South African Holiday Highlights: Visiting Cape Point

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by Kelly Wheeler

No trip to South Africa is complete without a visit to Cape Town and no trip to Cape Town is complete without a visit to the historic and picturesque Cape Point. As one of Cape Town's top three tourist destinations, Cape Point offers visitors some of the highest cliffs and freshest air in the world. This nature reserve is seeped in history and offers a multitude of attractions to keep the entire family busy for a whole day.

A Historic Area

Cape Point has made its way into the history books for as long history books have existed. Relics from the Khoisan people have been dated as far back as 2000 years ago and the area is rich in artefacts, middens and rock art. The year 1488 saw the first ship travel around Cape Point and due to a storm, Portuguese captain Bartholomeu Dias stopped and nicknamed the area Cabo Tormentoso or Cape of Storms. The area became a favourite stop off point along the spice route to India and the likes of frequent visitors like Vasco Da Gama are remembered here for revolutionising of global economics through their trade with the East. King John of Portugal later renamed the area Cabo da Boa Esperança or the Cape of Good Hope for all prosperity the area brought to the Portuguese people and the name has stuck right up until today.

Getting There - The Cape Point Route

Even the actual trip down to the Cape Peninsula's southern most point is a scenic and exciting one and offers many attractions along the way. Heading through the historic town of Hout Bay could easily distract you as there are many quaint restaurants, unique shops and picturesque spots to visits. Named 'Wood Bay' by Jan van Riebeeck after its dense forests, the people of Hout Bay have preserved this small town's environment, atmosphere and history. Leaving Hout Bay, head along Chapman's Peak Drive, South Africa's most revered engineering achievement. The road, created by blasting through granite and sandstone in 1922, offers one of the most spectacular ocean drives in the world. Cape Town's last remaining rural area, Noordhoek lies at the foot of 'Chappies' and is famed for its seemingly never ending long white beach. A stop-off in Noordhoek has to include a visit to the Kakapo shipwreck that ran aground there in 1900, after mistaking Chapman's Peak for Cape Point. The last stop before Cape Point is Kommetjie, the 2000 year old home of the Khoisan and is famous for its numerous middens and ancient stone implements that dot the beaches.

Approaching Cape Point from the other direction is just as scenic and is also guaranteed to make you stop many times along the way. Starting in Muizenberg and following the Indian Ocean, this scenic drives tracks the railway all the way through to Cape Point. Large colonial homes dot this route and many have been turned into fascinating museums chronicling the history of the area. Stop off in the quaint Kalk Bay which is renowned for its quirky shops, antiques and vibrant fishing harbour. Fish Hoek's beautiful beaches are an inviting break from the road and the warm water of the Indian Ocean makes swimming a pleasure. The last stop before Cape Point is the naval town of Simon's Town. As South Africa's third oldest town, there are many museums and historical attractions to explore, including the toy museum and the Roman Rock Lighthouse.

Cape Point's Many Attractions

Interact with the baboons, learn about the history of this magnificent destination and see some rather unusual sights when you spend a day at Cape Point. The lighthouse at Cape Point is the most powerful along the Southern African coast and its light reaches over 63 km out to sea. Built in 1860 on Cape Point Peak, the 238m above sea level beacon was unbelievably often obscured by cloud, allowing many a ship to crash on the coast's treacherous rocks. It was moved in 1911 to its current location and is a fascinating sight to see.

Those treacherous rocks have signalled the end for many ships over the years and the coast is littered with hulking wrecks. The Lusitania, a ship carrying over 700 people struck Bellows Rock just below the lighthouse and finally forced the change in the lighthouse's location. The last ship to fall victim to the rock was as recent as 1968, when the Phyllisia, a Cape Town trawler sank just after midnight. Spotting these dark shapes in the waves is a thrill for tourists and history buffs alike and make for an unusual addition to a Cape Point trip.

Viewing all the sights of Cape Point is possible through leisurely hikes and walks, but for the less outdoors-inclined, the exciting funicular will whisk you right from the parking lot to the lighthouse. You can sit back in comfort and view the scenery is this environmentally-friendly way to travel around the point. The only one of its kind in the world, the funicular is a novelty that the kids will love.

The Global Atmosphere Watch Station is also a must-see at Cape Point and was designed to blend in with the rock face and surroundings. Monitoring the pure Cape Point air gives scientists useful information regarding climate change and is one of the 20 prestigious stations that are scattered around the world. Visiting the Buffelsfontein Visitors Centre is also a learning experience with many artefacts, displays and videos about the rich history and environmental importance of the area.

If you would prefer to be out in the fresh air while you learn about Cape Point, digital tour companies offer extensive tour videos that are downloadable straight to your computer or mobile phone. These multilingual video travel guides allow you to see the sights first hand while listening to your own personal tour guide's detailed explanation of each one's history and significance. End off a trip to Cape Point with a delectable meal at the Two Ocean's Restaurant. Situated high above the ocean, the views are unparalleled, giving diners a meal to end off a trip that they will never forget.

Travel to South Africa just got a whole lot easier! mobiguide provides international travellers with a range of audio/visual multilingual content focusing on various South African travel highlights – think of a mobiguide as your own personal tour guide. Download the multilingual travel guides straight to your computer or mobile phone and start planning your South African holiday today.

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