Cape Town, South Africa – Where Two Oceans Meet
Cape Town in South Africa has become one of the top 10 travel destinations on earth during the past couple of years. It comes as no surprise: with a list of ‘must-sees’ longer than that of any other city in Africa and Christmas weather to die for, it’s the ideal destination during the bitter winters of the Northern half of the world.
One of the main reasons for coming to Cape Town is of course its numerous beautiful, white, sandy beaches. When the rest of the Northern Hemisphere is shivering under a layer of snow, those lucky enough to be in Cape Town is basking in the sun, sipping a South African beer.
Cape Town is an ideal family destination. Even if you have a baby in the family that need not stop you from having a holiday filled with fun in the sun. Fly in, rent a car, get baby-friendly accommodation and start to have the time of your life. For the baby’s sake, just make sure the car is fitted with a graco car seat.
Just to illustrate the level of sophistication of many guest houses in Cape Town: our family recently stayed in a guest house which even provided us with a spa baby so we could bath the new family member in the natural, upright position. Not all guest houses will have one of these – enquire before you arrive.
Another favorite tourist attraction of the Mother City, and one that you can hardly miss, is Table Mountain. This colossal massif juts out from the ocean to loom over Cape Town like a mother hen guarding her children. An open secret that all Capetonians know is that if the wind blows on one side of Table Mountain, you are sure to find a peaceful beach free from wind on the opposite side. The view from the top of Table Mountain is incredibly beautiful. You can either hike to the top or take the cable car.
The V&A Waterfront is another of Cape Town’s tourist hotspots. Here you can eat world class seafood in one of the numerous restaurants, visit the luxurious shopping mall or simply stroll along the quay and watch fishing boats come and go. About 30km from the city you will find the first of many wine farms in the region. Here you can not only taste some of South Africa’s top wines, but also dine while looking across vineyards stretching into the distance against a backdrop of blue mountains. At Cape Point you can view the meeting point of two of the world’s giant oceans, the Indian and the Atlantic.
It’s unlikely that you will get a lot of time to read in Cape Town, unless you do so when everyone else is sleeping. If you love reading, make sure to pack your digital book reader. Once the other members of your family are sound asleep, you can proceed to read your best-loved detective story while savoring the fresh sea breeze coming in through the open window…
Children safari holidays to Tanzania Africa
When nature meets us - our experience with Elephants while on safari in Africa
My wife and I love Africa and we couldn’t resist the temptation to visit our friends in Africa and visit the continent, when Juliette was nearly two years old we travelled from South Africa to Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania both the mainland and Zanzibar.
Finding food for our daughter or cots in hotels wasn’t a problem we found which made our trip amazing. Actually the entire trip was just perfect. We made sure that used mosquito nets, and to cover her with a strong mosquito repellent she wasn’t bitten once in the whole trip.
So if you are thinking of travelling to Africa with your family but are worried whether your children will enjoy the safari and whether they will be safe, we hope you will be encouraged with our personal experiences. Children adapt just fine to the safari wild conditions as Juliette who we have taken with us on many safaris from an early age and friends who have families in lodges can testify to.
Children tend to love the wildlife and a safari is usually a wonderful experience for children of all ages. It can get a bit long and hot for children so we have some suggestions for you;
- take with you some animal spotting safari games
- learn the Swahili names for the animals which will help the children build a relationship with your driver and should provide fun.
- Download “safari games” free from the web this will entertain them when the safari is quiet. We have a FREE children’s activity pack which you can view or download and print free of charge and includes a safari animal check list with Swahili animal names, plus some other fun stuff.
An amazing experience that we had and would like to mention because it might be useful for other parents travelling with young children while on safari…
We went on a night drive in Zambia in an open vehicle with other guests from the lodge. It turned out to be one of the most spectacular we have ever done. We noticed a young leopard that night, later we found ourselves right in the middle of a herd of buffalo being ambushed by four female lions. The lions lost their prey. In all the commotion our daughter started crying, suddenly the lions who typically judge vehicles as part of the landscape had begun to think the vehicle as a probable prey, like a small animal in distress. Happily our guide predicted the change and instantly drove us away at top speed to safety with a pack of lions following us.
Because the food in safari lodges are flexible you won’t have any problems with children’s food. In general there should be no problems keeping children occupied in their new and exciting world here they will come face to face with a different culture and also perhaps poverty for the first time, but I think the reality of Africa can play an important part in the education of our sometimes over protected children.
