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Cape Town, South Africa – A year-round awesome destination 

Jessica-Jade

Cape Town, South Africa – A year-round awesome destination 

I will always remember as a child a knock on my bedroom door from my mother who seemed extremely excited to tell me something, “I’ve just won a family holiday to South Africa, were going to South Africa!”. Unbeknown to me she had been talking on the radio and had bagged us a dream family holiday. Excited was an understatement, I was absolutely thrilled. Even more so, did this mean I could miss school today? Apparently not.

Fast track a fair few years and I found myself booking a solo flight back; I immediately fell in love with this beautiful country as a child and was itching to return. In fact, I have been back to SA numerous times exploring different areas, but making sure I always spend time in Cape Town because I love it.

Cape Town, situated on the  beautiful western coast of South Africa, has come a long way since the apartheid. It is becoming an increasingly popular destination for all sorts of holiday goers and explorers; the city has a chilled vibe, the people are awesome and there is so much to do. Queue nature and wildlife lovers and enthusiasts because there is no shortage of incredible wildlife, Sea-life and picturesque scenery.

 Getting there 

Cape Town International Airport (CPT) primarily serves Cape Town. I usually fly from London Heathrow, there are numerous airlines to choose from, you can fly direct with British Airways or a cheaper option would be to stop in Johannesburg for a short connection. Bear in mind that when stopping in Johannesburg this is your first port of entry, therefore, you will need to collect your luggage and recheck in. The airport is easy to navigate, an airport porter might help escort you to where you need to be and will expect a small tip, you can kindly say you do not need help! 

Some UK airports do not have direct flights. When I flew from Manchester with KLM I had short stop in Amsterdam. Multiple stops are sometimes the cheapest option, however not always the most comfortable with long waits in the airport – you can do additional stops through Europe, Africa or the Middle East. Depending on the date and route of your journey a return flight from the UK will cost between £500 and £900. 

All flights to Cape town, even with connections, have been really easy and actually gone very quickly. The airport is easy to navigate around and up to date it has been quick getting through immigration. My top tip travelling from the UK would be to get a late evening flight, so, if you are good at sleeping on planes like me, you can wake up at your destination (woohoo!). The time difference is only 1 or 2 hours ahead from the UK depending on the time of year. 

Remember to check your local gov website for travel information such as passport validity and visa requirements before travelling. As a British citizen you do not need a visa if you are visiting for tourism purposes for up to 90 days.

Getting around

The best way to get around Cape Town is using Uber or renting a car. There are super cheap car rental companies such as fun car based in Cape Town, just be aware of distance limits. You can also find taxi/transfer companies that will take you to the surrounding areas or tourist spots down the western coast. 

You will find a few tuk-tuks around the tourist areas in the city centre. These are hard to find but certainly a cheap option to get around.   

When to visit 

Cape town, and South Africa in general, is a year-round destination. If you are looking for a Cape Town beach holiday then the summer months are November-February, temperatures peak from December-February and so this can be a very busy time of year. The wind tends to calm down around February so I would say the best time would be end of January-April as the weather is still great and places are less crowded. 

You will still get beautiful weather for the remaining months. Days that aren’t too hot and sunny will be perfect for hiking. The later months are also best for seeing the whales. The whale season tends to be from June-December, there are good whale watching companies down the western coast, you will often spot whales from ashore. Water visibility for shark cage diving tends to be best from February-September in False Bay, March-September in Gansbaai and April-September in Mossel Bay. Scuba diving is popular and fantastic all year long, there are seasonal variations in location and weather conditions permitting. 

Things to do 

The city has an array of restaurants, bars and cafes, you are never far from somewhere unique or quirky to eat and drink and you are likely to find great live music. There are always events happening around Cape Town so be sure to look online and check out any music festivals, art, nature or sports events going on. 

Cape Town has lots of things to do and places to explore. The surrounding areas also offer fantastic wildlife, nature walks and unique things to do. 

Here is a list of some favourite things to do and places to visit: 

See the best places to go in Cape Town with a plan including Cape RADD

What to bring

Enjoy the adventure, 

Jessie x 

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