Cape Peninsular Loop

About Cape Peninsular Loop

The one great payoff, besides the incredible all-round sea views, of having a peninsular in the city of Cape Town is the non-stop drive on which you can embark, and which has to include some of the most epic views in the country, and arguably in the world. If you are a visitor to Cape Town, the best way to do this is to hire a car in Cape Town's city bowl.

The Cape Peninsular is bounded by both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean, in the form of False Bay. A drive along the Atlantic Seaboard, starting in Sea Point and heading out to Hout Bay, via Llandudno beach, is a pre-requisite anyway, of any visitor to the Mother City. Make sure that you stop for fish and chips in Hout Bay and then push on along Chapman's Peak, a spectacular drive, on to Kommetjie, Scarborough and Cape Point nature reserve, where you can spend more than a few hours.

Tea in Simon's Town is a must, followed by a swim at Fish Hoek, one of the best swimming beaches in Cape Town (but keep an eye on the shark flags before heading into the water – there are scouts up above the bay to keep watch). Head into Kalk Bay for late afternoon browsing of antique and book shops, and either sup here, or back in the centre of Cape Town.

You can also choose to do the loop in reverse, for a different take entirely, beginning in Constantia and taking in the Constantia Wine Route, followed by a swim at Muizenberg, tea in Simon's Town, a quick look-in at Boulders Beach to swim with penguins and then onto the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve where you can catch a funicular all the way to the crest of the peninsular.

From here you can take the coastal road through pretty Scarborough and continue on until you reach Kommetjie. Drive through the little seaside village, past Masiphumelele and left, past Sun Valley, where you look out for signs to Chapman's Peak. Drive this through to Hout Bay and sundowners, after which you can drive along the Atlantic Seaboard back to Cape Town, via Llandudno and Camps Bay.