I believe Cape Town is the most beautiful region in the world.
While it does have a reputation for its high crime rates, I’ve always felt safe on my 7+ trips there. I’m quite sure that’s because I was always travelling with my South African parents. They knew how to act like the locals.
So I’ve interviewed Rosemary who’s lived in Cape Town for the last 18 years so she can pass on her pearls of local wisdom for you to enjoy this jewel of a city as safely as possible. I’m sure you’ll find her safety and sightseeing tips reassuring and insightful.
‘As long as you’re sensible I think it’s reasonably safe. As a general rule, as long as you go in a group and stay to the most well-known areas, you don’t really come across a lot of crime.’
‘Most of the well-known areas are safe, one wouldn’t want to go into some of the high-density housing areas because that’s where you get gangs and more crime, but they’re not generally on the tourist routes.’
‘If you are walking by yourself or in a small group, don’t flash your cell phone or big cameras, don’t leave valuables on the back seat of your car. Rather use your air-con than open your car windows because you might get opportunists who want to snatch a bag. A lot of hire cars these days automatically lock when you start driving which is a wise thing to do.’
‘It would be better to be in a group, like joining a tour group if possible, and staying in populated areas even applies to couples and small groups, it’s generally safer.’
‘We’re less likely to get rain in the summer months of December to March, but you will get wind, so they always say that February is the best time because it’s the least windy summer month.’
Whether you want beaches, mountains, nightlife, vineyards, or penguins, Cape Town has it all.
Follow Rosemary’s tips, be sensible, and hopefully like I haven’t, you won’t run into any problems while exploring one of the world’s most stunning cities.
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