Things to Do in South Africa

This quaint harbor on the western side of the Cape Peninsula has a seaside charm that attracts both travelers and locals to its sheltered shores. Whether it’s sampling ocean-fresh seafood from one of the restaurants lining its harbor or exploring the shelves of world-class antique shops, Hout Bay has proved itself a worthy destination despite its small size. Visitors love wandering along the bustling docks where commercial fishing boats unload their daily catch, and its close proximity to Seal Island and World of Birds makes it a perfect lunch stop on a tour of the Cape.

Cape Town's Diamond Works offers a glimpse at South Africa's diamond mining industry through the eyes of a custom jewelry maker. Yes, Diamond Works is essentially a jewelry store, and you can certainly visit with the intention of buying some custom-made diamond jewelry. Even if you're not in the market for diamonds, however, a visit to Diamond Works is worth it to learn more about this fascinating industry.

Diamond Works offers what it calls a “Sparkling Tour,” during which you'll see diamond cutters and jewelry designers at work, you'll learn about the history of diamonds, and find out what to look for when evaluating a diamond.

When people talk about wildlife in Africa, they usually mean the Big Five: Elephants, rhino, buffalo, lions and leopards. But World of Birds, a unique park just outside Cape Town that’s home to more than 400 different species of wild birds, proves there’s more to this diverse continent than just its massive mammals.

More than 3,000 birds and other small animals call this aviary home. Visitors can explore their well-kept habitats, which spread over a generous four hectares of land. The scenic backdrop of Table Mountain, Little Lion’s Head and the Twelve Apostles makes it an ideal spot for photos, too.

The Golden Mile is where Durban dips its feet into the rolling surf of the Indian Ocean. The wide expanse of sand which gives the stretch its name is one of the most popular playgrounds of South Africa, known particularly as a surfing centre but also a great place for sunbathing and year-round swimming.

There are numerous attractions nearby, including uShaka Marine World, the Surfing Museum and Mini Town, a miniature replica of Durban. Numerous nearby shops compete for your rand, though if you’re looking for souvenirs the Zulu craft market offers great value and variety.

The injustice, cruelty and day-to-day absurdities of white minority rule are impressively detailed in Johannesburg’s Apartheid Museum. “Apartheid”, meaning “separateness” in Afrikaans, was officially in operation from 1948 to 1994, though segregation had been a cornerstone of South African politics since the birth of the Union in 1910.

Apartheid turned South Africa into a pariah state, shunned by much of the international community and almost torn apart by internal tensions, including the infamous Sharpeville riots of 1960. This excellent museum tells that story through photos, documents and film footage, as well as interactive features which bring the reality of racial classification alive.

South Africa’s belated emancipation following Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 is celebrated by the seven pillars of the constitution you will see in the courtyard: democracy, equality, reconciliation, diversity, responsibility, respect and freedom.

Perhaps nowhere is South Africa’s transition to democracy more vividly apparent than on Constitution Hill. For over a hundred years, buildings here functioned as a much-feared prison complex, holding everyone from common criminals to activists Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, even Winston Churchill (briefly) during the Boer War.

Since 2004, this site has been home to South Africa’s Constitutional Court, partially built with bricks from one of the old prison buildings, complemented with lighter contemporary elements. Visitors can see the court in session after a tour which takes in Mandela’s cell as well as a permanent exhibition dedicated to Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent protest.

Housed in a Victorian-era biscuit factory in the middle of Woodstock, Cape Town’s Old Biscuit Mill now houses day and night markets where local and traveling foodies flock to sample some of the city’s best bites.

On any given day, the market teems with diners and shoppers enjoying the mill’s many restaurants and designer shops, but it’s on Saturdays that things really get lively. Each Saturday the Neighbourgoods Market takes over the Old Biscuit Mill, with more than 100 local vendors selling craft food, organic produce, artisanal chocolate, beer, cheese, clothes and crafts, all to the sounds of live music.

Hungry travelers will find one of the world’s best restaurants, the Test Kitchen, inside the Old Biscuit Mill, as well as the slightly more budget-friendly Pot Luck Club.

A former Cape Town neighborhood is remembered in the District Six Museum, built in the neighborhood itself.

District Six was created in the 1860s, but by the mid-1960s the government began forcibly removing the non-white residents to a slum-like township miles away in order to make the neighborhood whites-only. In all, some 60,000 people were relocated, and their homes destroyed. Very little development was ever started in the area, however, and post-apartheid the government said they would recognize property rights of former residents. The District Six Museum was founded in 1994 to honor those who were forcibly removed from their homes. Some fragments of the former neighborhood are on display, and there is a district map on the floor where former residents have noted where their houses once were. The museum and District Six Foundation also exist to help people moving back to the neighborhood develop the area into a thriving community again.

When the Dutch East India Company arrived in the area of what is now Cape Town in 1652, one of the first things they did was create a garden to help feed the settlers. The Company's Garden still exists, today as a public park.

Company's Garden covers a whopping 19.76 acres in the middle of Cape Town, near the parliament building, and includes a fish pond, rose garden and multiple statues and monuments. There's a tea room restaurant on the grounds, and an 18th-century sundial. Attractions near the garden include the Iziko South African Museum, St. George's Cathedral and South Africa's National Library. Of particular note among the many historic trees is the oldest cultivated pear tree in South Africa, planted around 1652.

The exclusive coastal town of Clifton lies on the northwest tip of the Cape Peninsula. Elaborate homes of some of South Africa’s most famous celebrities and wealthiest entrepreneurs line the rocky hills of this affluent suburb. The impressive architecture makes for a uniquely scenic drive, but it’s the beautiful beaches that draw visitors away from Cape Town to the picturesque shores of the Atlantic.

Four distinct beaches make up Clifton Beach, which attracts a ritzier crowd full of scenesters eager to see and be seen. Year-round rigid water temps keep sunbathers firmly on the shores, but rented chairs, multi-million dollar yachts and tasty cafes along the main drag offer plenty of opportunities for people watching, as well as a chance to brush elbows with Cape Town’s most elite.