Cape Town, South Africa Hotels and City Guide

Cape Town, South Africa, is favoured with a stunning natural setting and embraces one of the world's richest ecosystems along with iconic sights such as Table Mountain and the colonial romance of the waterfront.

Cape Town itself is compact, nestled between Table Bay and Table Mountain. The city has distinct zones, with government and business districts in the City Centre, history and culture represented by the "museum mile", and tourism, shopping and leisure are the focus of the V&A seafront. Just outside the city there is also a business park and large shopping center, Cavendish Square.

Hotels are located throughout the city, with greater density in the business district and smaller, boutique hotels along the coast.

Cape Town International airport is located just outside the city, 20-30 minutes away, depending on time of day. Taxis are safe and reliable, with meters for short hops and fixed rates can be agreed for longer distances.

Car rental is highly recommended in this city, not only for getting around the city itself, but also to drive out to enjoy the stunning scenery of the region.

The beautiful vineyard regions of Stellenbosch just outside Cape Town are worth a day's tour, with organised wine tastings and the opportunity to take a case home. For stunning views across the ocean, take a drive out to Cape Point. Legend has it that if you stand at the top of the Point on a good day you can see the line where the two oceans meet.

Cape Town City Facts

Cape Town Population: 3,103,000 (Source: UN Population Estimate Revision 2003)

South Africa Population: 45,323,000 (Source: UN Population Estimate Revision 2003)

Currency: South African Rand (ZAR)

Time Zone: GMT plus two hours, Eastern Standard Time plus seven hours, Pacific Standard Time plus ten hours

Language: Afrikaans, English and assorted African languages

Hotels in Cape Town, South Africa