Hello everyone! I recently went to Cape Town for the Two Oceans Marathon and loved my experience there. I already shared a detailed review about my experience doing the race and now it’s time to finally share my guide to Cape Town!
Huge thank you to everyone who shared their recommendations with me, especially my friend Lisa who lived there. I loved visiting Cape Town and cannot wait to visit again next year for the marathon! 🤞🏿
Table of Contents
- My Overall Thoughts
- Getting There: Visa + Health Documents
- Flights
- Arrival Process: Airport Must Do
- Where to Stay
- Getting Around
- Where to Eat? Food + Drink
- What To Do in Cape Town
- Shopping
My Overall Thoughts
Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and has beaches, wildlife, wine estates, museums, fine dining and rich history for different types of tourists to enjoy.
I felt safe the entire time as the city is very easy to navigate with clear road signs and every tourist attraction was close to each other. I did notice that there were lots of smokers and people vaping in the city, especially young adults. I think it’s also a very wealthy city based on how many luxury cars/dealerships I saw and luxury fashion stores in the malls. The Ubers were also really comfortable compared to the ones in Nairobi.
Most people do speak English so it makes it very easy to ask for help and immerse yourself in the environment. The food scene is great and sweet lovers would appreciate the desserts selections in most of the cafes and restaurants.
I was there for 5 nights and thought that was ideal for me. I was able to partake in all the tourist activities including the Two Oceans Marathon but honestly I would have stayed for longer. As soon as I landed, I had the travel epiphany of “should i move here? I really don’t mind moving here!” 😅
I also love my hot girl walks so I thought Cape Town was paradise for me as I completed an average of 15k daily steps on Fitbit! I thought it was a very walkable city so if you enjoy taking daily walks you will absolutely love Cape Town. The weather was perfect for me. It was chilly and sunny, a very strange yet perfect combination!
It is also important to note that South Africa currently has load shedding. This is when the power supply is scheduled to shut down. Always be prepared and ensure that your phone is always charged before going out.
Let me now share my comprehensive and detailed guide that worked for me. I planned this trip and used the Notion travel template! The Notion travel template allows you to include all important details for your trip. Below is the template that I used. It is free and would recommend to everyone who enjoys detailed planned trips.
Getting There: Visa + Health Documents
The most important part of the trip is ensuring that you have all the documents needed to visit Cape Town, South Africa. The first step is applying for a South African Visa but some countries are exempted from the visa requirement. If you are a Kenyan Passport holder, you do not need to apply for a visa.
You also need to have a Covid Vaccination certificate or a negative PCR Test but they actually never checked for this. I don’t know if it will always be like this but better be safe than sorry.
You also need a Yellow Fever certificate especially if you are entering South Africa from another African country. Remember to also bring a travel adapter but keep in mind that South Africa has two round pins. It is similar to the UK plug but rounder. I purchased my plug at Incredible Connection at V & A Waterfront.
Do not forget to inform your local bank that you are travelling abroad and share the dates of your trip and destination. Most of the retailers do accept debit/credit card payments.
Flights
I took an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Nairobi to Addis then Cape Town. I think if you can and have the choice, a direct flight to Cape Town is ideal. My flight was seamless but I mostly slept until I decided to watch Ratatouille. I really enjoyed rewatching that animated film so I think they had a fairly great entertainment selection. I am vegetarian and had the Asian Vegetarian Meal but it was a bit bland and not spicy at all. The food could have been better.
Arrival Process: Airport Must Do
Everything was seamless and immigration took less than twenty minutes. You simply show your passport/visa and the next step is collecting your luggage. I then headed to the MTN store to receive my sim card.
You will not miss the MTN store as it is visibily branded. I purchased the 5GB Data bundle for R299 and included the voice bundle as well. I was able to finish the 5GB Data in 5 days but never used the voice bundle at all. Next time, I would not purchase the voice bundle as I never used it.
Where to Stay
I was in Cape Town for the Two Oceans Marathon so I simply chose my hotel based on the distance to the marathon start line and the finish line. I chose The Rockefeller Hotel & Residence Cape Town and would definitely recommend it if you are visiting Cape Town.
If you are in Cape Town for the marathon, do consider The Rockefeller as it is simply a 10 minute walk and a 3 minute drive to the convention center (race bib pick area). The Rockefeller is also a 16 minute drive to the Newlands start line but roughly 25 minutes because of traffic during the marathon day. The hotel is also a 9 minute drive from University of Cape Town, the finish line, but makes this 30 minutes because of traffic and road closures during race day. You will want to stay in a place next to the starting line as you will be up early for the race.
