Welcome to South Africa: Cape Town

Cape Town there is many stories running around, yet whether people want to admit it or not its still a very good city to have fun and experience new things, not just as an individual but as a couple or a family, there is some amazing beaches and amazing places to see, we included some of the beaches and inland areas to see and visit, so before we waste any time lets jump right in.

You may think that if you have seen one beach then you have seen them all, I can tell you from personal experience that, that is not the case in Cape town, each beach is unique and beautiful.

Muzinburg beach is the largest beach in Cape town stretching over 15 km of the coast. this is a great place to boogie board or surf because there is a separate area for them called surfers corner. This beautiful long beach has its ups and downs, such as it is the most popular beach and there are usually a lot of people there. there are also blue bottles which are like a small jelly fish, there are few in the water or many on the shore line in the winter. Muzinburg does have a beautiful scenery and the water is beautifully colored and there is no chance that you are going to trip and fall over a rock or cut yourself on a shell. There is also a cat walk that can take you to the next beach. All beaches are accessible by the train.

Kalk bay harbor is more for family, it has many restaurants around it, a small built pool on the one side and on the other it has a beautiful fishing spot for skilled and not so skilled fishers. small boats pull in and out of the harbor often and you will always see seals getting leftovers from the fishermen that are gutting their catches. the restaurant that is there serves varies of fish at a good price, with a great scenery of the ocean.

Kalk bay's ups and downs: Kalk bay's downs is that the restaurant's food may be a bit pricey for some and it would be a good idea to wear shoes when you swim, here the area may be closed off from the ocean but there are still sea urchins that can stick into your feet. The benefits if being at Kalk bay is that there are a few activities that you can do such as fishing, feeding seals, swimming and hiring a boat. It is also a benefit to be near a restaurant so that if you get hungry then you have somewhere to eat, if the restaurants are too expensive for your taste then there are also cafes that will sell you food for a cheaper price. There is also a built-in pool so if you have small children then they can swim there without you having to worry about your child drifting away into the sea.

St. James beach is a wonderful beach for small children it has a large pool built into the ocean so there are still small waves that the children can handle and have fun with. this beach is also a great place to teach your children to swim because it is never over crowded and the people are always friendly, if you are a young group of teens and you have bags with you, you can ask people on the beach to watch your things so that you can all swim together. The water is warm and if you don't want to walk into the water slowly you can walk on the wall and jump in at a deeper point. St. James beach also has a grassy area if you want to have a picnic.

St. James ups and downs: The only bad thing about St. James beach is the thorns that are in the grassy areas. the great things about St. James beach, there is largely built in pool that is suitable for children of all ages, there are beautifully painted changing rooms. there is also nicely built toilets, I do recommend bringing your own toilet paper because it gets used up so fast and for other hygiene reasons, just because something looks clean doesn't mean it is clean. The sand is soft and there are some rocks that children can sit on they might get to see little fish swimming in between the rocks, and if they are lucky then maybe they can catch some with the play nets you can buy at nearly any shop or cafe.

Fish Hoek beach is my favorite beach, the sand is so soft and the water is clear. There is an ice cream shop right on the beach along with a restaurant, there is a wide walkway that takes you to small rock pools that kids or adults can enjoy. the water is warm and Fish Hoek is a place for family and friends, I went to Fish Hoek beach with my friends and its some of my best memories, building sand castles or sand forts or small "sand pools" to sit in and wait for a wave to fill it up was fun when I was a child. Fish Hoek has a wide variety of small shops and fish for cheap, walking in the Fish Hoek area is also nice when it is sunny and warm anytime you get hot you can just go for a dip in the ocean.

Fish Hoek's ups and downs: Let's start with the downs Fish Hoek has been known for its shark attacks I would not recommend swimming deep at this beach, there are also times when it is very windy and the sandblasts you although this makes your skin nice and soft it may be painful for younger people. Fish Hoek's up is there are nice rock pools if you don't want to swim in the ocean, its a really nice place to tan, there is a jungle gym next to the restaurant that kids can play on and the walkway gives some amazing views of the ocean.

I only mentioned a few beaches of many, here are some others that you can check out, Blou burg beach has a beautiful view of table mountain but the water is cold and there are lots of rocks, it is a good place for a picnic but not for a swim. Simon's town beach is a great beach there aren't any waves because it is closed off from the ocean by the harbour, it is a great place to swim and a good place to teach your kids to swim, there aren't any rocks in the water so it is a fall free environment.

Danger beach I would not recommend going to swim or surf here, there is a rip tide that will pull you into the sea and no matter how strong you are, you can not resist it, danger beach is only good for a tan spot. Hout bay beach is a nice beach there isn't much wind and there are small sand dunes. the water is cold, very cold and there are usually large amounts of seaweed, the waves are a good size to surf on if you can dodge the seaweed. Da Gama bay located at cape point there is a beach that you have to take stairs down to this beach that is small but beautiful the waves are huge and powerful, Da Gama beach is good for excellent surfers or people who like to sight see.

