Cape Town and Surrounds

Cape Town and Surrounds

Cape Town anchors the southern end of any South Africa journey. Table Mountain, the Atlantic coastline and the V&A Waterfront, as a result, give the city a genuinely varied character within a compact area. Surrounding it, a short drive in either direction opens onto the Cape Winelands. Further along the coast, meanwhile, sits Hermanus, one of the best places on earth for land-based whale watching.

At Oloi Shorua, we recommend a curated collection of properties across the city itself and its immediate surrounds, from Waterfront hotels and Atlantic seaboard retreats to a quieter coastal base in Hermanus.

Why Cape Town Belongs at the Start or End of a South Africa Journey

Cape Town works well as both a destination in its own right and a practical gateway to the rest of the Western Cape. Most international flights, in fact, route through Cape Town International Airport. The city itself, as a result, rewards two or three days before continuing inland to the Winelands or further east toward the Garden Route.

Key reasons to spend time in Cape Town and its surrounds:

  • Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront and the Atlantic seaboard within a single compact city
  • Direct access to the Cape Winelands for a day trip or longer stay
  • Hermanus, roughly ninety minutes away, for some of the best land-based whale watching in the world
  • A genuine range of luxury styles, from large resort hotels to intimate private houses

Luxury Hotels in Cape Town and Surrounds

City and Waterfront

  • One&Only Cape Town — V&A Waterfront, with private island suites and Nobu’s first African outpost
  • Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel — Cape Town’s pink-walled grande dame, set in nine acres of garden since 1899
  • Cape Grace — a private quay at the V&A Waterfront, surrounded on three sides by water
  • The Silo Hotel — a converted 1920s grain silo above the Zeitz MOCAA museum
  • Taj Cape Town — the former South African Reserve Bank building, in the historic city centre

Atlantic Seaboard and City Bowl

Hermanus and the Whale Coast

  • Birkenhead House — clifftop above Walker Bay, among the best land-based whale watching in the world
  • The Marine — a clifftop hotel directly on Hermanus’ famous cliff path

When to Visit Cape Town and Surrounds

Cape Town works year-round. The city’s own peak season, however, runs from November through March, when warm, dry weather suits the beaches and outdoor dining. Hermanus, by contrast, follows a different calendar, with whale watching running strongest from June through November.

Planning a Stay in Cape Town and Surrounds

Three to four nights generally allows enough time to cover Cape Town’s main sights. A further night or two in Hermanus, in addition, suits travellers whose visit aligns with whale season. Cape Town also, in fact, pairs naturally with the Winelands as an extension of the same trip, given the short drive between them.

Plan Your South Africa Journey

If you are considering a journey that includes Cape Town, we would be pleased to help design something tailored to your interests.

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