Luke

Fancy going for Christmas.Only for a week. Dont want to travel around much. Just good food /wine nice beaches and no trouble from the scum.

Cheers

kenb@manx

any of the hotels around the Waterfront are ok, anywhere else, take yor life in your hands.. !

swan

Not true wrt Waterfront only.
Some sites to look around on
http://www.mweb.co.za/hub/travel/default.asp
http://www.ananzi.co.za/catalog/Travel/index.html

Jacey Boy

Not true at all, Cape Town is a superb place, and I will be there in March 03

106rallye

Not true about the waterfront! If you want to just spend time there go to Southampton as its really quite similar!

Depends what you are into some common things

Table Mountain
Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was held)
Mid-day guns
Stellenboch wine tour
Cape point and cape of good hope reserve

You do have to be sensible there (like any other city) but as taxis are so cheap you do not need to worry. When I was there we were using Rikki’s that are converted Bedford Rascal type vans!

If you want any more information let me know!

I loved my time in South Africa but was very cautious to start with. There are alot of people who will tell you that you are mad to go etc. IMHO you don't need advice like that e.g. unsubstansiated horror stories but you do need the facts. Check out the foriegn office web site and they will give you all the rellivant stuff

www.fco.gov.uk and go to the travel section

edited to add http://www.cape-town.org/ lots of good links

Good luck choosing and have a great time (I did!!)

Andy



[Edited by 106rallye - 10/10/2002 10:59:09 AM]

Fat Boy

Waterfront is a good place to look at the mountain from & some good restaurants/shopping. Also is where the Robben island ferry goes from- 3.5 hrs door to door and well worth going on + great views of CT and the mountain- take your camera.

However,you need to book really really soon as the whole cape is booked solid for Xmas usually, it's their summer school holidays from end of 1st week in Dec to end of Jan and everyone heads for there. I've stayed everywhere from the Cape Grace/ Mount Nelson Top- end of the market- down to B& Bs etc, and often in a little, good value if basic hotel in Bantry Bay, 5 mins drive from the City Bowl on the Atlantic side called the Ambassador, try and get sea side rooms - they do have suites but they are the other side of the road. There are several hotels in the Waterfront - The portswood- cheap, the Table Bay- expensive and plastic aimed at american tourists, the Radisson SAS 5 minutes away - very nice. Alternatively, there is a book called the blue book- the SA High Commission in Trafalgar SQ in London can help- that has good up market B&B in - one I would recommend in the City Bowl is Trianon, good for Cable car to Table Mountain, road to Camp's Bay and Cape Point, fantastic rooms and the food is as good as any in the Cape ie fabulous. Hire a car it's all left hand side of the road like here and good roads. Avoid the Cape flats ( Khayelitsha, Blue Downs etc all near the airport)Places to see Stellenbosch/ Franschoek/Paarl wine routes recommended vineyards or wineries as they call them Neetlingshof, Spier, Boschendal, Tokara all have good food as well as the booze. Do "4 Passes"drive, Cape point/cape of good hope, boulders beach ( penguins), Hout bay - mariners Wharf, Hermanus, Table mountain.

Good restaurants - Panama jacks in the docks, Vilamoura ( have the seafood platter)in Camps Bay,Blues also in Camps Bay,die Strandkombuis in Yzerfontein,Buitenverwachting in Constantia etcc etc
Good beaches the Atlantic side is very cold - but all the model types go there to be seen Clifton beaches 1-4, Camps Bay, Llandudno/Sandy Bay, Hout Bay, Blouberg strand are all good and safe, but cold.However drive over the mountain 15mins to False Bay side and water is up to 8-10C warmer Boulders Beach, Fishoek,kalk Bay ( great pub the Brass Bell)etc even Muizenberg strand but don't stray too far along it ) Fine to drive along to get to Stellenbosch but be careful at the far end of the beach.

It's a fantastic place enjoy it.

IntegraR

Show more caution than you would in a lot of other places, as SA is a very dangerous place if you end up somewhere you shouldnt be.

Cape Town has managed to remain relatively shielded from the violence that runs through much of that country, but the value of life still isnt what it is in the UK.

Cant give any recommendations about places to stay, just that it is a beautiful place, and stay aware and you'll have a really cool time, isnt half windy thou!!

springbok

Cape Town is a great place (bit biased as I was born there).
As with any place do all your homework before you go and you should be fine. Since we moved back home to the UK I have been back 3 times and never personally had any problems. My research came from my 2 sisters who live there so they told me places to go and not etc.
Last time I went back in March 2001, stayed at the Dolphin Beach Hotel in Blouberg Strand, very nice, although you need a car as it's about 10 mins from say the waterfront.
As has been said previoulsy just be sensible and Cape Town is a fanstastic place for a holiday, very cheap as well with the exchange rate as it is.
Say Hi to Table Mountain for me