There are lots of place to go in cape town other than the beaches, there are casinos', theme parks. malls, ice rings, hiking areas, table mountain, butterfly world, the aquarium, and many others. I will share some of these places with you so you know where to go if you come to cape town for a holiday.

Grand west is a huge building, I haven't explored all of it but the parts that I saw were amazing. grand west has many activities that you can do alone, with friends or with family. there is a ice ring that is open for long hours and it only cost R40 to skate for 2 hours, don't worry about bringing skates you swap your shoes for them, remember to bring lots of socks though its cold out on the ice and the socks will keep your feet in a tight position so there is less chance of falling.

The ice ring is a magical place they put disco lights on with music that creates a unforgettable atmosphere. just out side of the ice ring there is a smaller ice ring for small children which is surrounded by small take out places the roof is painted and a London night theme that even has stars that twinkle along with a cobble ground that makes you feel like your in a little area of London. there is also a go cart racing coarse and a casino. there is also a sweets from heaven store and a movie theatre. Grand west at night is beautiful, there's a small restaurant outside that is right next to a river with a bridge that you can walk on it is such a romantic setting for love birds.

If you grow up in Cape town, you are going to grow up loving the sea there's no doubt about that, and if you love the ocean then you will defiantly want to go to the aquarium. the Two Oceans aquarium is indescribable, you will see all kinds of fish, sharks, frogs and even some penguins and seals. the most beautiful tank in the aquarium is a two story high tank that is round and there is a ramp going around it leading you to the bottom, the room is blue lit because of the water and you can sit there for hours and never get board, its like your watching them in the ocean.

when I think about it, I cant help but smile. If I could go to the aquarium everyday I would because everyday the animals are different, they move so gracefully. it makes you feel peaceful. The aquarium is great for people of all ages, children will love it, adults will adore it and elders will see the beauty of the world. If you go to cape town the aquarium is a must to visit on everyone's list.

If you have energy then hiking is a great way to use it, there are many mountains to hike in Cape Town, but the best three are lions head for people who want a challenge, Constancia mountain hike for its beauty and elephants eye for its magnificent scenery.

Lion's head is a difficult climb, with steep hills and wall climbs I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. the scenery up is beautiful with a nice view of the ocean and town, it is really beautiful at night with the town lit up and the stars shining brightly.

Constancia Hike, is a peaceful and nature absorbing hike, the trees are great shade providers and every now and then you will see a little river or waterfall, and it sounds so peaceful. near the top there is a dam that you can skip stones on and have a picnic at, this hike I would recommend for beginners.

Elephants eye is a great hike it has a great view of cape town and it has some mystery too, the hike is not hard and most people will be able to do it. the hike is rewarding and the view is breath taking. whenever you go hiking it is important to take lots of water with you, eat before you leave, you don't want to get dehydrated of hungry. Also don't feed any animals that you may come across, they mite look friendly but animals can be vicious. If you come across a baboon, stay still and it will go away, don't run or scream or look it in the eye because it will chase you and steal your bag if you have food.

Kirstenbosch gardens is a great place for a family outing, or to go to with your friends. The scenery is amazing there are ponds, small rivers, and boards that tell you information about the plants in the garden. It is also a great place to have a picnic, or just to stroll through. There is a part of the garden that has lots of statues in it so that people can admire African art, I spent many Saturdays at Kirstenbosch gardens with my friends and there is always something new to see.

Kirstenbosch gardens also host small concerts and a movie night where they show a movie like in the old days drive in movies, everyone brings there own chair and food and a bunch of strangers will enjoy a movie together surrounded by a beautiful garden.

I went to the world of birds when I was young, but I remember it being great if I had a chance to go there again I would. The awesome thing about the world of birds is that is does not just have birds, it has monkeys and a few other kinds of animals too. when you are going through the monkey area make sure you have nothing in your pockets, because they will jump on you and take whatever is in your pockets. I remember a monkey stole my box of smarties.

I would defiantly recommend going to the world of birds with your children if you have, because it is a really good memory for me and im sure it will be the same for you and your children.

If you go to cape town then you have to visit table mountain, because it is a great tourist attraction. The view from table mountain is magnificent, I wont show you a picture because it is something you have to experience and not just see in a picture.

The top of table mountain is flat, it is paved too and has a restaurant there too. the ride up is not enjoyable for people that cant handle heights, while you are going up the floor of the cable car turns slowly so that everyone will get to see a 360 degree view as you ascend. If you go to Cape town then you must visit table mountain, you should defiantly put it on you list on places to visit.

There are many museums in cape town that you can check out for the education. There is also the Baxter theatre, the planetarium, Tokai forest and many other places. You can also just walk around town there are many clubs and things to do at night as well. Cape town is the mother city and it never sleeps there will always be something for you and your family to do