I also recommend The Rockefeller Hotel because of its proximity to tourist attractions, great amenities and delicious breakfast food. The only negative thing was that the shower did not have the best water pressure but I loved the temperature. I love showering in hot water and the hotel had the best hot shower!
You can also use Airbnb but I personally prefer hotels to Airbnbs.
Getting Around
Cape Town does have a bus system called Cape Town’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) but I never used it. I used Uber or Bolt everywhere depending on which one was cheaper. I was very impressed with the Ubers as the drivers did not call you to ask where you are going or which route to use. Kenyan uber drivers, please take note!
I also felt that Cape Town is a walkable city so ideal for hot girl walks. If you enjoy hot girl walks, consider walking to your destinations if they are close to each other.
Where to Eat? Food + Drink
I would recommend having reservations for some popular restaurants as they are very busy. I am also vegetarian so my recommendations are based on whether the restaurants had plant-based options.
I also noticed that there is a strong tipping culture in Cape Town compared to other African countries so keep that in mind!
- The Rockefeller Hotel! I chose the Bed and Breakfast option because I planned on doing a few workouts in the morning and immediately having breakfast. The breakfast was amazing and was a breakfast buffet. I am vegetarian and loved all the plant-based options. The crepes, the waffles, and the warm croissants were all so delicious. It felt worth it!
- The Nines is a rooftop restaurant and cocktail lounge with an amazing view of the Atlantic Ocean. I would recommend getting a dinner reservation as it was extremely busy. I got the most delicious asparagus risotto and am still craving it. I also had the whipped vanilla cheesecake as dessert and it was amazing. I would definitely go back here! Fun Fact: My waiter was literally from my hometown after I lied to him where I am from. I always lie about my background when I go to new places but wow we are all connected! 😅
- Kloof Street House is a popular restaurant in Cape Town. I think aesthetics play a huge role in why it’s mentioned in most travel guides. The Victorian House with leafy gardens is located in Kloof Street and has great food selections and ambiance. I had the veggie burger and loved it. Our order did take a while because the restaurant was extremely busy so I would definitely recommend calling for a reservation!
- Sonny and Irene is located in the same building as The Nines but it’s designed to be a cafe-style bakery. I was excited to have the truffle risotto but that was currently unavailable so I had the 1940s Special. It was okay but I prefer Kloof Street’s veggie burger to Sonny and Irene’s.
- Hacienda Coastal Mexican is a Mexican restaurant inspired by Baja California. I had the veggie tacos and loved them. I would recommend the place as it is a cute place to have some spicy Mexican food. After you finish your meal, you also get a free huge cotton candy.
- Cafe Chiffon has the best desserts for sweet lovers. The Asian-inspired dessert cafe is located in De Waterkant and has the most delicious cakes. I had the Japanese cheesecake and was in love. It is moist, immediately melts in your mouth and makes you crave for more. They close on Sundays and are quite busy. I was there on Saturday and it was pretty packed. I had to take away my Japanese cheesecake. I would recommend coming earlier and enjoying your cake while sitting inside the aesthetic cafe.
- Vista Bar & Lounge is a restaurant at One & Only Hotel. This was probably my least favorite restaurant because the menu was not ideal for vegetarians. I had spaghetti with vegan meatballs and thought it was meh. I was so done that I did not even order dessert because I thought the food was pretty underwhelming. I will probably not go back here again, especially as a vegetarian because the options were not impressive at all.
- Vida e caffè – life & coffee is a coffee shop franchise and ideal for a quick lunch if you are not hungry. Think of a Starbucks. I had a milkshake and it was okay. I have had better but I was not that hungry.
- The Bungalow is another ideal dinner spot to catch the sunset but remember to carry warm clothing. It was extremely chilly as they mostly had outdoor seating. I do not think they had the best food menu for vegetarians as everything had seafood. It’s pretty much a seafood restaurant so I only had the bungalow house greens salad. I would only recommend it if you enjoy seafood but not ideal for plant-based eaters.
- Mount Nelson Hotel is the iconic pink hotel in Cape Town. I went to their restaurant for afternoon tea after my marathon. I really enjoyed my time here and would recommend the hotel if you want to try the best afternoon tea experience Cape Town has to offer. There is a live pianist to help set the mood as you devour on the cake, pastries and sandwiches. I had the blood orange rooibos tea which was delicious and perfect for a sweet tooth like me. The mushroom quiche was also delicious and my favorite pastry. The attention to detail was exquisite and definitely a must activity for tea lovers.
