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Cape Town, as I’ve said time and time again, is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. But to really appreciate that beauty, you need to go beyond the city limits — out to the Cape Peninsula, which is home to plenty of beautiful attractions.
We spent our second full day in Cape Town tooling around the top sites of this fantastic region — and I was blown away by just how incredible it was.
Hout Bay
Our first stop was at a lookout point overlooking Hout Bay, just south of Cape Town. Hout Bay is a town in its own right and it’s actually considered a microcosm of South Africa due to its ethnic and socioeconomic diversity.
If you’re looking for somewhere different to stay in Cape Town, somewhere less frenetic, Hout Bay might be a good choice for you. And there’s that lovely stretch of white beach!
The view of Hout Bay was unforgettable, but this view from the other side might have been even better!
Boulders Beach
PENGUINS ON A BEACH. Actual penguins on a beach!!!
Ah. That kind of burst out of me. Really, if your circumstances determine that you can only visit only one destination on the Cape Peninsula, make it Boulders Beach. Where else in the world can you see penguins frolic on a beach?
We saw dozens of penguins hanging out on the beach, sometimes waddling along together in groups of three, sometimes even smooching each other! Plenty more hid underneath the boards and gazed at us with the most adorable expressions.
There is a path for tourists to follow, but the beaches are strictly off-limits so that the penguins can live in peace.
I’ve long known that penguins lived in South Africa, but this was still such a delight. Most people think that they’d only be able to see penguins in the wild if they went to Antarctica. Not true! They’re much closer than you think.
I couldn’t get over the beauty of this part of the Cape Peninsula, even the not-so-famous views from Boulders Beach into the distance.
And just in case you forget you’re in Africa — you might be held up by some baboons running back and forth across the street!
Cape Point
Our next stop was the southwesternmost point in Africa — Cape Point, home to the famed Cape of Good Hope.
I hadn’t thought much of the Cape of Good Hope since the fourth grade (the year we studied the explorers). This optimistically named point was a hellish marker for sailors, where rough seas made sailing around the bottom tip of Africa quite challenging.
With weather like this, you would never know it.
We climbed to the lighthouse on top, marking just how far we were from the rest of the world.
If you want to get down to that beautiful, isolated beach on the Cape of Good Hope, you’ll have to hike down. I hear the water’s freezing, but that’s a price you pay for a view that splendid!
I’d love to spend more time around here hiking.
To the other side was Cape Point. This region is part of the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas, a unique ecosystem that became my 49th UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Cape Town By Helicopter
“How long is the ride back to Cape Town?”
“It takes about an hour,” David told us.
Was it actually an hour? I’ll never find out. Because just outside Cape Point was a helicopter waiting to take us to the vineyards of Constantia!
We were giddy with excitement — we had no idea this was part of our trip! What a great surprise.
Ready for takeoff!
Getting to see the Cape Peninsula from the air was absolutely incredible. The landscape around here is remarkably diverse — it was like flying around three or four totally different regions of the world.
We started by gliding along the beautiful coastline.
Soon we rounded a corner and started flying above white sand beaches with intense waves.
Heading inland, we discovered neighborhoods built on plots of land surrounded by water, looking like something you’d expect to see in Florida.
And in seemingly no time at all, we entered a different world — the suburbs were gone, the beaches were nowhere to be seen, and instead we were surrounded by mountains and vineyards.
We landed in Constantia — a suburb of Cape Town and part of South Africa’s winelands. We had landed on the grounds of La Colombe, a fabulous restaurant catered to the sumptuous wines of the region.
I’ve always wanted to eat at a restaurant with a wine list thick enough to be used as a weapon.
I got a little too into it, and David was scared.
Not going to lie — we were a bit of a shabby group in the restaurant, showing up in our jeans and fleeces and $2 Thailand dresses when everyone else was dressed up in smart casual designer wear.
The wines were poured — South Africa has WONDERFUL Pinotages — and we settled in to enjoy our lunch.
Course one: quail velouté. A fantastic creamy soup with bits of quail legs and quail eggs as well as pieces of flavorful pork.
Course two: roasted veal. I have never had veal so tender that it fell apart on my plate.
Course three: I couldn’t tell you what this was. But it involved passionfruit seeds, tiny meringues, marshmallows, and pink foam, and it was just as delicious as it looked.
But that wasn’t all…
After our plates were cleared, it was time for a selection of petit fours — a post-dessert dessert, if you will!
We got to try one of each: maple meringues, rose Turkish delights, lemon financiers, peach marshmallows, and salted caramel truffles. Each one was divine. (I also named these desserts on the the 12 best things I ate in 2012.)
We capped off our amazing meal with a stroll through the vineyards of Constantia. It could not have been a more beautiful day — the leaves bright green underneath a blue sky, the mountains rising in the distance.
And with that, it was time to get back into the helicopter and fly to Cape Town.
We rounded Table Mountain…
And swept through the central business district, Lion’s Head rising in the distance. Just before we landed, we could make out Robben Island in the distance, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for decades. It felt like we had come full circle — and with the flight path, we technically had!
Landing on the edge of the ocean, it was the perfect conclusion to our fantastic day on the Cape Peninsula.
