Things to do in Cape Peninsula
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Cape Peninsula
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Summer is warmest and busiest, with school holidays filling Boulders, Cape Point and Muizenberg and prices peaking.
Autumn is a sweet spot, warm and calmer with good hiking, plus Cycle Tour and Two Oceans road closures.
Winter is cooler, greener and quieter with whale season, big surf and more frequent Chapman's Peak closures.
Whale season runs June to November in False Bay, with southern rights seen from shore and viewpoints.
Spring brings fynbos flowering in the reserve, whales still present and shoulder prices before December.
What's on
- Cape Town Cycle Tour March, check current year date
The large timed cycle race around the peninsula, when peninsula roads close for the race.
- Two Oceans Marathon April, check current year dates
The ultra and half marathon over peninsula roads, great to watch and disruptive for driving plans.
Best things to do in Cape Peninsula
Boulders Beach Penguin Colony
A protected African penguin colony viewed from Foxy Beach boardwalks, with a small swimming beach alongside.
Cape of Good Hope
The famous signpost headland inside the reserve, reached by a scenic drive and a short walk past fynbos.
Cape Point Lighthouse
The old lighthouse above the cliffs, reached by a stiff walk or the Flying Dutchman Funicular.
Buffelsfontein Visitor Centre
The small SANParks centre with fynbos, wildlife and shipwreck displays and the park information you need.
Hout Bay Harbour
A working fishing harbour under the Sentinel, with boats, fish stalls and Seal Island trips from the quay.
World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park
A large walk through aviary and wildlife sanctuary in the Hout Bay valley, the reliable family stop.
Bay Harbour Market
A weekend harbour side market with food stalls, local craft and live music, good for a cheap lunch.
Statue of Just Nuisance
The bronze statue of the Royal Navy Great Dane on Jubilee Square, anchoring a historic main road wander.
Where to stay in Cape Peninsula
Hout Bay
Atlantic side base, harbour and Chapman's Peak start
A fishing village in a mountain amphitheatre, with the harbour, Seal Island boats and the toll road south.
Noordhoek
quiet beach, horses and village eating
A rural village under Chapman's Peak with a long beach, Noordhoek Farm Village and the slowest pace on the peninsula.
Simon's Town
penguins, kayaking and Cape Point access
The historic naval town on False Bay, with Boulders on its edge and Cape Point about 20 minutes south.
Kalk Bay and Muizenberg side
False Bay villages, tidal pools and beginner surf
Kalk Bay, St James and Muizenberg on the train line, with harbours, pools, cafes and warmer water.
Think twice about
- Isolated Table Mountain National Park trails
Do not hike remote reserve and mountain sections alone, as muggings on isolated trails are a documented issue.
- Muizenberg and Fish Hoek station areas after dark
Use the train line villages by day and drive or use a booked transfer after dark, rather than waiting on quiet platforms.
Best restaurants in Cape Peninsula
Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic
The peninsula fine dining splurge, shared small plates built on Cape seafood above the Atlantic surf.
Harbour House
A white tablecloth seafood restaurant on the water at Kalk Bay Harbour, the Kalk Bay occasion lunch.
The Foodbarn Cafe and Tapas
Franck Dangereux's French leaning cafe and tapas restaurant at Noordhoek Farm Village, with a deli alongside.
Mariner's Wharf
A harbour front seafood institution with a fish market, bistro and sushi bar on Hout Bay Harbour.
Saveur Restaurant
A modern seafood and grill restaurant at the Simon's Town waterfront, the dependable town dinner.
Brass Bell
A tiered restaurant and pub built into the sea wall and tidal pools at Kalk Bay, best for a long lunch.
Live Bait Restaurant
A seafood restaurant in the Muizenberg pavilion at Surfer's Corner, the natural lunch after a surf lesson.
Cape Point Vineyards Restaurant
A winery restaurant on the Noordhoek slopes with lawns and sea views, built on its own sauvignon blanc.
Outdoor things to do in Cape Peninsula
Chapman's Peak Drive
About 9 km and over 100 bends cut into the cliff, with viewpoints over Hout Bay and Noordhoek Beach.
Drumbeat Charters
A 40 minute boat trip from Hout Bay Harbour to Duiker Island to see thousands of Cape fur seals.
Kayak Cape Town
A guided sea kayak paddle from Simon's Town toward Boulders, seeing the penguin colony from the water.
Sleepy Hollow Horse Riding
Guided beach rides across the wetlands and onto the long white sweep of Noordhoek Beach.
Surfer's Corner
A long, gentle, forgiving beginner break with surf schools renting boards and wetsuits by the hour.
Dungeons
A famous big wave break off the Sentinel, expert only, best watched by visitors from boats or shore.
Olifantsbos Beach
A wild Atlantic beach in the reserve with a shore trail to a shipwreck and almost no crowds.
Cape Peninsula cycling loop
Cycling the full loop via Chapman's Peak and Simon's Town, the Cycle Tour route and a serious scenic day.
Best hotels in Cape Peninsula
Tintswalo Atlantic
A small luxury hotel on the rocks at the foot of Chapman's Peak, with the Atlantic as the whole view.
Hout Bay Manor
A restored 1871 manor hotel in the Hout Bay valley, the comfortable mid range base with pool and gardens.
Hout Bay Backpackers
Budget rooms and dorms a short walk from Hout Bay Beach, with sea and Chapman's Peak views.
Monkey Valley Resort
A resort in an old milkwood forest below Chapman's Peak, with cottages looking over Noordhoek Beach.
Noordhoek Village Hotel
A hotel inside Noordhoek Farm Village, the practical mid range base with village eating on its doorstep.
Chapman's Peak Caravan Park
A simple caravan and camping park in the Noordhoek valley, the lowest price base on this side.
Tintswalo Boulders
A nine suite luxury villa directly above Boulders Beach, with direct access to the penguin boardwalk.
Aha Simon's Town Quayside Hotel
A harbour front hotel on Jubilee Square, with False Bay views and the town restaurants a short walk away.
Is Cape Peninsula expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ZAR 1,200 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ZAR 2,600 a person |
| Splurge | ZAR 6,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Drumbeat Charters: a few days ahead
- Kayak Cape Town: a few days ahead
- Sleepy Hollow Horse Riding: a few days ahead
- Cape Peninsula cycling loop: a few days ahead
- Tintswalo Atlantic: weeks ahead
- Monkey Valley Resort: weeks ahead
- Chapman's Peak Caravan Park: a few days ahead
- Tintswalo Boulders: weeks ahead
- Book December and January stays, both Tintswalo properties and Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic well ahead.
- Book kayak, horse riding and boat trips a few days ahead in season and keep a weather backup day.
Is Cape Peninsula safe?
- Violent crime including robbery, carjacking and smash and grab attacks on vehicles happens in South Africa; take care in city centres and after dark.
- Follow the Shark Spotters flags and siren at Muizenberg and Fish Hoek and leave the water when told.
- Baboons at Cape Point open car doors and bags, so lock doors and hide all food from view.
- Emergency numbers are 10111 for police and 112 from a mobile phone.
Cape Peninsula travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Do not feed baboons at Cape Point or carry food visibly near troops, and keep car doors locked there.
- Do not swim at Atlantic beaches or inside the reserve where there are no lifeguards and currents are strong.
Getting around Cape Peninsula: public transport and more
- You need a car for the peninsula as a whole, as the train only serves the False Bay villages.
- Chapman's Peak Drive is toll and closure prone, with Ou Kaapse Weg as the inland alternative.
- Never leave anything visible in a parked car at beaches, viewpoints or trailheads.
Who Cape Peninsula suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Cape Peninsula your trip
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