| Read all about it ...
The Atlantic Seaboard
is the trendiest and most expensive of Cape Town’s seaside real estate,
curving west from the Waterfront to the southern
tip of the peninsula. Posh suburbs are perched on the steep slopes of Table
Mountain with dazzling views of the ocean.
The sea water is icy, cooler
by a few degrees than on the False Bay side. Plunging in is a great
shock to the system but the beaches are gorgeous, perfect for catching
a tan, picnicking or sundowners – the sun sets over the ocean on this side,
setting it ablaze with colour. The rugged crags of the Twelve Apostles
loom above the bays and coastal road which runs from Mouille Point
all the way to Llandudno.
On the western side of the
Waterfront the coastal road leads to the suburbs of Mouille Point and
Green
Point. Originally a dodgy red-light district, the recent access to
the Waterfront has turned them into a flourishing area of restaurants,
clubs and accommodation. When the sea mists roll in don’t be alarmed by
the foghorn from Green Point lighthouse – it’s incredibly loud. This chubby
Victorian beacon is rather cute and looks like it comes straight out of
a children’s book - painted with diagonal red and white stripes. |
View
Map of the Atlantic Seaboard
|
Sea Point merges with
Green
Point and has a well earned reputation for good eating places. High
rise apartments compete for ocean views and along the promenade there’s
a cosmopolitan blend of yuppies, retired folk with pooches, moms pushing
prams, street kids and vagrants. This slight shabbiness dissolves as you
head into Bantry Bay, flush with upmarket resort hotels and self-catering
apartments – all within easy walking distance of the restaurants.
Just around the corner one
heads into heavyweight real estate turf. Sheltered by Lion’s Head, Clifton
is awash with stunning apartments edging four amazing beaches that are
packed with gorgeous bodies in summer.
 The
palm-fringed white beach and jet set crowd of Camps Bay has earned
it the reputation of being the 'Cape Riviera'. It’s crammed with beachfront
bistros, restaurants and cocktail venues and even has its own Theatre on
the Bay.
Llandudno is an isolated
upmarket seaside suburb that has a laid back beach flanked by enormous
boulders. It’s a good surfing spot and gets hectically busy on weekends.
Hout Bay is conveniently
situated with two routes into the city. You can either travel along Victoria
Road towards Camps Bay or travel inland via
Constantia. Accommodation
is plentiful and the town is family friendly with a large fishing harbour,
shopping centres and a great beach. Scrutinize curious species at the World
of Birds, check out spazas, shebeens and a local witchdoctor on a township
tour or take a scenic boat trip to Seal Island.
 Chapman’s
Peak Drive is an exhilarating 10 km road cut into the mountainside
with cliffs dropping into the sea. The viewpoints allow you to stop and
gaze at the breathtaking vista of Hout
Bay and the Sentinel. If the weather is dodgy it could dangerous
so phone before making the trip as it could be closed.
Noordhoek
is a rather sleepy, horsy settlement lying at the foot of Chapman’s
Peak. Closest to the beach is the Red herring restaurant and Fingo
Cafe and on the main road is the Noordhoek Farm Village, a good place to
stop on family outings. You can stock up on locally grown fresh produce
or have a casual al fresco lunch under the trees.
Kommetjie
is just a 3km walk along the beach but a 15km drive inland. It has a famous
surf spot and attracts lots of surfer types. Slangkop lighthouse illuminates
the village at night and is the tallest cast-iron lighthouse on South Africa’s
coast.
From here it’s a 10km drive
to Misty Cliffs and Scarborough,
the most remote suburbs along the peninsula.
Bordering Cape Point, these
far flung villages are frequented by troops of wild baboon who sometimes
wreck havoc if they manage to gain access into the houses. You can often
spot them frolicking along the road from Kommetjie.
©
Safarinow.com
Top
V
& A Waterfront Travel Guide:
Lying
west of the industrial Duncan Dock, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront,
now simply called the Waterfront, is Cape Town's original Victorian harbour.
Before its construction
the Cape of Storms was notorious for wrecking ships during ferocious winter
spells.
In 1860 a very young Prince
Alfred ceremoniously dumped the first load of stone to begin work on the
Breakwater and 1869 the twin basin dock was completed.
Renovated period buildings,
imitation Victorian malls, piers and a busy harbour coexist with an astonishing
collection of pubs, clubs, eateries, museums and outdoor theatres set against
the panoramic view of Table Mountain.
 The
star of the show is the two-level Victoria Wharf, crammed with an array
of shops, cinemas, kiosks and stalls. It houses a diverse variety of restaurants,
ranging from sushi bars, coffee shops, take-out joints and upmarket venues,
the most popular being the outdoor ones where you can enjoy the vistas
created by harbour lights and the surreal lit Table Mountain.
The Visitor Centre on Dock
Road is the starting point for an outstanding self-guided historical tour
interspersed with 32 information boards. You can purchase a map here and
gather information or book tours and taxis. 021-408-7600
Just around the corner from
the Visitor Centre is a hit with kids, the Telkom Exploratorium. It's a
small interactive science museum that ranks a close second to the Two Oceans
Aquarium as an entertaining and educational spot to keep children happy.
The centrally situated Old
Port Captain's Office lies next to the modern swing bridge, connecting
it to the whimsical Clock Tower and further along the Nelson Mandela Gateway.
Here you can book the only
tours on Robben Island, and it's the departure point for the ferry. The
Gateway has a restaurant and museum with high-tech interactive displays
conveying the island's history, voices of prisoners and freedom songs.
©
Safarinow.com
Top
|
