Things to do in Cape Town
Abseil Table Mountain
If taking a cable car down Table Mountain is just too easy, why not try abseiling down the world-famous landmark? Abseil Africa (tel: +27 (0) 21 424 4760, or text 072 065 1520 after hours; www.abseilafrica.co.za) lead budding abseilers on a guided walk to the highest point - 1,000m (3,280ft) above sea level - before leading the plunge down the mountainside.
Diving with sharks
Shark cage-diving is an increasingly popular activity, and there are several FairTrade-accredited operators who promise to get you out of the ocean in one piece. Around 40 minutes from Cape Town, African Shark Eco-Charters (tel: +27 (0) 82 838 2309; www.ultimate-animals.com) runs shark cage-diving trips from False Bay. Good, uhm, luck.
Explore Cape Town’s fabulous beaches
Cape Town has some spectacular beaches, and the weather makes them a virtual year-round attraction. Beaches on the Atlantic seaboard are several degrees colder than those on the False Bay side, where warmer waters and smaller waves makes Muizenberg, St James and Fish Hoek ideal for swimming. The Tourist Information Centre (tel: +27 86 132 2223; www.capetown.travel) will find your perfect match.
Get out into nature
Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula is a nature-lover's paradise, with trails offering indigenous gardens, Cape wildlife and some spectacular views. AWOL Tours (tel: +27 (01) 21 4183803; www.awoltours.co.za) offers hiking tours of Table Mountain or, for a change, head to Lions Head for panoramic views of Table Mountain.
Take to the waves on a surfboard
With around 50 surf spots within an hour’s drive, Cape Town is the perfect place to grab a board, whatever your ability. If you want to learn, Downhill Adventures (tel: +27 (0) 21 422 0388; www.downhilladventures.com) runs Cape Town’s oldest surf school. The tourist office (tel: +27 (0)86 132 2223; www.capetown.travel) also lists accredited surf schools.
