If I had to pick one of my favourite places that I’ve travelled to before, it would hands down be Cape Town, South Africa. The city is vibrant, full of culture, and incredibly beautiful. I was there in the winter of 2018 for the Worlds University Debating Championships and I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to not only have judged some phenomenal debaters, but also to be in Cape Town. It is definitely more expensive to visit than other places due to the distance, but it should definitely be on your bucket list. Here are my recommendations for places to visit if you ever find yourself there!
Cape of Good Hope
Boulder Beach
Camp’s Bay/Clifton Beach
Table Mountain/Lion’s Peak
Waterfront & the Ferris Wheel there
University of Cape Town Campus
Botanical Gardens
Flea Market
Robben Island
I know before going my parents were really concerned about safety. I heard countless remarks about watching my purse and not going places by myself. While these were all good natured and I know my parents were just worried about me, I must say that the people I met in Cape Town were so kind and helpful. Of course I was still careful but it was nothing like what I expected. Everyone there was so kind! When I was hiking Lion’s Peak, I met some native South Africans who encouraged me to keep going and not give up. They were picking up trash along the way and we discussed how disappointing it was to see tourists disrespect the beauty of the mountain. Not only that, but one day my sunglasses broke and I needed a screwdriver to fix them. I walked into a local optical store and the owner fixed my glasses for free, even though I had offered to pay for it. As long as you aren’t reckless and make sure to take precautions, there is no reason to be scared while traveling in Cape Town. The people are incredibly friendly and helpful!
Aside from the natural beauty of the city, the nightlife and food are also incredible. There are a number of lively bars, clubs and restaurants that you must visit! As a vegetarian, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to find food as it can be difficult in areas where meat is regularly eaten. However, almost everywhere I went there were a number of vegetarian options. Even Nandos and McDonalds had a number of vegetarian options. McDonald’s had a veggie burger too! There were also some really fantastic pizza places and an incredible Ethiopian restaurant called Addis.
The city is also incredibly environmentally conscious. Most places we visited had paper straws, there were recycling bins everywhere and signage in a number of places reminding people to use less water. I was so happy to see people caring for their environment in this manner. It was a breath of fresh air and after seeing Cape Town, I can’t imagine anyone wanting to destroy its beauty. It was a reminder to treat my own environment as such and protect it.
Overall, Cape Town is incredible. I cannot put into words how much I loved being there, but I will say that you definitely need to visit. Whenever I get the chance I will definitely be going back to visit and will hopefully visit other cities as well. You will be awestruck by the culture of the city. It is also a reminder that racism still exists - you can see the effects of apartheid still to this day. It was an eye opening experience and I am so thankful for the opportunity to have visited this beautiful city.
If you don’t believe me, here are some photos from my trip to Cape Town:
Snickers,
S