As far as wellbeing is concerned we feel there is no real danger as long as the parents act sensibly. Certainly the first thing to do is sit down with your children before departure and explain that Africa is a different world from the one they are used to, where there is danger around. There’s no need to overstate but camp rules must be obeyed, if they are not, the consequences can be very serious. For very young children I would advise you to select your lodge carefully and check with your travel advisor which are most suitable for children. We can guide you on this from our own experience as we have been on many safaris with our children. We also have a lot of information for going on safari & travelling in Africa
It is recommended that young children should not be vaccinated and are excused in most countries for yellow fever but truthfully I don’t feel this should be of concern. Because this disease is rare you will not meet anyone with it let alone encounter it at a safari lodge. More concern is for malaria which is a problem all through the tropics. The local residents get it regularly and it is typically regard it as no worse than a bout of flu. However depending on the strain, it can be dangerous and the solution here is good prevention. Young children cant be given malaria tablets, please get advice from your GP. Before the sun goes down make sure that you put insect repellent all over their arms and legs making sure any exposed area is covered then check to make sure they are sleeping under mosquito nets. If you use these precautions you can diminish the risk of malaria to approximately zero.
Don’t be scared about taking your children to Africa, it is a wonderful experience for them and we have been back with Juliette many times, but do cover them up well and no safaris in open vehicles for very small children
Note: The above information is advice given on the basis of the author’s experience at the time of writing and the author cannot take responsibility for any traveller choosing to take the advise above. Travellers should speak to their GP and take advice from the relevant authorities before travelling.
East London South Africa
East London is the only river port in the country of South Africa because of its location on the south-eastern coast of Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It lays between two rivers on both north and south i.e. Nahoon and Buffalo respectively. Not only the location but the easy way of living as well as an earnest sense of hospitality of the locals will win your heart and make you feel like being at a home away from home. Another enchanting factor about this place is the sub-tropical climate, which can make you feel more relaxed, especially with the warm waters of Indian Ocean. You will not even have linguistic problems as English is generally understood and also spoken in many areas, despite IsiXhosa being the local language.
Gonubi Beach
East London lies just 25 kilometres south of Gonubie Beach, and the N2 transit service provides easy travel to the beach from the city. Granted the prestigious international blue flag award, Gonubie Beach is ranked among those meeting strict environmental and safety standards. The beach facilities maintain safety equipment and trained staff on the premises at all times. Visitors stroll down to the beach from the main parking area along an extended wooden boardwalk that offers a scenic view of abundant native plants and engineered tidal pools.
The Nahoon Beach
Named for a local Xhosa tribal chief, Nahoon Beach is East London’s most popular site for water sports of all kinds. Nahoon’s ideal surfing conditions have made it the home of the Surf Live Saving Club, as well as host to many exciting national surfing competitions. Many kilometres of pristine and crowdless sand makes Nahoon Beach an ideal destination for anglers and swimmers alike.
The Orient Beach
Orient Beach in East London is a popular destination for tourists. It is located in the Quigney suburb, which is at the southern end of the Esplanade. It’s proximity to hotels and shops help explain why it is a favourite spot for tourists. Patrolled by lifeguards and protected by the breakwaters of the harbour makes it a peaceful and safe environment to relax and soak up the sun. With amid green lawns – there are two large pools, equipped with slides that provide plenty of space for the thousands of visitors that flock there. Changing areas are provided and there are many eating options to choose from, including a refreshment kiosk in season.
East London Car Hire
You can expect to find cheap East London car hire deals by visiting car hire South Africa.
The Aquarium
The Frends of East London Aquarium was inaugurated in the year 1931 and holds the position of being the oldest public aquarium in Southern Africa. The aquarium provides home to hundreds of animals and also undertakes their returning to ocean annually. The aquarium has been known for helping animals caught in situations of water pollution due to ships and other disasters. It also participates in the awareness programs held for the natives in maintaining the balance of nature, especially the system of ocean. It also has aesthetic value as it displays the most beautiful fishes found in the region in fish tanks for the natives.
East London is directly in the migration path of the Southern Right Whales as they travel to and from their summer feeding areas in the Arctic Ocean. To facilitate public viewing of these glorious animals, the aquarium has built a high-level deck out into the bay. In fact, East London welcomes holiday visitors seeking a variety of water-based entertainment to its many beaches.