FAQs

We know that many international visitors have questions before they visit Cape Town. Here are the answers to some of those queries.

WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THE WATER?

As beautiful as it is, Cape Town is situated in a water-scarce part of the world and is susceptible to periodic droughts – such as the one experienced in 2017/2018. Thankfully, however, due to seasonal rains and water management initiatives, that crisis is over.

Cape Town welcomes visitors from around the world. You will arrive in a place with beautiful scenery and a wide breadth and depth of experiences, but we encourage you to be mindful of water-wise tourism when you’re here. Light water restrictions remain in place to manage consumption, such as the use of ground water or rain water to top up swimming pools, for example, but nothing that will impact your stay.

You will likely not even notice the water-saving measures that have been put in place.

IS CAPE TOWN SAFE FOR TOURISTS?

Cape Town is a major, modern cosmopolitan South African city. As such, we would advise travellers to exercise the same level of vigilance they would exercise when visiting any major city in the world.

This includes ensuring you follow basic safety tips such as keeping emergency numbers on hand, avoiding carrying large sums of cash and keeping your valuables safe at all times. For the overwhelming majority of the 1,7 million foreign visitors to the Western Cape in 2018, a visit to Cape Town and the Western Cape was a positive, memorable experience.

The destination is frequently cited as among the world’s best holiday destinations and has a high return visitor rate, proving that those who visit our destination once, fall in love with it, and want to discover it again.

WHAT PRECAUTIONS SHOULD A VISITOR TO CAPE TOWN TAKE?

The same precautions travellers would take to secure their safety in any major city in the world, apply when visiting Cape Town, a growing city of nearly four million people.

CAN I WALK AROUND CENTRAL CAPE TOWN SAFELY?

We encourage visitors to be mindful at all times of their surroundings when walking around any major city. The Cape Town Business Community and local authorities have taken numerous proactive initiatives to ensure the safety and upkeep of central Cape Town. As a result, this area – where most tourism establishments are located – has grown to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

Visible safety officers have been deployed and the city centre is kept clean. Major restaurants, shops, and galleries line the streets and many offices, apartment buildings and hotels are located Downtown. A variety of walking tours are available to suit different interests and you’ll share the pavements with locals walking to work, businesspeople rushing between meetings and other tourists who, like you, are exploring all the city has to offer.

DO I HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO WALKING?

Cape Town is one of the most well-connected cities in South Africa when it comes to transport options. While travellers often choose to walk around the Downtown or Central Business District area because distances are short, you have the option to use Uber, Bolt, metered taxis and the MyCiti bus system, which can also connect you to points within the central district of Cape Town and surrounding tourism must-sees like Camps Bay, Sea Point and Hout Bay. The MyCiti bus also connects you directly to Cape Town International Airport through a direct shuttle. There is also a City Sightseeing hop-on-hop-off red bus service with a variety of tourist routes on offer.