Cape Town, known as the mother city of South Africa, is
said to be one of, if not the most beautiful cities in the world. Its city
centre is compact, the mountains around Cape Town and its suburbs are
stunning and there is a freshness and sensuousness about the city.
Flying into Cape Town for the first time, on one side you
see the grandeur of Table Mountain but a few minutes later the beauty is
counter balanced with your first glimpse of corrugated iron roofs of
shantytowns. Interestingly though, once on the ground walking around the
streets and beaches, one does not feel threatened at all.
The
cable car at 60 kph to Table Mountain up some 1000 metres to the summit is a
tour not to be missed.
There is much to see and do. There is a huge range of
accommodation in which to stay, from the very elegant Mount Nelson Hotel to
the exclusive country home atmosphere of Ellerman House.
Good food is a plenty too, with French, Dutch and Malay
influences and of course the city has its own Thai restaurant. The one we
tried with authentic Thai food is owned by Thais and the food is excellent
and the d้cor is traditionally Thai giving a pleasant atmosphere. Fish
seems to be the main dish served in Cape Town, calamari is very popular and
crayfish and lobster are sweet and fresh. Mussel Craker Restaurant on the
Victoria and Albert Waterfront is a must.
As for wines, the leading South Africa vineyards are
located mainly within 45 minutes of Cape Town. Groot Constantia offers some
of the best wines, both red and white, in the world. The scenic beauty
around the wineries is very attractive too.
During
the summer thousands of small penguins can be seen in Colonies Boulders in
Simons Town.
There is much shopping to do in Cape Town, there are good
antique shops in Loop and Castle Streets and goods are well priced. For
serious shoppers who want familiar names then the Victoria and Alfred
Waterfront is the place to go. The Waterfront is a series of interconnected
malls with all amenities including tourist attractions an Imax Cinema,
specialty shops, arts and crafts, an aquarium and a seaplane – the latter
can be chartered for trips to find whales August through October. Yachts and
catamarans offer sunset cruises too.
There are regular boat trips to Robben Island where
Nelson Mandela’s cell can be seen as a reminder of the apartheid regime of
years gone by. There are strong currents around the island and sharks, too,
which meant many prisoners did not try to escape. The view from Robben
Island of Table Mountain is stunning. It dominates the skyline as certainly
the mountain also controls the weather.
Cape Town is a jump off point to many places; apart from
Robber Island one can also visit Duiker Island – a popular outing from
Hout Bay. During the summer thousands of seals can be seen as well as small
penguins in Colonies Boulders in Simons Town.
The
panorama from the top of Table Mountain is magnificent with its beaches and
rugged coastline.
There are also beautiful gardens around Cape Town. The
best place to visit is the Kirstenbosh National Botanical Gardens in
Newlands. In summer on Sunday evenings the locals take picnics and listen to
live concerts of jazz, classical or mainstream music.
And of course a visit by cable car at 60 kph to Table
Mountain up some 1000 metres to the summit is a tour not to be missed. In
the peak season (November-February) it is advisable to book in advance to
avoid queues.
You can even walk up the mountain, but you’d need to be
fit – perhaps even be a mountaineer as the walk would offer the unfit too
many challenges. The area is a paradise of plant and flower species, bird
lovers will also enjoy the experience with the many varieties of our
feathered friends. As well as seeing the city centre from the peak the
panorama is magnificent with its beaches and rugged coastline.
The Cape, as it’s known, is exhilarating - its physical
beauty is stunning. It is where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet.
Stunning
view of South Africa from the air.
It’s a wonder that we haven’t had the chance to see
or hear more about this beautiful part of South Africa – in fact there is
so much to see and do.
South Africa will become one of the ‘new’
destinations for Thais. For Thais visiting South Africa there are no visas
required, just a valid passport. Currency is the Rand with 1 Rand being 100
cents. The exchange rate currency is 4.50 Thai baht to 1 Rand.
We found South Africa an inexpensive destination with
much to see, much to buy, plenty of good food and wine and the locals
friendly and helpful.
South African Airways flies to Johannesburg 3 times a
week (Tuesday, Friday and Sunday) from Bangkok. The ten-hour flight leaves
at 13.15hrs, meaning you arrive in Johannesburg, sleep through the night and
get ready for the next day. The domestic flight from Johannesburg to Cape
Town takes around 2 hours.
For further information call South African Airways, phone number 02 635
1410-1 or visit the website: www.saa.com
