Penguins On the Beach for Cape Town

If you get the opportunity  to head to South Africa, please do it.  One of my favourite trips was the one to Cape Town, I did travel onward to the Chobe River and I will tell you all about the hippos, rhinos and monkeys another time.

Cape Town is a beautiful colourful city and it seemed wherever I went I could see Table Bay mountain from every direction and the view of the ‘tablecloth’ is really impressive too.  Make the short trip down the coast to Hermanus or False Bay for the whale watching too.

The place I spent many evenings was the VA Waterfront, a vast array of shops, restaurants, open till late in the evening naturally right on the Waterfront.  During the day you can take a boat tour out to Robben Island where famously Nelson Mandela was held.  There is a good choice of boat trips, I took one out to see the seals with a conservationist on board to give you all the information, I was lucky enough to see quite a few.

Just across a bridge from the VA, by the London Eye equivalent,  will take you to a local market, with fresh produce and handmade goods, more bars as well.

About 40 mins drive from Cape Town will take you to Boulders Beach, there are 2 options when you get there, the Naturalists entrance, only around £3, gives you the chance to walk along the beachfront on a raised platform to overlook the penguins living on the beach, a fabulous sight, quite unexpected in 30 degrees!

You aren’t able to feed or touch them of course but they are just inches away.  Alternatively, you could go down to the beach itself, which is public and they may just swim round to you, there are staff keeping an eye on them to make sure no-one interferes with them, although, that part of the world whatever the temperature, the sea is always freezing, I did very gingerly step in but have to say it was heart stoppingly cold – not to be recommended to anyone.

The Garden Route is another draw for SA, particularly Knysna with stunning scenery and the Featherbed Nature reserve,  and lets not forget one other thing they are famous for – the Wine Region, you could lose a few days just round Stellenbosch!

 

So many things await you in South Africa, I loved it and I am sure you would to.

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About Me

Hi I have been in the cruise industry for around 12 years now and have seen quite a few changes over the course of time. I  lived in France for 5 years but returned to the UK as the peace and quiet was too much for me,  there are only…

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