What To Do in Cape Town
Disclaimer! I do enjoy the arts so I mostly spent my time visiting museums and doing educational activities. I did not do any ‘adventurous’ activities like hiking, paragliding or skydiving because that is simply not me and my anxiety would never let me!
I was here for a marathon so I had to always get enough sleep. For this reason, do not expect any night activities recommendations as I was in bed by 10pm. I did go out one night with friends but I have forgotten the name of the club and was already exhausted to even remember anything.
I did enjoy the Amapiano music in the clubs and really fell in love with the music genre. So feel free to share recs of your favorite Amapiano artists and songs.
- Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is an ideal place to tour if you enjoy plants, nature and long walks. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world. The garden is a great place to learn more about Cape Town’s vegetation and plant species. I would also recommend the guided tours that take place on weekdays at 10am, 11am and 2pm and leave from the Visitor centre. Remember that there are no guided tours on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Anyone can join the garden guided tour after paying the garden entry fees. My tour took approximately 2 hours and I enjoyed it. I would recommend visiting the garden when it is sunny and not rainy. The standard adult ticket is R220.
Remember to visit the gift shop after your tour ends. I spotted the couch of my dreams. How beautiful? This is such a great gift for plant lovers.
- Zeitz Museum is a must visit if you enjoy visiting art galleries and museums. Zeitz Mocaa is the largest contemporary art museum and was blown away by all the art pieces. I recommend visiting When We See Us – A Century of Black Figuration in Painting exhibition. The exhibition celebrates “Black self-representation and celebrates global Black subjectivities and Black consciousness from pan-African and pan-diasporic perspectives. It boldly brings together artworks from the last 100 years, by Black artists working globally, into dialogue with leading Black thinkers, writers and poets who are active today.”
If you are in Cape Town, please plan to attend this exhibition. It ends in Sep 2023. The standard adult ticket is R230.
Sharing some of my many favourite pieces from the exhibition.
I also recommend walking to the Zeitz Museum so you can take a picture of the giant yellow frame highlighting the magnificent Table Mountain in the background.
- Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour is great for wine lovers and enthusiasts. I spent half a day learning about wine and cheese/food pairing. I used Viator to book my trip and would recommend using them. They pick you from your hotel in Cape Town and you get to visit two wine farms for wine and cheese tastings. My group visited Marianne Wine Farm and Fairview Wine and Cheese.
My tour guide for the day was Marco and would highly recommend him. At the end of the tour, you visit Stellenbosch town and learn about the town’s history and culture. The tour is half a day and costs $52.36
- Table Mountain is a prominent landmark in Cape Town and is a great place to visit for tourists who enjoy hiking. You can hike to the top but I opted to use the cableway instead as I ran the Two Oceans Marathon the previous day. I would recommend coming in the morning to see the sunrise or evening to see the sunset. I came in the evening and enjoyed the sunset. Keep in mind it is quite chilly so bring some warm clothing and do not wear a dress as it’s pretty windy! I learnt my lesson!
Tickets are valid for 7 days from the chosen date, unless otherwise stated, and can only be refunded during that period. The standard adult return ticket is R395.
- Cape Town Diamond Museum is also another great museum to visit if you are interested in South Africa’s diamond history. You get to see a display of some breathtaking diamonds and learn “how rough diamonds are transformed into creations of fire and light.” I would recommend visiting the museum during weekdays to see the team actually working on the diamonds. The standard adult return ticket is R100.
You can also purchase diamonds at the end of the tour. I did try several diamond rings and it only cost $247,000! 😁🤭
- Clarke’s Bookshop is also a great stop for book lovers while exploring Long Street, Cape Town. I am always curious to see what people are reading in different cities and countries. The ground floor is full of fiction novels while the first floor is filled with history books. It’s always a great feeling seeing books you have already read especially in a different country!
Shopping
If you enjoy shopping, go to Canal Walk Shopping Centre. It’s just 10 minutes away from the city centre and has all the popular brands. V & A Waterfront is another option but I noticed they mostly only have international luxury stores.
I truly enjoyed my time in Cape Town and cannot wait to come again next year for the 2024 Two Oceans Marathon. The Mother City is beautiful with amazing weather, amenities and great tourist attractions. I hope to visit Johannesburg as well! So if you have recommendations please start sharing!
Thank you for reading!