. A feel most of the restaurants around here will have the same standard but we visited a seafood specialist Paranga Restaurant. It was delightful but nothing to write home about.
Restaurants
Knysna Oyster Company
This is a lovely and the only oyster bar in the Waterfront area we found. Knysna Oyster Company is located inside the V&A Food Market. It is a perfect place to wind down after your tours. You can sit by the bar or outside at the communal tables and watch the sun set.
Mama Africa
Mama Africa Cape Town enjoys the distinction as a Long Street institution. This restaurant offers you food, music and art all under one roof. Famous for the games this is definitely a place to try out when you are in town. You may want to request a table away from the band if you are worried about loud music.
Addis in Cape Ethiopian Restaurant
Cultural dining experience with Ethiopian dishes served in a woven basket table and eaten by hand. This is the my first Ethiopian food experience and it was fun. However do note Ethiopian food is very grain and pulses heavy so you may not enjoy this if you are a meat lover. Saying that I love my meat and I still would recommend you to try here. Ordering is easy as there are only a few set options and they will bring it to your table tapas style.
Around Cape Town
Langebaan is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa on the eastern shore of Langebaan Lagoon and to be honest the only reason we are here is because of the stag. There is a forgettable casino and a somewhat run down beach here. The saving grace is that it has a very unique restaurant called Die Strandloper. With a rustic 'exterior' this place offers some fantastic seafood grub. They are served in a buffet style and each sitting has 10 courses.
Kruger National Park
Most people do the Kruger area when they are visiting Johannesburg but since we don't know when we will be back we squeeze it in anyways. We flew in from Cape Town to Skukuza Airport and we stayed at the Hoyo Hoyo Safari Lodge, which is about 3 hours driver from Skukuza. Unless you are planning to drive long distances after your stay I think it is best to just ask the hotel to pick you up from the airport. There is no signal in the entire park area so it gets tricky if you are lost. We stayed for 3 nights and Hoyo Hoyo is one the those places with no fences. There are plenty of options in Kruger but if you want something more mid to high-end you are prob looking at around US$500 a night as they are all inclusive of game drives and F&B.
The Wedding
We were honoured to be invited to the wedding of our dear friends Margot and Chris. They are a wonderful and adventurous couple who we met in Hong Kong. We would like to thank them for welcoming us to their home town.
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