Trip date – End of October 2023
Commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Alfred in 1860, the V&A waterfront is a busy hub for tourism and culture in Cape Town. From fancy hotels to chill café and bars, from big museums to art warehouses, from amphitheaters to a functioning harbor. This area seems to have everything for everyone and can easily take up the whole day and even more for exploration. The more you walk around, the more you submerge into its complex colors and vibe.
It’s the best place to stay if you want to be in the heart of the city. This is from where all tours, inland and off the coast start including REDBUS circuits. Best way to reach V & A waterfront from anywhere in the city is by booking an UBER.
Unfortunately, we could spend only half a day here and have a long list of ‘things to do’ to come back for. Here are somethings we did manage to scramble through though 🙂
Kayaking in the Atlantic Ocean from V&A waterfront to Green Point lighthouse.
Atlantic Outlook is one of the best companies to do this activity with. Their professional attitude and safety protocols, made kayaking in the ocean for first-timers like us enjoyable. Watching the city of Cape Town from a different and unique perspective was a fresh way to start the day.
Be aware that their target is to finish the tour roughly within two hours and they aim to be at the right spot at the right time to intersect any passing Common Dolphin pods which often swim close to the coast in this area. So the group moves fast – and it maybe take the fun out of it if you are not used to kayaking or paddling in sync or get distracted by the sights or a waving Cape Fur Seal – like it happened to us. Paddling on the waves is an added challenge. There is more than enough time given to rest once the group reaches the lighthouse before they turn back. They were very supportive, but we did lag behind a lot 
During whale watching season it’s not uncommon to spot whales or Orcas on this route. It was scary and surreal at the same time – one of the best things we did in Cape Town. Bookings with them can be done online here.
Walking around the port admiring the art installations and architecture.
V&A Waterfront is an art admirer’s paradise. It has art museums in close vicinity but even a stroll around the harbor can be rewarding. Art installations, antiques, and handicraft stores are scattered everywhere.
The modern artwork complements the beautiful colonial architecture from the past. Newer buildings are easily recognizable with glass facades and sharp angles. V& A truly symbolizes Cape Town’s journey between the colonial past and modern metropolis and art/culture hub.
Envy the Cape Fur Seals lazing around on the pier and go for dips in the canals.
It was our first time watching Cape Fur Seals. It was right out of the National Geographic documentary and it was an unbelievable site. We stood at the pier railing near the clocktower for a long time observing them and their cute tactics. Lazy on land and agile in water, these creatures were our constant companions during our upcoming explorations of South Africa’s Western Cape.
PLEASE maintain distance from them, don’t forget as cute as they may seem, they are wild and can bite. Don’t try to feed them and watch from afar.
Learn about conservation and dangers to marine life in Two Ocean Aquarium.
South Africa is where the cool Benguela current of the South Atlantic Ocean meets the warm Agulhas current of the Indian Ocean. This gives rise to an extremely fertile marine ecosystem all along the South African coast. It’s possible to get just a glimpse of this treasure behind the glass walls of the Two Oceans Aquarium.
Tickets can be bought online here, especially if you are planning a weekend or a local holiday visit. We were here on a weekday, so we just walked to the counter. It’s a well-maintained aquarium and the largest one in South Africa and surely worth a visit. Marine creatures from the Atlantic ocean as well as Indian Ocean are housed here. Different types of Jelly fish and Sharks were a treat to watch.
The teams here work extensively in conservation and rehabilitation work by joining hands with local communities and NGOs. One section that really hooked us was the where they bust myths around sharks. Commonly seen as devil of the sea, it was a cool experience understanding them in depth to overcome their fear.
Through out the day there are many experiences that the visitors can enjoy during certain time slots like diving in the aquarium or taking part in feeding the turtles etc… More details can be found on their website. Some of their displays also shed light on the impact of water pollution and plastic garbage in the ocean and how it affects marine life. Food for thought.
Watch the Table Mountain on one side and the busy harbor life on the other.
Waterfront has numerous cafés and bars overlooking the pier. With a glass of a Gin cocktail or a pint of a local brewed beer or a cup of locally crafted coffee in your hand and Grilled Snoek on your plate, you can spend hours watching the hustle and bustle that goes about.
Big cargo boats and mid to small-size yachts and tour boats all lined up along the Alfred basin (inner) and Victoria basin (outer). Try to be around the moving bridges over the basin exits when tour boats come in and out of their parking spots. A siren is rung and the bridges open up to make way for the boats exit. We saw one happening while we were looking at the seals enjoying their dip – but as usual, the feeling of overwhelm took over us and we missed clicking pictures!
Eat a hearty South African meal.
Karibu or ‘Welcome’ in Swahili is an old restaurant amongst a lot of new age Instagram-friendly fancy-flashy world cuisine restaurants on the periphery of Victoria Wharf mall. It serves South African cuisine paired with South African wines. We like trying new cuisines but have never been comfortable with the idea of touristy ‘eat-all-types-of animals’ or ‘safari on your plate’. Anyway, after a lot of this and that we settled for Ostrich Carpaccio and Fried Calamari for starters and Karoo Lamb Bredie and Springbok Shank for main course. It was scrumptious, a bit expensive for our budget – but it was okay, it was our only expensive meal during our visit to the city. Just a note, South African food may look like Indian food, but has very distinct blend of flavors and spices. It take s a bit of time before you like it.
Watch the world go by from the top of Cape Wheel.
All that food needed some long walk so we decided to enter one of the Cape Town’s largest malls Victoria Wharf Mall, glaring at the latest trends hitting the Cape Townians. Exiting from the other end of the mall got us to Cape Wheel complex. It overlooks Granger Bay and is the best place to get a wide view of the waterfront and adjoining areas.
Much like London’s London Eye or Osaka’s Tempo Zan Ferris Wheel, a ride on the Cape Wheel gives a bird’s-eye view of the city of Cape Town. It is a thrilling experience and is a must if you are visiting V&A waterfront.
Tickets can be bought online here, but on the day of our visit, we could easily walk up to the counter to buy ours. They give a picnic option too for an extra cost. Sunset/post sunset is the best time to be here to witness the golden hour and city lights.
Now that we got the taste of it, next time we will have a better-self-guided walking tour setup before we visit the V&A waterfront so we can have more time and explore the hidden gems of the area. Some listed below –
1 ) Iziko SA Maritime Centre
2) Robben Island (and Nelson Mandela Gateway)
3) The Watershed
4) Cape Town Diamond museum
Safety radar – V & A Waterfront is an open area where local as well as foreign tourists come to have a fun time. It has policemen standing at junctions but entry is open to all. Be careful and aware of your surroundings. A general awareness is fine. We would not recommend carrying around expensive and big gadgets.
Enjoy our little vlog of the trip here –
To read more about the V & A Waterfront, Cape town, South Africa – Check this informative official website – https://www.waterfront.co.za/
Hope this blog has inspired you to plan your trip to V&A waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa when (you are) on a break!.
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When on a Break! 