Essential Info: You can tour the Cape Peninsula with an organized tour or on your own, but either way, you’ll definitely need a car. Many of the organized tours include Table Mountain as well.
Seeing Hout Bay is free. Boulders Beach costs 40 rand ($4) for adults and 15 rand ($2) for children. Cape Point costs 90 rand ($10) for adults and 40 rand ($4) for children.
Cape Town Helicopters offers a variety of tours starting at 675 rand ($76) per person. A charter flight similar to ours, from Cape Town to Constantia and back, costs 2500 rand ($280) per person.
The set lunch menu at La Colombe costs 570 rand ($65) and includes amuse bouche, three courses, palate cleanser, and plate of post-dessert desserts.
Many thanks to Visit South Africa for hosting my stay in Cape Town. All opinions, as always, are my own.
I was in South Africa a couple years ago and unfortunately didn’t make it to Cape Town because it didn’t fit into our itinerary, and I’ve been kicking myself ever since (especially after seeing all these photos!). Hout Bay Boulders Beach look beautiful, and those penguins are too cute for life.
“Where else in the world can you see penguins frolic on a beach?”
Australia!
Add Phillip Island to your world trip itinerary. They can also be seen in Tasmania.
BIG controversy when it became politically uncorrect to call them fairy penguins. They are now referred to as “little penguins” 🙂
Great post. That marshmellowy pink foamy dish looks amazing!
Penguins in Australia?
Didn’t know that!
One reason more to go!!!
Haha! Fairy penguins! I had no idea they were in Tasmania. I’d love to go there.
Looks like an incredible day! Penguins and monkeys, a helicopter ride AND a spectacular looking meal. You sure know how to live!
I don’t think I’ll ever have as luxurious a trip as I had in South Africa! It was unforgettable.
That meal looks incredible! Cape Town has been near the top of my list for a LONG time. This post didn’t help…
All of these pictures look amazing!
I can’t believe the colors of the water around the cape! South Africa is that much more on my radar now!
So glad you enjoyed S.A. it’s been big on my bucket list forever! It looks absolutely amazing and I hear the people are so hopeful and friendly. I just would like to know, in all reality, how did you feel in terms of safety there?
Pri, I’m working on a post about safety that should be going up very soon!
This trip to SA I’ll certainly explore CT which I left out last time to get to the Cape plus twice to see the penguins. Seeing from the air is really cool.
That first photo of Hout Bay looks like it belongs in National Geographic! It beckons me! DHM
What a trip… Those aerial shots are incredible!
Poor penguins lost their way!!! Or maybe they just decided to have a vacation! Amazing! : )
No one lost their way more than Rocky the Rockhopper penguins we saw at the SANCCOB Penguin Sanctuary. She hitched a ride on a boat up in the Arctic and stowed away all the way to South Africa!
*Proudly South African. Nice one Kate!
Holy bananas I need to get me to South Africa! Your photos make it look absolutely stunning!
Such a gorgeous spot and beaches! Although I would be too scared to swim since I’ve heard that Cape Town is the place for great white sharks.
Where there is wine there is always great food!
You should come to the Okanagan Valley of Canada sometime. In June we are hosting the Wine Bloggers’ Conference. It’s great that it is finally getting the recognition it deserves.
I’ve never heard of that before, Murissa. Will keep it in mind!
It looks SO amazingly pretty! It also reminds me of New Zealand in some of your photos, which of course only makes me want to visit more!
The helicopter ride looks phenomenal, and I’m surprised to see the price you mentioned at the end of the post – I would expect it to be so much more expensive!
That is actually why South Africa is a fantastic value destination — I found it to be much cheaper than Western Europe, which means that you’ll get major savings on activities and anything luxury.
Hey! What a surprise 🙂 I’m glad to read and see that you enjoyed your stay in Cape Town – my home of the past six years. You are right, it is a very special part of the world! Very nice photos!
The views from the helicopter ride are spectacular! And penguins are some of the best, most adorable creatures in the world. I saw them in Argentina the same way you saw them here – simply amazing 🙂
Beyond awesome! I’m so totally in love with Cape Town!!!
wow all of your pictures look awesome!!! and penguins on the beach!!! i’m giddy just typing that! I NEED TO GO TO SOUTH AFRICA. NOW!
the food at that restaurant looks so yummy… I’ll need to keep that in mind when I eventually am able to go!
thanks for yet another great post!
-Jess
South Africa is wild, beautiful, and full of surprises — you’ll LOVE it!
Hi Kate,
What is the link to the safety article you wrote about SA?
My husband and I are thinking about going there in May. Do you know if this is a good time of year?
-Hannah
Here is the piece! Keep in mind it’s been a few years since I wrote this. https://www.adventurouskate.com/is-south-africa-safe/
We’re heading to Cape Town this fall and can’t wait to explore the Cape Peninsula! Loving the photos from the lighthouse – what a view!
Ok you’ve just convinced me that I NEED to do a helicopter ride when I get to South Africa. I’m dying to go and have just started planning my solo trip!
Hi Kate!
I know you wrote this a few years ago but I was just looking into booking the helicopter ride to Constantia for lunch and the price is now 5900 Rand – ($450) 🙁
Just FYI for anyone else reading and thinking of doing
The pictures do look amazing and what a perfect day
x