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For any information you may require about visiting Cape Town follow the links below:
Introduction
Cosmopolitan is how the locals describe this rare city. Nature and structure work hand in hand to create one of the most spectacular settings in the world.
Historically rich, Cape Town is one of the few cities in South Africa that has saved and maintained many of its old buildings. Old and new blend together to form a compact and walking friendly city centre.
Table mountain, the backdrop for the city, is breathtaking to behold. A renegade splinter of the countries famed fold mountains, it stands in the centre of the city hugging the ocean on one side and stretching out the other towards the wine vineyards.
350 years old, the city and surrounding suburbs cling to the slopes which abruptly sink into the sea but not before providing spectacular beaches that circle the peninsula. The cold Atlantic ocean makes swimming a quick affair but doesn't detract from the beach going culture that possesses Capetonians in the summer season.
Restaurants and café's are in huge supply in the city and surrounds. Camps Bay, a page out of the lifestyles of the rich and famous, provides an atmosphere not unlike South Beach Miami with bikini clad people spilling into the street from the trendy bars and café's that are perfectly situated for balmy sunsets and long evening walks.
Not forgetting the counties unsavoury past, the division between rich and poor is marked. Landing at Cape Town international, the first sight you see upon leaving the airport are the infamous squatter camps that line the national N2 highway. A result of segregation, these informal settlements look bleak and are riddled with criminal elements but when visited provide an exciting window into the countries positive future.
Since 1994 great efforts have been made to make the living conditions bearable and today all shacks have access to toilets, sanitation, electricity, telephones and, believe it or not, postal and refuse services. Not a place to wander around as an unsuspecting tourist, it is strongly advised that you take a professional tour with an experienced guide when entering these areas.
South African wine, well known on the international market flows from the peninsula. Not 20 minutes car ride from the city centre are numbers of beautiful wine estates. Vineyards roll outwards from traditional Cape Dutch homesteads. A sight to behold any time of year.
As a destination Cape Town suits a variety of travel objectives. Fantastic in the summer season for a relaxed, go slow, beach holiday it is the perfect place to unwind but at the other end of the spectrum provides an endless supply of things to see and do that could keep the energetic and inquisitive traveller busy for weeks if not months on end.
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When to come
Cape Town has very distinctive seasons. Summer is hot and dry and winter wet and chilly but both hold their fascinating secrets. If you are looking for sun, great nightlife and partying the peak season from early December to mid January is when you should come. The sun persists well into April and sometimes May and this is a great time to come to avoid the crowds but still get the great African weather.
From May through to October Cape Town goes through 'the green season'. The rain brings out the green grass and lush vegetation and the common occurrence of wood burning fires in restaurants and houses brings warmth and atmosphere to the wet winters. Nothing beats this time for a romantic getaway. July should be avoided as the rain can sometimes persist for weeks on end.
An exposed city, Cape Town is known for wind. Expect it to blow at some stage no matter when you are there but due to the mammoth mountain in the centre of the city there is always a little cove that can be found out of the wind at any given time.
Some people plan their whole trip to Cape Town around some of the events that are hosted in the city.For excellent and up to date information, access the following site to learn more about these events.
http://www.capetownevents.co.za
The high season runs from November through to March. Local schools and universities take leave over the month of December, which makes this a very busy period. Expect crowds over this period!
Best times are November, and then Jan to March. Temperatures at this time can go as high as 38º Celsius but averages out at about 30º. Humidity is not an issue due to the cold ocean.
Winter runs from April through to October and is windy and rainy but is called 'The Green Season' due to the lush and misty atmosphere and can provide spectacular weeks of crisp winter sun.
Your preference in weather will dictate the most appropriate time to book your holiday. Just make sure that you pack according to the season when you do. Bring a raincoat in winter and a swimsuit in summer!
As with any destination prices fluctuate in and out of season. Expect the most expensive rates from November to January and the most reasonable rates in June to August.
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Visa Requirements
When you have made a decision to come to Cape Town you will need to be sure of all the Visa requirements. The following is a quick guide to what will be required, if anything. Note that this should be used as a guide only and it is recommended that you consult the local South African Embassy before you travel as we can not take responsibility should there be some unforeseen irregularities not mentioned in the following section.
Also note that all applicants intending to be professionally active in South Africa and contemplating any voluntary or paid employment or studies must apply for work or study permits.
