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12 Apostles Peaks, Table Mountain, Cape Town

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Things to do in Cape Town

Beaches

Cape Town boasts some truly spectacular beaches, and the glorious weather makes them an almost year-round attraction - although a few chilly winter days may turn you blue rather than brown. Find a beach to suit every taste, from trendy hang-outs, to family-friendly easy-swim sites, to wild and rugged stretches. Beaches on the Atlantic seaboard are several degrees colder than those on the False Bay side, which are warmed slightly by a current. False Bay’s warmer waters makes Muizenberg beach and the little coves and inlets of Kalk Bay, St James and Fish Hoek delightful for swimming, with smaller waves and a family feel. Camps Bay has a laid-back beach bum vibe, while Boulders has a string of sheltered coves plus an endearing colony of African Penguins that happily pose for for the camera.

Surfing

If you can surf, Cape Town is the perfect place to grab your board and get out into the ocean. If you're yet to hone your board skills, then there are plenty of surfing schools waiting to teach you how. Downhill Adventures runs the oldest surf school in Cape Town, with experts who claim they can get beginners standing up and surfing within a day. They also offer sand dune boarding.

Downhill Adventures
Tel: (021) 422 0388.
Website: www.downhilladventures.com

Whale watching

The best whale watching sites are two or three hour drive from Cape Town, so ideally it’s worth spending a night or two there. Head for the most famous spot of all, Hermanus, a laid back resort where drinks and dinners are consumed against a backdrop of blowing and blubbery Southern Right Whales. The best time to view whales is between June and November. Details of routes, organised day trips from Cape Town and accommodation details for a do-it-yourself excursions are available from all tourist offices.

Diving with sharks

South Africa takes its sharks seriously, and so it should. They’re a protected species, but are still known to take a couple of people out each year. White Shark Projects in Cape Town get adrenalin junkies up close and personal with these ocean giants, but from the safety of a cage. Take a catamaran out to a deep-sea marine reserve teeming with penguins and seals – the perfect hunting ground for great whites - and head under the waves for a truly jaw-dropping experience.

Tel: (021) 405 4537.
Website: www.whitesharkprojects.co.za

Abseil Table Mountain

If you've already taken Cape Town's cable car to and from Table Mountain, why not try abseiling down the world-famous landmark? Abseil Africa lead budding abseilers on a guided walk to the highest point - 1,000m (3,280ft) above sea level - before plunging down the mountainside (in a safe and orderly manner).

Abseil Africa
Tel: (021) 424 4760.
Website: www.abseilafrica.co.za

Golf

Cape Town benefits from some fabulous golf courses, and also the weather to really enjoy them. Tourist offices have details of the local courses. Tour company Wow Cape Town Tours organises golfing trips, taking care of the bookings, tee-off times, golf clubs and accommodation, and squeezing in as many courses over as many days as you can handle.

Tel: (021) 697 0174.
Website: www.wowcapetowntours.com

Paragliding

Tandem paragliding is one swift way to a huge natural high. Cape Town Tandem Paragliding is run by professional pilots who fly from Signal Hill and Lion’s Head year-round, dawn till dusk. It’s fun and easy, and the views of Cape Town are absolutely first class.

Tel: 076 892 2283.
Website: www.paraglide.co.za

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