Top 10 Safety Tips For Cape Town Visitors

Don’t let the bad press about South African crime put you off visiting the beautiful city of Cape Town! Follow these simple safety guidelines and look forward to a fun, incident-free vacation in one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

1.Don’t walk around late at night unless you keep to well-lit places like the Waterfront and Camps Bay. Rather take a (decent) taxi than risk being mugged in a dark side street after nightfall.

2.Don’t accept help from a stranger at an ATM when drawing cash.

3.Stay in a group when out at night.

4.Don’t ~wave’ your bag, camera or cell phone around while walking in the city, day or night. This attracts undesirable attention. Avoid keeping anything of value in back pockets or open backpack compartments.

5.Keep the windows up and the car doors locked when driving around the city.

6.When driving, discourage ~smash & grab’ theft by keeping bags, keys, cell phones or anything ~tempting’ on the floor and not on the seats.

7.If you wish to visit a township, go with a reputable tour guide, not alone. It’s easy to get lost and some neighborhoods are less safe than others.

8.Fancy a train ride? Go on one with a blue ~Biggsy’s Restaurant Car’, enjoying a cup of coffee or a yummy breakfast while watching Cape Town’s suburbs pass by the window. Unfortunately, despite the security staff on the trains, muggings and harassment are fairly frequent. Traveling in the restaurant car is a safer, more comfortable experience.

9.Don’t give cash to beggars. Rather make a donation to a registered local charity. Money gained through begging, unfortunately, is inevitably ill-spent. Giving out cash also makes you a candidate for being mugged once you have your wallet out.

10.If you are eating out or watching a movie, do not put your bags on the floor or hang them over the back of your chair. Keep them on your lap, to avoid becoming a victim of opportunistic bag-snatchers. These scoundrels have even been known to operate in churches!

Remember: Pickpockets and muggers are a sad fact of life the world over. Just be careful, and you’ll find Cape Town as friendly, safe and enjoyable as any busy cosmopolitan city in the world.

Source: Article Snatch
Guest House Cape Town

Cape Town Whale Watching

Southern right whales are the most frequently seen whales within False Bay. These whales use the extreme coastal waters of the south western Cape coast , including False Bay, as calving and nursery grounds and may be seen just metres from the shore. The whales start arriving in the bay at the end of May and remain in the region up until the end of November. Peak month is October. Although approaching whales from boats within 300 metres is prohibited in South Africa, many land-based vantage points provide excellent views of southern right whales.

Other whales that can be seen within False Bay (although less frequently than southern right whales) include Bryde's whales, humpback whales and killer whales. Dolphin species in the region include bottlenose dolphins on the east side and dusky dolphins on the west side.

WEST FALSE BAY

The Muizenberg - Simon's Town coastal road, Boyes Drive above St James and Kalk Bay and the coastal road from Simon's Town to Cape Point frequently provide outstanding whale watching on the west side of the bay, with southern rights often within metres from the shore. In particular the coastal walkway from Muizenberg to St James (past Baylie's Cottage), the Kalk Bay Harbour Wall, the walkways at Fish Hoek including the catwalk can give excellent views. Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek and Muizenberg were all sites of open boat whaling stations in the past.

Boulders Beach, Simon's Town, is also home to a colony of Jackass Penguins.

EAST FALSE BAY

The coastal road from Gordon's Bay to Cape Hangklip (the eastern most point of False Bay) provides outstanding views of southern right wales. Just south of Cape Hangklip is Stony Point, a historical site of the Hangklip whaling station and presently also home to a Jackass Penguin colony.

THE ATLANTIC COAST

The coastline from Yzerfontein to Cape Point provides numerous points from which southern right whales may be sighted. Other species which may be found in this region include dusky dolphin, Heaviside's dolphin (which is endemic to the west coast of southern Africa) and the occasional sighting of humpback whale slightly further offshore. The coastal road between Sea Point and Scarborough takes you through Hout Bay and over Chapman's Peak which provides one of the finest sea views in the Western Cape. Good sites for whale spotting can be found all along this region.

Hout Bay is also home to a seal colony at Duikerklip just outside the bay. Boat trips to the seals can be taken from Hout Bay Harbour.

WHALE VIEWING - DIFFERENT BEHAVIOURS

Southern right whales have a variety of behaviours that can be observed when they are close to shore. For example:

Breaching: leaping out of the water in an arching back flip and falling into the water. This may be a form of play, communication, or an aggressive display. Whales usually breach four or five times in a row.

Lobtailing: slapping their flukes on the surface, creaing a sound which carries for a considerable distance.

Spyhopping: standing vertically with head and body, as far as the flippers, above the surface. This enables the whale to have a clear view of its surroundings.

Blowing: exhaling and then inhaling through the blowholes when surfacing.

Grunting: emitting a roaring sound which can be heard 1-2km away (especially at night).

Mating: Often a group of whales may be observed interacting within an area, this is usually a mating session. Several males will attempt to mate with a single female.

Source: Cape Town Accommodation

Cape Town in South Africa has Impressive Mountains and Marvelous Beaches

The city is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and by idyllic landscapes with a unique fauna and flora, impressive mountains and marvellous beaches on the Cape Peninsula, the warm False Bay and the rough West Coast.

City centre:

Here you can take a tour on an open-topped bus. The historical centre offers many sights and attractions such as The Castle, the Company’s Gardens, the flea market on Greenmarket Square and the South African Museum.

Table Mountain:

A visit to Table Mountain is a must when you are in Cape Town. From a plateau, which can be reached by cable car or walking, you have a spectacular view of the city.

Victoria & Alfred Waterfront:

The Waterfront consists of several restored wharves in the harbour of Table Bay. Here you will find a huge shopping mall, the Two Oceans Aquarium, two markets with African Art, the South African Maritime Museum and much more. Many restaurants and cafes invite you to sit and relax. There is live music at every corner, and excursion boats offer harbour trips. www.aquarium.co.za

Robben Island:

This Iland became famous through its most prominent prisoner, Nelson Mandela, who spent more than 20 years there. Daily guided tours are offered.

Cape Town beaches:

A few minutes’ drive from the city centre will bring you to the most beautiful beaches such as Clifton, Camps Bay, Bantry Bay and Green Point, to name just a few. All water sports are offered there and the beaches are first class – as well as the property prices, unfortunately.

Cape of Good Hope:

After a 25-minute drive from Cape Town you arrive at the Cape of Good Hope via the magnificent and spectacular Chapmans Peak Drive. Here you can take a walk through an 8000 ha nature reserve that offers impressive coastlines and beaches, Rocky Mountains, magnificent views of the sea and a great variety of plants and animals.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden:

A paradise for botanists. Apart from the beautiful indigenous flora and lovely lawns you can enjoy high-quality summer concerts.

Source: Ezine Articles
Cape Town Guest House