The Mother City is wildly popular over the summer holidays with both foreigners and up-country South Africans. While the energy of the buzzing Camps Bay strip and V&A Waterfront can be fantastic, sometimes you just want to chill out somewhere more peaceful.
Capetonians are understandably protective of the undiscovered pockets of their city. And if you’re in town for just a few days, you’ll probably be more interested in ticking the big sights off your list, like Table Mountain, Robben Island and the gorgeous beaches. But if you’re visiting Cape Town for longer than a week or so, and are looking for less touristy, more authentic experiences, read on.
Go a little off the beaten track
After much coercion, we did manage to squeeze a few secret hideaways from a few more forthcoming locals:
Less-popular beaches
Cape Town’s glamorous Camps Bay and Clifton beaches are gorgeous, but are chock-a-block over the holidays. If you want more space, head 60km south of the city centre to Scarborough beach – it’s unspoilt, beautiful, a popular surfing spot and faces west (perfect for sundowners).
Scarborough Beach looking south to Cape Point Nature Reserve
Just watch out for the riptides, and brace yourself for VERY chilly waters. Bring a picnic (there’s only a hole-in-the-wall kiosk in the village) or stock up on freshly-baked bread, farm cheeses and olives at the nearby Imhoff Farm.
Chapmans Peak – viewed from Imhoff Farm
Alternatively, head north of the city to Melkbosstrand, and enjoy the beautiful postcard-perfect vista of Table Mountain on the way.
Table Mountain from Melkbosstrand
If you fancy something even more remote and a little adventurous, the exquisite Smitswinkel Bay on the road to Cape Point is a short but very worthwhile hike down from the road. There is no direct road access to Smitswinkel, and rumour has it some of the residents actually commute by boat from Simonstown.
The holiday hamlet of Smitswinkel Bay near Cape Point, seen from the road
Walk up ‘the mountain’*
If you’ve not pre-booked your ticket for the Table Mountain Cableway, you could be in for a long, hot wait. In the height of summer, the routes up the front of Table Mountain (Platteklip) are very exposed and hot, so an alternative is to start at Kirstenbosch Gardens instead and head up the more shaded Skeleton Gorge or Nursery Ravine. Do make sure you go with a guide who knows the way – and take lots of sunscreen, water and a jumper, as it can be chilly up top.
Kirstenbosch Gardens and the new Boomslang walkway, with Table Mountain behind
*’The mountain’ is always Table Mountain. Locals will be specific if they mean something else, like…
Hike up Lion’s Head for sundowners
Full moon is particularly beautiful from the top of the Lion, but this is also when it’s most crowded. It’s a fairly easy walk up except for the last bit, which is steep. Remember to pack a head-lamp so you can see the path on your way down.
Betty’s Bay
Betty’s Bay is one of the Cape’s prettiest, sleepy coastal villages. There’s lots to do: check out the beautiful fynbos-rich botanical gardens, the marine-protected shore including a penguin colony, and the remains of the old whaling station. The village lies within the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, which was the first UNESCO Biosphere to be declared in South Africa.
Betty Bay – an important UNESCO-declared biosphere
The scenery is spectacular and in August and September, you can spot Southern Right whales lolling about in the ocean (the Cape is one of a handful of land-based whale-watching sites in the world).
Did we miss anything?
Do you know of an awesome, secret spot in Cape Town? If you’re willing to share, we’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