NO VISA REQUIRED
No visas are required for holiday and business visits by citizens of the following countries unless applicants have been specifically advised that their visa exemption has been withdrawn
| Australia | Liechtenstein |
| Austria | Luxemburg |
| Belgium | Netherlands |
| Canada | New Zealand |
| Denmark | Northern Ireland |
| Finland | Norway |
| France | Portugal |
| Germany | Republic Of Ireland |
| Greece | Spain |
| Guernsey | Sweden |
| Iceland | Switzerland |
| Isle Of Mann | United Kingdom |
| Italy | USA |
| Japan | Virgin Islands |
| No Visa Required |
NO VISA REQUIRED FOR 90 DAY PERIOD
No visas are required for holiday or business visits of up to 90 days, by citizens of the following countries unless applicants have been specifically advised that their visa exemption has been withdrawn.
| Argentina | Paraguay |
| Brazil | St Helena |
| Chile | Swaziland |
| Ecuador | Uruguay |
| Israel | Venezuela |
| Jamaica | Malta |
| No Visa Required for 90 Days |
NO VISA REQUIRED FOR A 30 DAY PERIOD
No visas are required for holiday or business visits of up to 30 days, by citizens of the following countries unless applicants have been specifically advised that their visa exemption has been withdrawn.
| Antigua and Barbuda | Malawi |
| Barbados | Malaysia |
| Belize | Maldives |
| Benin | Mauritius |
| Bolivia | Mexico |
| Botswana | Namibia |
| Cape Verde | Peru |
| Costa Rica | Seychelles |
| Cyprus | Singapore |
| Gabon | Slovak Republic |
| Guyana | South Korea |
| Hong Kong | Thailand |
| Hungary | Turkey |
| Jordan | Zambia |
| Lesotho | |
| No Visa Required for 30 Days
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Note: Turkish Republic of North Cyprus passport not acceptable
Is your Country not mentioned?? What then?
If your country is not mentioned above then you will require a visa to enter South Africa. Visa's can be obtained at any of the South African embassies.
Applicants must submit their completed application form BI-84E "Application for a Visa" which can be obtained at the Embassy or consulate before you travel.
Applications for visas must be submitted together with:
- two (2) passport size photographs
- Original passport
- Details of intended travel arrangements
- a business letter if travelling on business
- the required fee if any
any other documentation that may support their visit to South Africa.
List of Embassies in your country
Foreign Consulates and Embassies in Cape Town
The following brief list shows where you can find some of the consulates in the city should you need them. Consult the local Yellow Pages for information on Consulates and Embassies.
| Embassy | Address | Tel |
| American Embassy | Broadway Centre, Heerengragt St | 021 421 4280 |
| Angolan Consulate | Thibalt Sq, Thibalt Pavillion | 021 425 8700 |
| Argentine Embassy | 55 Glen Crescent, Gardens | 021 424 2751 |
| Austrian Consulate General | M1001, Standard Bank Centre, Hertzog Blvd | 021 421 1400 |
| Belgian Consulate General | Vogue House, Thibalt Sq | 021 419 4690 |
| Botswana Consulate General | 5th Floor, Southern Life Centre, 8 Riebeek St | 021 421 1045 |
| British Consulate | Southern Life Centre, 8 Riebeek St | 021 405 2400 |
| Canadian Embassy | 19th Floor, Reserve Bank Building, 60 St Georges Mall | 021 423 5240 |
| Chile Consulate General | 1918 Standard Bank Centre, Hertzog Blvd | 021 421 2344 |
| Mozambique Consulate | 11th Floor, The Pinnacle Building, 8 Burg St | 021 426 2944 |
| Russian Federation Consulate General | Southern Life Centre, 8 Riebeek St | 021 418 3656 |
| Danish Embassy | Southern Life Centre, 8 Riebeek St | 021 419 6936 |
| European Union | 54 Keerom St | 021 423 0305 |
| Finland Embassy | 5 Lincoln Rd, Oranjezicht | 021 461 4732 |
| French Consulate | 2 Dean St, Gardens | 021 423 1575 |
| Greek Consulate General | Reserve Bank Building, Hout St | 021 424 8161 |
| Guatamalan Consulate | 2 Long St | 021 418 2020 |
| India High Commission | The Terraces, 34 Bree St | 021 419 8100 |
| Italian Consulate | 2 Greys Pass, Gardens | 021 424 1256 |
| Swedish Embassy | Southern Life Centre, 8 Riebeek St | 021 425 3988 |
| Swiss Consulate | 1 Thibalt Sq, St Georges St | 021 426 1040 |
| Taipei Liason Offices | 10th Floor, Standard Bank Centre, Heerengragt | 021 421 1993 |
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Working in South Africa
The South African government is extremely tight when it comes to foreign labour. It is not easy to get in to work. Buying property is
not a problem but residency is hard to obtain. Should you need more information in this regard please link to www.gov.za
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Money and Tipping
The local currency is called the Rand (R.). The notes are popular with foreigners due to the vibrant colour and African animals that adorn them. R1 is divided into 100cents. The exchange rate is very favourable to most foreign tourists and as a destination Cape Town can be considered extremely cheap compared to Europe and the America's.
