South Africa
This restaurant specialising in fresh seafood offers a unique experience of dining in style, whilst practically sitting on a beach. The Seafood Platter consists of an impressive variety of locally caught delicacies, served attractively in stunning surroundings.
Beach Rd., Fish Hoek, Cape Town
Tel.+2721 7823354
www.fishhoekgalley.com
Cape Town is a city of spectacular sights! If in a chair, take a cruise from the V&A waterfront. The city and table mountain will float by. Many wine and safari tours are accessible too!
The Cape of Good Hope is part of Table Mountain National Park and apart from the views from the lighthouse on the point overlooking the Indian Ocean at the place where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, there are lots of good, well-marked hiking trails (maps from the Park office at the foot of the lighthouse) in the park with plenty of wildlife to see (dassies, ostriches, springboks, birds etc).
This is the best view in The Cape. You dine on superb food while the restaurant turns at a leisurely pace giving you a view of the city from on high.
It's 22 storeys up at the top of the Ritz hotel and looks like an alien spaceship has landed on top of the building to the casual observer. Inside it's well decorated with an open kitchen and candles on the tables.
There is nowhere else you can get this standard for so little money (mains from 90 rand). A pianist plays while you dine which, combined with the great food and super service, makes for an unforgettable experience.
You cant miss it. Its that building in Sea Point with the flying saucer on the top. Ritz Hotel Sea Point
For quality accomodation with a difference - self catering accommodation at lighthouses.
September 2005 we stayed at two, Danger Point near Gansbaai/Hermanus - excellent location with a good restaurant a few minutes away, very handy for shark and whale watching, lighthouse keeper couldn't have been friendlier.
CapeColumbine, Northern Cape, another excellent location with the village of Paternoster nearby with a choice of quality eateries. Lighthouse keeper's a real character.
Accommodation very high quality and we would say good value from a European viewpoint. Danger Point - sleeps 4, from R581 per night not per person.
Danger Point, by the way, was the site of the wreck of HMS Birkenhead which gave us Birkenhead drill, ie women and children first.
This must be the best seafood restaurant in the whole world.
The whole lunch experience starts at 12pm when you pitch up on the beach with your own cooler box filled with wine and ice cold beer.
From there, a 12 course seafood meal gets served along with homebaked African bread made in the cast iron ovens on the beach.
All in all this experience will have you playing in the sun and sea while dining in a five-star location with the best meal. You're kindly asked to leave by 6pm but I'm sure if you ask nicely they will let you stay for the dinner session which is from 7pm - 2am.
This is a little nature treat off the beaten track about 30 minutes south of Cape Town.
Hike to 'Elephant's eye' and enjoy stunning views over Hout Bay or go for a swim in the dam.
Take the M3 South to its end, turn right and take the Oulde Kaapse Weg left into the mountain. At the mountain top, turn off right (follow signs for Silvermine).
One of the most spectacular strips of tarmac in the world. A 6 mile road from Hout Bay to Noordhoek in the Southern Cape Peninsula, Cape Town, perched 300 metres above the churning Atlantic Ocean. Spot the whales below in season.
Check out this street map of South Africa to find Chapmans Peak - click down to Hout Bay, just south of Cape Town city centre: www.africanbudgetsafaris.com/south-africa-street-map.htm
This place is just amazing. Went there recently and had a magical time. Food was outsanding but the scenery is out of this world. Highly recommend taking a boat trip. This is for the more extravagent traveller.
You can view it here:
www.visionsofafrica.co.uk/holidaysbydestinationandtype.asp?DestinationID=1&HolidayTypeID=2
And it booked it with these guys:
www.visionsofafrica.co.uk/destination.asp?DestinationID=1
Most tourists to the Cape only stick with the tried and tested routes and experiences. !Khwa ttu is one of the very few GENUINE San Bushmen-led initiatives in southern Africa. It's set on stunning hillside overlooking the coast and Table Mountain and here you can meet the San, learn about hunting, gathering, tracking, take a trailer ride, see all of the amazing game and other animals, go on hikes, enjoy the restaurant or stay in their amazinginly peaceful accommodation (cottage or tents). There is a museum, art gallery, training centre, conference facilities and shop too.
I recommend it because I lived and worked with the San in southern Africa until recently and this is the BEST thing I have seen out there, that really, practically helps the San and teaches tourists about some of the real issues still alive in South Africa today...
What's more it's as cheap as chips if you are coming from Europe!
www.khwattu.org email - info@khwattu.org
It's just 70 km drive north of Cape Town - takes 40 minutes and just a short drive from the historic village of Darling and the beautiful beaches of Yzerfontein.
For those not quite energetic enough to walk up Table Mountain, take the cable car. As it goes up the car rotates through 360 degrees, so you get all of the view without moving. At the top the views can be spectacular - depending on the weather. Keep an eye on the weather, as the cable car can be closed at short notice, if bad weather is expected. While you're up there, take a guided walk with one of the volunteer guides. You will hear about the flora and fauna but also a lot of information about the rest of the mountain and Cape Town
At the bottom of Table Mountain and the Lion's Head, gives great views of Cape Town nestling below, and across to Bloombergstrad and Robben Island. A great place for sunsets.
Just follow the view from the Lion's Head
Climbing Lion's Head was the best thing I did in Cape Town, sitting out on the rocks in the early evening was a highlight. Not only is the view fantastic but you also get the satisfaction of knowing you climbed all the way to the top to see it. Seeing the city laid out beneath you and Robben Island in the bay, puts life into perspective especially in a city as thought provoking as Cape Town.
A quaint and vibrant area, perfect for a sunday stroll, right on the seafront with a view across False Bay to Gordon's Bay and Strand. It is jam packed with brilliant restaurants (Brass Bell, Cape to Cuba, Polano to mention a few). And it has the best ice cream in town plus wonderful antique, art, jewellery and other assorted (but interesting) old shops to browse through (including a nursery) and, best of all, is easy to access by car or train.
It is on the route for a drive to Simon's Town/Cape Point and near to Muizenberg beach for those who want to swim or stroll on the sand. The best place for a meeting of old friends.
Road: Past Fish Hoek on Main Road (heading towards Simon's Town), just before Boyes Drive intersects with Main Road.
Train: the train track runs right past and there is (as far as I know!) a station at Kalk Bay
The route goes past the best views in the Cape and what better way to see them than from a bike with 35,000 other people, just pray the wind doesn't blow.
Scarborough is still relatively tourist free despite the great scenery on offer on the drive there - head along the coast and over the pass from Noordhoek, past Misty Cliffs and into Scarborough. Cobbs itself is situated just back from the beach and offers great food and even better views. After your meal drive over Red Hill for the best views of Simon's Town on offer!
By far the best pub in Cape Town. From the deck you have views of Chapman's Peak rising on the one side and views of 9 Mile Beach on the other, the fact that they serve a great pint and decent pub fare is a bonus.
Cnr Beach & Pine Road, Noordhoek
(021) 789 1783
Chapman's Peak Drive has only recently opened after being closed for a number of years for safety repairs. The drive takes you along the coast where you'll enjoy the most breathtaking scenery in Africa. The best way to approach it is from the South as it's much easier to stop at the viewing points. This drive should definitely be in your top ten list of things to do in Cape Town.
One of the northern suburbs as the bay curves around, it offers great views back to the city and Table Mountain (from the same sort of angle as Robben Island).
The beach is quite good too.
Map here - www.safarinow.com/destinations/Atlantic-Seaboard-North/map.aspx
A great place to go for sundowners, this bar has one of the most spectacular views in Cape Town. The bar overlooks Clifton and the Atlantic.
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