Outdoor Activities
Cape Town is located in the beautiful West Cape area. There are many opportunities for day trips and hikes. And if you have seen enough, you can relax on one of the many beaches.
Surfing
Cape Town has many exellent surf spots. About 48 spot lie within an hours drive from the city. Most of these can be found on the west side of the Cape Peninsula, facing the Atlantic Ocean, but the east side, facing the Indian Ocean, also has its places.
A small selection:
Glen Beach: one of the most established surf spots in Cape Town. Many South African top surfers are locals here. Its a shortish ride, but can deliver superlative form when the banks and conditions are right. Works best at 2-5 and is sheltered from the Southeasterly gales that howl down from the Twelve Apostles above.
Llandudno: One Cape Towns most popular spots. Depending on the shifting sand banks, Llandudno can deliver terrific barrels. The Gat, so named for its spitting tubes, is a thick wedge that breaks near the boulders to the right of the bay. If the Gat isnt working, there is usually a sand bar closer to the middle of the bay where a hollow righthander breaks. Its often crowded even though the water in summer is often freezing, down to 9 degrees.
Thermopylae: this wave breaks at the sunken remains of the ship Thermopylae in Mouille Point. It takes quite a swell before this spot begins to break, and beware of the E. coli coming out of the nearby sewage outlet.
Chapmans Peak drive
For the most stunning coalstal views you have ever seen. This 10 kn. drive takes you along the sheer cliffs between colorful sedimentary rocks facing Chapmans bay. This coastal drive from Hout Bay to Noordhoek will take your breath away.
Cape Peninsula National Park
The CPNP is a small but beautiful nature reserve right on the tip of the Cape Peninsula. This small area has one of the worlds highest densities in plant species. It is home to 2,285 plant species (by comparison, the British Isles have 1,492 species). There are large areas covered in fynbos (fine bush, characterised by proteas, grasses and erica), patches of grassland, strandveld (hardy beach vegetation) and evergreen forest.
Apart from the many plants and flowers, there is also a fair amount of wildlife to bee seen. Baboons, ostriches, different types of bok and otters still roam the Peninsula. Be sure to keep an eye out for the countless colourful birds, some of which evolved to live exclusively on the large flowers of the fynbos.
You can see a good amount of the park driving around it. This is the fastest way to see the highlights, like Cape of Good Hope, the penguins at Boulders, and Signal Hill Lookout. If you want to get out of your car and take a closer look, there are many hiking trails, ranging from short and easy trails, to longer, more demanding tours. It is certainly worthwile to take a walk trough the park. Walking along the fragrant bush, you can take a steep stairway to a small beach right out of a tropical commercial at the foot of a cliff, or find yourself facing a startled turtle.