South Africa and thus Cape Town has a very well developed banking system and there are major banks all around. There is a highly extensive Auto Teller Machines (ATM) system around the city that allows you access to cash through machine withdrawals. Note that crime around ATM machines can be a problem. Never accept help from anyone and Never draw money in badly lit or quiet areas at night if avoidable. Should the machine jam or swallow your card do not leave the machine and call the emergency number printed on the display immediately to make sure your money is safe.
Traveller's cheques are accepted in most of the major centres and major credit cards accepted everywhere. Tipping is a way of life in South Africa. The standard rate for tipping waiters is 10% on the total bill and more if the service is great which it often will be, and less if not to your satisfaction (note that in larger groups a service charge is often added automatically).
All filling stations, called petrol stations, are full service, meaning that there is someone who will fill the car for you as well as check oil and water, tyre pressure and clean the windshield. For this service a tip of R5 will be more than enough. Note that credit cards are not accepted at petrol stations, only cash or Garage Cards.
In informal trading situations barter all you like but note that in the formal sector, barter is not generally accepted norm. The price you see is the price you pay. All prices include 14% Value Added Tax and can be claimed back when leaving the country.
So to recap, tipping is common ground. At restaurants and bars 10% is normal. Petrol attendants that fill your car and clean your windshield expect R2 to R5. For porters, R2 to R3 a bag is fine.
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Taxes and Refunds
All goods in South Africa are sold including Value Added Tax (VAT). This can be claimed back when you leave the country and at 14% can be a pleasant surprise especially when buying big-ticket items like jewellery. This only applies to goods that you are taking out of the country not to such things as food and car rental expenses.
Note that you will be required to have both the original receipt and the goods with you to claim. Goods must exceed R250 in value and for claims over R3000 the cheque will be mailed to you. This can only be claimed at the airport or at border posts so don't forget. You can save time with the forms by filling them out at the VAT Refund Office in the Victoria Warf at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Open 09:00 to 21:00 Tel: 021 421 1216
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Phones and Communication
Postal services can be slow and sometimes the postcard you send will get there after your return but still can be fun. Take a look at the postage stamps if you like African animals. Most have beautiful representations and are a great souvenir. All post offices are open from 8:30am to 16:30. Always state that you want it sent airmail or you could be waiting years!
Telephone infrastructure is good and you can find a payphone almost anywhere. They accept coins but most have now been upgraded to use phone cards. These are available at most stationers and corner Café's. Ask for a Telkom Calling Card.
The best option when here is to bring your cellular/mobile telephone (check that it is unblocked before you leave) and just buy a 'pay-as-you-go' sim card for the duration of your stay. This will give you prepaid calls, which you can top up as you go along. There are three companies that offer this option, MTN, Vodacom and Cell-C. They are all represented at the airport so buy this as you land. This will cost around R90 and will include some starter minutes that you can top up as you need.
For enquiries dial 1025 for international and 1023 for local and for collect calls call 0020 or 0090, National and International respectively.
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Time Zones
The South African Standard Time is two hours ahead of GMT which means that at 12 in London its 14:00 in Cape Town. It is 7 hours ahead of USA Eastern Standard Time and eight hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time. What this means is that if you are coming from Europe there is absolutely no jet lag and you can plan to start doing things the moment you arrive, from other areas expect the jet lag to knock you out for a few hours.
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Electricity
You will need an adapter for your plugs when coming from abroad. The standard fitting is a three prong round pin plug. The voltage is 220/230 AC at 50 cycles per second.
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Medical
Although the public hospitals are overrun and understaffed if you have to resort to using then you can expect excellent medical care. It just might take a while. There are a number of private clinics and hospitals that are much more pleasant but at a major premium. Pharmacies are well stocked and should have most general medication but for prescription medication remember to bring anything you need.
Malaria is not a problem in Cape Town so it is not necessary to take precautions. For emergencies dial 10177 for an ambulance and 10111 for police from a landline. If you are using a cell phone dial 112.
The African Sun
Don't say you weren't warned, the sun in Cape Town can be very harsh if you don't protect yourself. Make sure you have sun-block at hand at all times. Its good to note that sun-block costs quite a lot less in South Africa than in other countries so rather than buy your sun products at home buy them when you get to Cape Town.
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Languages
There are 11 official languages in South African most of which are traditional African languages. Fascinating to hear, these languages are generally spoken in localised communities and all business and trade is predominantly English and Afrikaans.
Afrikaans is a spin off from the Dutch settlers and is very similar to Flemish and if you are Dutch, German or the like you might be able to make yourself understood in your home tongue but generally English is the way to go.
