Things to Do in Western Cape

What was once a relatively small elephant sanctuary with just 16 mammals wandering the land has since become one of South Africa’s most diverse nature parks. Established in 1931, the Addo Elephant National Park is now home to more than 500 elephants, lions, rhino, hyena, leopards and zebra. But animals aren’t the only thing drawing travelers to Addo.

Guided game drives, self-driven safaris, horseback riding and an extensive network of novice and advanced hiking trails make Addo a popular stop for travelers to the southern Cape. High-end lodges and rugged bush camps also offer plenty of accommodation options for visitors who want to enjoy the estuaries, savannahs and forests that surround the park.

The brightly colored houses of this lively neighborhood in the Central Cape are perched among the rocky crags of Signal Hill. Cobblestone streets wind through the multicultural township where freed slaves and Muslim immigrants settled. Visitors can follow guided walking tours through Bo-Kaap’s major sites, or delve into the history of the area on their own.

The Bo-Kaap Museum, which examines the contributions made by Muslim settlers, is housed in the quarter’s oldest home. It is the ideal place to start exploring the culture of this colorful neighborhood. Afterwards, check out the historic Mosques that dot the streets of Bo-Kaap, including one built in 1844, before visiting the well-known Karamats. The township is home to three of these burial sites that honor saints of Islam. Travelers can also learn to make famous Malay Curry during a traditional cooking class, or sample local fare and purchase traditional works of art at the food and craft market held at Schotshcekloof Civic Center the first Saturday of every month.

Originally called the Green Point Stadium after a structure that previously stood here, this state-of-the-art complex was home to the 2010 World Cup. In addition to the 60,000-plus sports fans that flooded its seats during the big event, the Cape Town Stadium has hosted concerts by performers like Michael Jackson, Metallica, Paul Simon and Robbie Williams.

Today, visitors can catch a local Rugby match or even a live performance if the timing is right. But the stadium also offers daily tours for travelers on a budget—or those whose schedules don’t match up with the local calendar of events.

The dark tunnels and shadowy chambers of this popular tourist cave wind through nearly four kilometers of dimly lit underground passages. Visitors can only explore Cango Caves on guided group tours, which are offered in two vastly different options. The standard tour takes travelers through easy-going portions of the caves, where sharply pointed stalactites and stalagmites aglow from spotlights make for impressive photos.  Adventure tours take more daring travelers up steep rocky passes and through narrow tunnels, including a 15 centimeter-wide passage that visitors must navigate on their stomachs and elbows.

The Atlantic Coast near Cape Town is dotted with wealthy suburbs and small, seaside villages. You'll find a variety of ocean activities; many of the small villages are the gateways to secret surf spots. Within these communities, you'll find vibrant nightlife, art galleries and trendy hotspots - gourmands take note, as some of these suburbs have high-end restaurants waiting to astound your palate.

Of note are the towns of Green Point, Sea Point, Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno and Hout Bay. Green Point and Sea Point are famous for their bustling night lives - Sea Point is more or less a 24 hour party town. The suburbs of Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay and Llandudno are enclaves for the rich and super-rich. If you like to marvel at multi-million dollar homes that have to-die-for views of the ocean, these are your towns.

If, however, you have no opinion on the houses of the rich and super-rich, continue north to Hout's Bay, where you'll encounter more restaurants and the World of Birds, a sanctuary for South Africa's fauna. From magpies to meerkats, the World of Birds is a great place for nature lovers.

Continuing north from Hout's Bay, you'll wind your way along Chapman's Peak Drive (a curvy road cut into a cliff face), one of the most amazing scenic drives in the world. Chapman's Peak Drive will take you to Kommetjie and Scarboroug, where you'll find Long Beach, one of the most sought-after breaks in the surfing world.

The exclusive coastal town of Clifton lies on the northwest tip of the Cape Peninsula. Elaborate homes of some of South Africa’s most famous celebrities and wealthiest entrepreneurs line the rocky hills of this affluent suburb. The impressive architecture makes for a uniquely scenic drive, but it’s the beautiful beaches that draw visitors away from Cape Town to the picturesque shores of the Atlantic.

Four distinct beaches make up Clifton Beach, which attracts a ritzier crowd full of scenesters eager to see and be seen. Year-round rigid water temps keep sunbathers firmly on the shores, but rented chairs, multi-million dollar yachts and tasty cafes along the main drag offer plenty of opportunities for people watching, as well as a chance to brush elbows with Cape Town’s most elite.

In the late 1600s, the Dutch East India Company constructed the Castle of Good Hope as a maritime resupply station, and over the years, it became the seat of administrative and military power in the cape until the settlement grew and the civilian functions moved into town.

Today, the castle is the oldest remaining building of the colonial era as well as the military's hub. Open to visitors, it houses the Castle Military Museum and the Iziko Museums of Cape Town. The latter is a fascinating collection of paintings, furnishings and ceramics dating back to the colonial period. Nearby the Castle and throughout Cape Town are the other Iziko museums, which include the South African Museum (dinosaurs, natural history and African artifacts), the Planetarium, the South African National Gallery and more. Also nearby are Green Point Common, an inner-city greenbelt, entertainment district and site of the new FIFA World Cup Stadium. Long Street, found in the nearby City Bowl neighborhood, is a bohemian neighborhood famous for its restaurants, shopping and bars.