Traveling to Cape Town, South Africa? Five Things You Should Do

Cape Town, South Africa is an incredibly beautiful and diverse city, and you might be surprised at the number of options for amazing things to do. Cape Town has endless outdoor recreational activities, culture and even an extravagant night life. Here you'll find something for everyone. If you're visiting this wonderful city for the first time, here are five things you don't want to miss.

Penguins

Who doesn't love penguins? Cape Town is one of the few places in the world where you can get up close to penguins in the wild. The colony of 3,000 penguins lives at Boulders Beach which is part of Table Mountain National Park.

This is a beautiful beach, and the water is perfect for swimming. Did you know you can swim in the sea right along with the penguins? The park is also home to a number of baboons and the Cape Mountain zebra. Seals, sharks, dolphins and whales can be spotted in the bay as well.

It just doesn't get much better than this. It is a bit of a drive from downtown Cape Town, about 45 minutes, but well worth it for this incredible experience.

Wine Tour

You might think you know wine and beautiful wine country if you've been to Napa Valley or some of California's other vineyards, but nothing is like the wine country of Cape Town.

Be prepared for some of the most spectacular scenery, along with outstanding wine tours provided by locals with an intense passion for wine. There are a wide variety of tours available, but I can highly recommend Luhambo Tours.

It is said that the richness and diversity of the soil produces the most excellent wines, in much the same way as it does with the South African people.

Horseback riding on Noordhoek Beach

Noordhoek Beach is one of the most spectacular white sand beaches I have ever experienced. The picturesque shoreline seems endless, and the turquoise water the most brilliant blue you can imagine.

Cape Adventure Zone offers a two hour horseback ride on Noordhoek Beach, and the outfit will even pick you up at your door in Cape Town. They even include snacks, drinks and a riding hat, and the entire package is only about $90 USD per person. If you don't need a ride, the package is as little as $60 USD.

Two Oceans Aquarium

The aquarium is located on Cape Town's Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, and offers a glimpse of the wide variety of sea life found off the South African Coast. Here you'll find over 3,000 species, ranging from mammals, fish, reptiles, birds and more.

The more adventurous can even go diving with the sharks in the predator exhibit. I prefer watching the sharks from the outside, but I'm sure this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those who are brave enough.

Night life

Don't miss out on Cape Town's great nightlife. Another great thing about the V & A waterfront is there is so much to do after dark. The culture here is so diverse, and the bars, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment certainly reflect that.

Restaurants here stay open after midnight, so you don't have to worry about arriving early. On Saturday and Sunday the Waterfront Ampitheatre offers live music and entertainment, and the Green Dolphin Restaurant has Live Jazz seven days a week.

One thing's for sure, you will never be bored while visiting Cape Town, South Africa.