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Business and Economy
Cape Town is situated in The Western Cape. The local economy is vibrant but small relative to the behemoth Johannesburg equivalent. Large industry growth areas include Tourism, Film and Advertising industries, Exports and much more. The large operating harbour, minutes from the city centre, provides easy access to shipping and the internal infrastructure of roads, railway and air make the city very well connected internally and externally.
Residential real estate competes easily with other sought after destinations the world over with oceanfront property lavish and full of flair. In global terms however, cheap does not adequately explain how undervalued some of this real estate is, so if you are in the market for an oceanfront Pierre de tar this is the place to come looking.
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Getting Around
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The public transport system in Cape Town leaves a lot to be desired. Although serviced with Trains and Busses the system is antiquated and a lot below standard. This is apparently an issue currently being dealt with but for now getting around, as a tourist, is generally reserved to using Meter Taxi's and renting a car.
There is a well developed system of Mini-bus taxi's that are reckless to say the least but they are the cheapest and most convenient way of getting around. Merely gesturing your little finger towards them will see them slamming on breaks and cutting across lanes of traffic to pick you up but be ready for a squashed seat, very loud music and a new perspective of driving skills.
The Metered taxi industry is somewhat regulated but all taxi's should be marked with a yellow taxi light on the roof and the rates should be printed on the outside of the door. The industry standard is R7 per kilometre.
There are many rental agencies at the airport, but in season you can be hard pressed to find a vehicle so book in advance. For more information use the advanced search function on the site, type "car rental"!
DRIVING
Driving in Cape Town can be hair raising to say the least. The roads are very well maintained but are confusing to the novice and we are convinced, designed to get you lost at times. Having said that, once comfortable with the roads it is an easy city to navigate.
South Africans drive on the Left hand side of the road and they tend to drive over the speed limit even though speeding is monitored through cameras and on the spot speed traps. Speed limits vary but are generally 120km/h on highways and 60km/h in residential zones and fines can be hefty, if caught.
Advice is to drive on the limit but stay out of the fast lane to let the speedier locals get past. Capetonians are renowned for over taking on the left on multi-lane roads so beware of this. It is not uncommon to move into the emergency shoulder lane, over the yellow line to let people pass, just make sure you have a clear view up ahead.
Parking in the city is all metered. You can buy an ADO Parking card at most corner shops and café's and that will work throughout the city and the country. Try and avoid help from informal vendors and don't park illegally as your car is likely to be towed and/or fined.
Car rental age is 23 and up due to insurance complications so if you are under 23 you will have to pay hefty young driver's supplement.
WALKING
Once within the city centre it is easily walkable. The flash map on the opening page shows landmarks that are all easily accessible by foot once in the city centre. Walking from dot to dot will provide an excellent walking tour. Getting from the city to other more outlying areas is not really accessible on foot. Note that as with any city, exercise caution. Do not walk alone at night in badly lit or quiet areas and do not carry all your valuables on you. It is strongly advised that women on their own avoid walking alone at night. Make use of the hotel safe. At night, rather take a metered taxi.
MAPS
For maps of Cape Town visit the excellent Visitor Information Centre in The Pinnacle Building corner of Burg and Castle Street in the city Centre. They have free maps and loads of information and also have some computers with Internet access.
Otherwise the best thing to do is purchase a map online in the book store.
The map on the opening page of this site is available in the free downloadable e-book on the site and is good enough for the city centre. For more extensive directions consult www.swoop.co.za . This easy to use engine will provide detailed directions from anywhere in the city and its free. A great bet for those driving themselves around.
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Crime
South Africa has undergone a major perception shift. From being considered one of the most dangerous destinations to now being considered one of the safest, the adjustment has been quick. Crime is a major concern in the townships and petty crime is everywhere around the city and surrounds. Never leave your belongings unattended or in the car in clear sight. Use the trunk for clothing and shopping and keep valuables on your person rather than in the car unattended. Informal car 'guards' can get quite rude and abrasive and expect a tip for the service of 'watching' your car. R2 is more than enough.
The whole city centre is monitored by closed circuit cameras from a central control unit and has done wonders for safety in the inner city. Avoid buying anything from the street children; they will try sell you anything from drugs to watches. Do not accept anything from them.
For more information on safety in Cape Town visit Red24
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The Gay Scene in Cape Town
The Gay community in Cape Town is large and growing. A hotspot for gay culture, Cape Town boasts a very liberal attitude and is very accepting. The famous Mother City Queer Project (MCQP) Party attracts 10000 people from around the world every December who descend upon Cape Town dressed to the prevailing theme and ready to party. A must for all open-minded travellers.
There are many places that cater directly to the gay community and they are detailed in the search area of the site. Just type in 'gay' and it will bring up all he relevant places to stay, eat, party etc.
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