1. Let’s go to the beach!
Capetonians and Durbanites have some of South Africa’s best beaches outside their homes, and they know how to make the most of them. So put on your Plakkies (flip-flops in Afrikaans) and join them on the golden white sands.
The rolling waves and warm water of Durban’s Golden Mile, right on the Indian Ocean, make it a great place to learn how to surf (book in advance with Living the Dream Surf School). Cyclists can rent bikes at The Bike and Bean and ride along the beach with the locals.
Getting to Cape Town’s Atlantic Ocean beaches from the city is easy. They have clean sand, lush scenery, and amazing views. Fourth Beach in upscale Clifton is a famous, sheltered Blue-Flag beach where you can sunbathe and watch people. The Blue-Flag is a prized award for sustainability and high environmental standards. When you’ve had enough sun, head to The Bungalow for a drink.
2. Dine around Durban
Whatever your style or budget, Durban delivers. Something fast and cheap to take with you? CaneCutter’s in Glenwood is the place to go to try bunny chow, Durban’s version of a sandwich. It’s a half or quarter white loaf hollowed out and filled with curry. This is one of the benefits of Durban having the biggest Indian population outside of India.
Want a slow Sunday brunch with a view of the Indian Ocean? People from Durban who like to take it easy go to Surf Riders Cafe at Addington Beach. It serves burgers, pastas, pizzas, and drinks that match the laid-back atmosphere.
How about a stylish, modern place to eat with a menu that changes with the seasons and is full of new tastes? Executive chef Kayla-Ann Osborn, who has won a lot of awards, works her magic in the open kitchen at The Chefs’ Table in upscale Umhlanga Rocks, not far from the ocean. “What’s going on in the kitchen is really what makes the restaurant’s atmosphere,” says Osborn. “Our menu changes daily, and we only work with small-scale, organic, sustainable, free-range farmers. We use whatever they bring us in the morning, which makes our menu as fresh, unique, and different as Durban itself.”
3. Have faith and take a leap
South Africa’s mountains and seas are great places for adventures, but there are also many exciting things to do in the cities. As soon as you’re hooked up to one of Fly Cape Town Paragliding’s experts on Signal Hill or Lion’s Head, you’ll swoop over the city and fly down to the Atlantic.
Stephan Kruger, a paragliding teacher and business owner, says, “South Africans are a pretty active bunch.” “For many of us, the weekend is all about being outside: going to the beach, hiking, riding bikes, or throwing ourselves off things safely.”
Join them in Johannesburg, where the Soweto Towers Vertical Adventure Centre offers 300-foot bungee jumps from a bridge between the township’s two famous cooling stacks. In Durban, the Moses Mabhida Stadium’s Big Rush Big Swing, the world’s tallest rope swing, lets riders free fall 260 feet into the stadium bowl.
4. Learn about society in Cape
Cape Town was named the World Design Capital in 2014, and in the past few years, young, bright artists have filled the city’s galleries and event spaces with their work. The opening of The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) in 2017 under one of the city’s most stylish hotels, The Silo, confirmed the city’s place on the international art and design scene.
MOCAA is on nine floors of a historic grain store that was turned into a museum. It has the biggest collection of modern African art on the continent. With 100 galleries, a sculpture garden, and an atrium that looks like a cathedral, it’s a big but calm place that shows work by artists like William Kentridge, Zanele Muholi, and Athi-Patra Ruga from South Africa. Even though MOCAA has quickly become the coolest place to go for both foreign tourists and Capetonians, it is still open to everyone because African citizens can get in for free every Wednesday.
5. Go out on the town in Jo’burg
Many of the city’s old buildings are being used in creative new ways, like as industrial drinking spots and fun places to go out. This is happening all over the city thanks to several regeneration projects. Hip Johannesburg residents looking for music, craft beers, and botanical gins are now drawn to Maboneng and Newtown. Near the city’s university, the bohemian area of Melville draws a crowd of students. In Ferreirasdorp, 1 Fox Precinct was built on the site of a gold-mining camp from the 1880s. It has live music and events, bars, restaurants, and a handmade distillery and brewery. At 44 Stanley in Braamfontein, industrial buildings from the 1930s now house independent restaurants and bars around a leafy courtyard, fountain, and arcades. A laundromat in Illovo hides the entrance to one of the city’s most popular speakeasies, J.Rabbit Tequileria, which has South Africa’s largest selection of premium tequila and mezcal.
6. Meet the people who make things
South Africans love shopping malls. The country has just under 2,000 malls with everything from high-end clothes to the newest technology. But to see what the country’s artists and makers are up to, go to one of its city markets or art and design shows.
The cool Neighbourgoods Market brings colour and creativity to The Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town and Braamfontein in Johannesburg every Saturday. It has a wide range of food and fashion stalls, as well as live music to keep you entertained while you shop. In Johannesburg, the neighbourhood of Soweto has a great arts and crafts market every month. In Durban, the I Heart Market at the Moses Mabhida Stadium has jewellery, ceramics, and vintage items. The First Thursdays programme lets people in Cape Town and Johannesburg see museums, theatres, and other cultural sites for free until 9 p.m. or later on the first Thursday of every month.
7. Get a view of Soweto from a local
Soweto was once the centre of political protest in South Africa. Both Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu used to live there. But now, blue plaques all over the city, as well as the Mandela House National Museum, tell us of the city’s important place in history. Soweto still has traditional shebeens, an Irish word for unlicensed drinking places. The old mining centre also has restaurants, nightclubs, a four-star hotel, and homes for rent on Airbnb.
Join Soweto Outdoor Adventures on a grassroots quad-bike tour to drive through the back streets of the township, meet locals, and eat traditional shisa nyama (barbecue). Festivals like the Soweto Festival of Wine, Food, and Culture are a great way to get to know this unique South African neighbourhood.
8. Do something big in Cape Town
Book a table at The Test Kitchen in Cape Town’s Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock for international dishes with a uniquely South African twist. Owner and chef Luke Dale-Roberts serves tantalising small bites in The Dark Room and gives exceptional tasting menus the light they deserve in The Light Room. Dale-Roberts is one of the most creative cooks on the continent right now. He is always trying new things.
You can eat food from all over the world in Cape Town, but when it comes to wine, you don’t need to go anywhere else but the Cape’s world-class wineries. The Stellenbosch, Constantia, and Franschhoek wineries make award-winning bottles you can enjoy in the city or sip on a lazy, sunny afternoon at the farms. Cheers!!
