Cape Town, South Africa a travelers guide

When planning a holiday to Cape Town or South Africa, a few days are normally set aside to see the sights and sounds South Africa has to offer.

South Africa is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, with majestic views, beautiful beaches and sprawling greenery. We offer a wide range of Cape Town Tours and activities for you to choose from. Select from our range of 4x4 Tours, Tour Operators and Travel Agents nationwide to find the perfect tour or safari for you and your family.

Book and plan accommodation, cheap flights, outdoor adventures, day tours, wine tours, water and high speed thrills, picnics or relax with one of the many health spa treatments packages in Cape Town, South Africa

Together with the swift arrival of the whales you'll likely notice the buzz in town as the town centre get ready for the arrival of tourists from all over the continent. September month is when the festivity reaches climax when the now, weekly Whale Festival takes place. The festival offers many fun filled activities for young and old. Various artists perform here during the course of the week and the street markets do their fair share to ensure something for everyone. From a tourist point of view the best time to do some whale watching is from April to December. Our long stretched beaches along the coast line also attracts many inland visitors. With the beautiful surroundings, fun filled activities and attractions even the whales realise Hermanus is a destination to revisit year after year.

Yearly this beautiful small town in the Western Cape province of Southern Africa gets "visited" by mammals of the blue sea. Whale species flock to the area to reproduce, in the beautiful surroundings of our little whale capital of the world - Hermanus, previously named Hermanuspietersfontein. The yearly arrival of the whales is a major tourist attraction which boosts the local Hermanus economy enormously one just have to notice the word "whale" in almost every second local company name to realise the impact our big ocean friends has made. Restaurants, hotels and self-catering accommodation establishments are the ones that really thrives during holiday season.

Enjoy the sun, champagne air, friendly people and beautiful surroundings; truly a visit to refresh the spirit. Hermanus offer the holiday seeker long stretched white sand beaches which has been awarded blue flag status year after year. Night life in Hermanus proves to be very popular among the younger generations with a wide variety of restaurants and pubs to choose from. I lived in Hermanus for seven years and the "closeness" of the town is one of a kind, Hermanus is a very supportive community and offers excellent schools and sport facilities. Most sporting activities takes place at the Hermanus cricket club, with frequent cricket touring sides playing against a local team and the yearly Sir De Villiers graaf event is great fun with a yearly celebrity team. A few musical concerts that took place at the cricket club was a great success. Hermanus truely offers something for everyone, beauty, nature, sport facilities, awesome beaches, excellent people and did i mention whales. Take my word it's my favorite holiday destination.

Wouter Olwagen
Hermanus Accommodation

Located in the South Western side of the Africa Cape town is considered an incredibly beautiful natural expanse that many travelers are beginning to explore with much excitement. It is an exotic haven for vacationers and has numerous tourist attractions and enjoyment for all kinds of holiday explorers. Depending on your budget there are all kinds of Cape Town accommodation available and you can choose from various back packer hostels to luxury villas and hotels. Most of these accommodations offer great views and good customer service and can provide guidance for your trip as well.

It is better to look for a good Cape Town accommodation that comes with a picturesque setting and you have the ocean view of the magical crystal waters. There are many families who leave their condos, flats and homes for vacation rentals and you can easily get one that suits your taste. If you decide to visit Cape Town in the festive season you will be even more amused with all the colorful celebrations and exciting carousing. You can get a taste of the liveliness of the people and get a great view of their amazing culture during that time.

You can take a guided tour and watch the remarkable scenery of Cape Town which is representative of the entire South Africa. There are many tourist attractions and sight seeing options including Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town V&A Waterfront, Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point along with Cape Peninsula Nature Reserve, Cape Town's Townships and many more enthralling places of interest. You can also enjoy the lively night life and watch the sudden change of the Cape Town atmosphere. It is a good idea to choose a Cape Town accommodation so you can be around a place close to these attractions.

You can find astounding clubs and Up-market wine bars and a multitude of pubs, cabaret and jazz clubs for music enthusiasts. The night life of Cape Town is full of music and fine dining and you can get a reflection of the South African culture of entertainment and even find great theater venues for the lovers of art and drama. These various forms of exciting fun make Cape Town a tourist paradise and you can easily find yourself being attached to the beauty of this multi cultural tradition. And most of these attractions can be found close to your Cape Town accommodation.

If you need some peace and tranquility you can even choose a Cape Town accommodation in one of the finest suburbs. This will ensure that you get a good rest along with an exciting trip and some wonderful sight seeing options. Cape Town also holds the Argus Cycle Tour which is famous throughout the world and is held on a March weekend. It is an international attraction and many people time their trips in order to be able to view this spectacular event. This and many other sight seeing options make Cape Town a cherished location to visit alone or with families.

Mike Carr is author of this article on Cape-town accommodation
Find more information about Cape Town hotels here.

