Cape Town Travel
Preparing for a visit begins with choosing when to fly. Like many tourist destinations, Cape Town has its peak and off-peak seasons that you must know if you want to avoid getting closed on for a flight schedule you were counting on. The busiest season lies in the months of December and January, where people need to book a flight for as early as three months in advance! If your time can afford it, choose a less busy time of the year so that you are sure to be convenient during your flight as well as your travel.
Where you will stay is the next consideration. There are a lot of choices from five-star hotels to apartments, and lodges to guesthouses. The prices of these vary according to not only to the services they offer or the popularity of the place but also to its location and again, the season. For instance, those nearer to the main tourist spots of the town are bound to ask for a higher price than those far away from it; and generally, prices take on a hike during the peak seasons when the demand for accommodations are equally higher.
How do you get around Cape Town? From the Cape Town International Airport, you have a number of options to get to your hotel or lodge. There are taxis, car rentals, bus services, and, depending on the Cape Town travel deal you have landed on, you may have accommodation services that will pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel or lodge. In Cape Town, the same transportation services are available. One way to get around Cape Town that’s gaining favor from tourists, however, is backpacking. Many tourists in search of adventure prefer to set themselves on foot in exploring the town, and Cape Town can not be more accommodating. There are spots for mountain climbing, hiking, lodges complete with bars and cafés, restaurants and hotels. Backpackers, as well as other tourists, also have the options to wine and dine or party at the beach. There are a lot of establishments that provide fun for tourists all around Cape Town.
Setting yourself for a Cape Town travel also asks for learning about the major tourist spots that you shouldn’t miss. There is the famous Table Mountain, where people can get on top of with a cable car. During the ride as well as once you are on top of the mountain, you get a spectacular sight of the city, which you can explore with the telescopes that come with the cars. There are restaurants on Table Mountain, too, where you can have you can enjoy your stay on top. Robben Island is another favorite site in Cape Town for its historical significance. Where Nelson Mandela was once imprisoned, Robben Island is now a perfect spot to view the city and spend an evening in. The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, with its cultivated garden of flowers, streams, and ponds, is also an ideal place to swing by during your travel. The place is ideal for picnics, as is eating in the restaurants scattered around the garden. There are a lot of other sites that tourists can – and should – explore. A Cape Town travel isn’t complete without visiting at least a few of these.
Cape Town Travel Guide:
The ability to travel to far off places and experience different cultures and ways of living is a luxury available to only a limited group of the world’s population. Traveling should be a learning experience and the best way to get this experience is to interact with the local community.
Many people believe, taking a flight and booking into a luxury resort or hotel is traveling. While you might see some of the attractions you won’t experience the reality of the country or city if you don’t experience some of the local ways.
Lots of accommodation venues are only focused on luxury and restaurants adapt their menus to offer international cuisine that is known to travelers. Cape Town has many luxury lodges, villas, hotels and apartments that provide superior accommodation as well as world renowned restaurants offering the best of the best.
While all of these are wonderful you should try to include some local experiences during your Cape Town travel time to get a real feel of the country and its people.
There are a few ways to do this. Staying in one of the many bed & breakfast venues in Cape Town will give you an opportunity to communicate with the owners and other guests. Use this chance to find out more about the area. Locals are the best advisors on great places to eat shop or visit that might not be focused on the tourist market but are excellent experiences. Olympia Café in Kalk Bay is such a venue. Their main focus is on the excellent food they provide with no other pretenses.
The local townships will give you an idea of how 90 percent of the country’s people live. Slowly but surely township accommodation is becoming more and more available and a night or two in a township will allow you to become part of the different and vibrant culture of these areas. Some of the township areas are dangerous, but your hosts would definitely know where it is safe and where not. If you don’t want to spend the night, there are township tours with knowledgeable guides that you can consider.
Another way to really experience a place is to walk. South Africa has a walking culture. Many people walk the streets to get to their jobs, schools or shopping areas. The weather is excellent, although during summer it can be very hot. If you plan to walk try to stay out of the sun between ten and four. It is always safer to be part of a group when you are walking and nighttime walking should be avoided if possible. In busy areas and places such as the waterfront it is fine, but avoid quiet streets after dark. The many parks, gardens, promenades and the botanical gardens are stunning areas for walks and all the exercise will allow you more opportunities to experience the excellent cuisine of the Cape without feeling guilty.
