Come to think of it, the first recorded person to make a statement on Cape Point was Sir Francis Drake when he said: “The fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth”. That was back in 1580 and is as true as it is today.
Over the years Cape Point has had various names from ‘Cape of Storms’ to the ‘Cape of Good Hope’ which seemed to be as unpredictable as the weather. Situated in the south-western tip of the Cape Peninsula, Cape Point has gained legendary status with its outer crazy coastline and the wild nature reserve within. With a lighthouse, numerous shipwrecks to discover and a ‘Flying Dutchman’ tram, what’s not to like?
How to get there:
Cape Point is approximately 70km from the Cape Town CBD and with a car the trip should take you just under an hour and a half. The route there is incredibly scenic, so take your time and stop off at spots such as Boulders Beach or Simonstown. Check out this map route Other options would be taking a taxi, the train (however this only gets you to Simonstown) or hopping on a private tour which is probably the most flexible of all the options. There are numerous operators to choose from especially if your starting point is the CBD or the V&A Waterfront.
Seagulls in Hout Bay, South Africa
Things to do:
There are numerous things to do however here are a few highlights:
- Check out some of the most amazing ocean and mountain scenery in South Africa
- Hop on the Flying Dutchman Funicular and head to the top of the World
- Enjoy a lunch at the amazing Two Oceans Restaurant with spectacular views over False Bay.
- Stock up on curios and mementos at the three Cape Point shops.
- Discover historical spots, including monuments to explorers such as Vasco da Gama and Bartolomeu Dias.
- Great swimming spots, picnic sites and walks at the Bordjiesrif and Buffels Bay tidal pools.
- Photograph the more than 1 100 indigenous plant species that grow nowhere else in the world.
- Watch massive whales moving past Cape Point on their annual migration (around June to October) .
- Keep an eye out for 250 bird species occurring here, including some endemic to the area.
- Spot the Cape mountain zebra and the world’s largest antelope, the eland, among a variety of other fauna.
- Walk the shipwreck trail to view a few of the 26 recorded shipwrecks around Cape Point.
- Hike along a wide variety of scenic and overnight trails through natural fynbos and along sandy beaches.
- Take part in a range of exciting outdoor activities, such as sea kayaking and mountain biking.
- Explore a wide variety of stunning dive sites that lie waiting to be explored on both sides of the Point.
Anything else? What did I miss?! 🙂
Best place for a photo:
You have a 360 degree chance of taking a photo of 2 oceans colliding into each other, fynbos that only exist on Table Mountain, a lighthouse, a bay which has one of the biggest concentration of great white sharks in the World, unique animals (such as the amazing dassie or the dangerous baboon) which only hang around in these parts what else do you need? Just Click and Go!
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