TIME DIFFERENCE

GMT +2
Central-European Winter Time +1
Eastern-Standard Winter Time +7

DISTANCE AND TEMPERATURE CONVERSIONS

1km = 0.6214 miles
1 mile = 1.6214km
10°C = 50°F
20°C = 68°F
30°C = 86°F

ELECTRICITY
Power: 220/230 volts AC
Plug points: 15-amp, round pin, threepoint (European plugs require additional adaptor plugs).
Many hotels have 100-volt outlets for electric shavers

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Malaria precaution is not necessary.
Cholera and smallpox vaccinations are not necessary.
If arriving from a yellow-fever zone, a valid international inoculation certificate is required.

MEDICAL
There is no national health scheme. Travel insurance is recommended to cover medical expenses.

IMPORTANT CONTACT DETAILS
Cape Town Routes Unlimited Call Centre: +27 (0) 21 426 5639
Safety & security emergency: 10111
General emergencies: 107
Consumer-related problems: 0800 007 081
Computicket (National booking service for event, theatre, cinema and bus tickets): +27 (0) 83 915 8000 / www.computicket.com
Automobile Association: +27 (0) 83 843 22

CLIMATE
The climate is generally Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and mild, moist winters, except in the semi-desert Karoo region, which has dry winters and low summer rainfall.

It is essential to protect yourself against the sun, as it is very strong in the Western Cape: Always wear a wide-spectrum sunblock of SPF30+.

Wear a hat and cover your shoulders.

Stay out of the sun between 10h00 and 16h00.

FACILITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Most establishments are accessible to people with disabilities (call the relevant Tourism Organisation for details on surrounding areas).

The national carrier (South African Airways) has Passenger Aid Units (PAU) at all major airports, and most car-rental companies offer hand-control vehicles (vehicles must be reserved in advance).

CONSERVATION

Recreational activities are regulated within Table Mountain National Park in order to minimise environmental damage. It is ILLEGAL to: Remove anything (e.g. plants, animals and rocks), harm plants and animals, or feed any animals.

Be within 300m of a whale or dolphin.

Fish without a permit.

Light a fire elsewhere than in designated areas.

NOTE: Throw away cigarette butts in appropriate bins or ashtrays only. Many destructive veld fires in the Western Cape have been caused by cigarettes.

LIQUOR

In the Western Cape, shops do not sell alcohol on Sundays (apart from a few shops with special licences). Restaurants and bars do sell drinks.

It is illegal to drink in public spaces, or to drive while under the influence of alcohol. The legal blood alcohol limit in South Africa is 0,05g per 100ml of blood.HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Driving
Foreign visitors require an international driving license (or a valid driving licence, with photograph, printed in English or with an official translation).

Driving is done on the left side of the road and seat belts are compulsory for both drivers and passengers.

Speed limits (unless road signs indicate otherwise):
Urban areas: 60km per hour
Rural areas: 100km per hour
Freeways: 120km per hour

PETROL

Petrol (gasoline) is available 24 hours a day in most areas.
It is best to have cash as payment as international petrol cards or credit cards are not accepted.The average petrol price is ± R8 per litre.

AIR TRAVEL

Cape Town International Airport Information:
+27 (0)21 937 1200

Flight Information: +27 (0)86 727 7888

For international and domestic airlines, consult local telephone directories (dial 1023).

Cape Town International Airport Shuttle Services

City Hopper: +27 (0)21 934 4440

Magic Bus: +27 (0)21 505 6300

Or call Cape Town Tourism for a list of service providers: +27 (0)21 487 6800

ROAD TRAVEL

Many coach tour services and car rental companies are available (call Cape Town Tourism for details). +27 (0)21 487 6800

Daily intercity bus services:

Greyhound: +27 (0)21 505 6363

Intercape: +27 (0)21 380 4400

Translux / Intercity: +27 (0)861 589 282

SA Roadlink: +27 (0)21 425 0203

Metered taxis are available outside most hotels and attractions, or by telephone.

Minibus taxis are found on the main roads of most suburbs and offer a cheap transport option. The rate is ± R4.

There are currently two toll roads in the Western Cape:

The Huguenot Tunnel Toll Route between Paarl and Worcester. +27 (0)21 862 4400 / +27 (0)83 630 6286

Chapman's Peak Drive Toll Route. +27 (0)21 791 8222 (for the current status of the road). www.chapmanspeakdrive.co.za

More toll routes are planned for the future.

RAIL TRAVEL

A local commuter service links Cape Town city with the Southern Peninsula and other areas in the Western Cape. Timetables are available from Cape Town Station.

Spoornet provides national rail services between Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein.

Spoornet Shosholoza Meyl: +27 (0)86 000 8888

The Blue Train is a luxury rail service travelling to Pretoria and Port Elizabeth via the Garden Route. +27 (0)21 449 2672

Rovos Rail, "The Pride of Africa", offers 5-star trips from Cape Town to Pretoria. +27 (0)21 421 4020

Rail travel information: +27 (0)800 656 463

Chartered train for private hire; +27 (0)21 449 4185

Bertram House
Bo-Kaap Museum
District 6 Museum
Jewish Museum
Josephine Mill
Koopmans De Wet House
Michaelis Collection
SA Airforce Museum
SA Cultural History Museum
SA Fisheries Museum
SA Maritime Museum
SA National Gallery
SA Sendingstigting Museum
William Fehr Collection
The Heart of Cape Town Museum