Cape Town areas have lots to offer visitors

With the holiday season well on its way, you may want to take a short left to Cape Town and explore the places that are not often spoken of.

I recently visited Cape Town, nearly 10 years since I last went there, and I must say, it was incredibly different this time around, and this coming from a girl from Gauteng. 

While the city is popularly known for being home to one of the oldest political prisons, Robben Island, and one of the seven wonders of the world, Table Mountain, as well as the undeniably beautiful beaches, that's not all it has to offer.

People commonly describe Cape Town as a small Europe in SA, given its modern Euro-centric infrastructure and its obviously Euro-centric appeal. I mean, you'd be lucky if you found mala mogodu (tripe) at any of the grocery shops.

Be that as it may, I found that one of the most authentic African experiences in the Mother City came in the form of a restaurant called Gold in Green Point. It was very fitting for me to celebrate my birthday there; my love for the continent, it's history and its cultures run deep. And I had fun choosing from the different African dishes. If you love exploring the continent, but can’t afford to travel it, this place is the perfect compromise.

The restaurant says "welcome to the motherland" the moment you set foot in it, with the staff dressed in Ankara-styled outfits and beads, with beautifully painted faces; the kind of stuff we see at weddings. 

Guests get to be part of drumming sessions with an instructor. They play different beats and sing-along to a medley, which makes the place really energetic and vibey. It could be my special connection with the drum that got me excited. I'm a daughter to a traditional healer and that means drums are part of connecting with our ancestors, but the energy was warm and fun. It felt like home.

A single night at Gold gives one an immersive experience that will take you on a 14-dish taste safari paired with traditional Mali puppets and other entertainment.

Day two of exploring led me to sightseeing, wine  and olive tasting, eating biltong and drinking beer, all in one day. Yes, I was full and well-taken of and possibly added a kilo or two.

If you are a small-town girl like me, who loves obscure places with beautiful scenery, the small haven along the West Coast of the Mother City called Darling is just the place for you.

Darling is a farming town where you'd find just about everything. The town has farms that produce their own dairy products, has wineries, brews its own beer and make their own toffee sweets, butcheries... literally everything you can think of.

I even spotted some of their fresh cream at a local Checkers supermarket. Almost everything that comes from this town is named after the town and its wonders.

Our first stop was at Route 27 Roosterkoek, Biltong & Gifts, a café along the R27. Here I had some of the best biltong I have ever tasted; a perfect balance between soft and hard with very-little-to-no-fats at all. 

I was particularly excited by the small retro cola glass bottles. Remember the ones with lids that need an opener?  We hardly get those in Gauteng stores anymore. This triggered childhood memories of after school where I'd sing with my little sister on our way back home.

A nice place to refresh.

As we moved deeper into the town, the beautiful greenery with yellow blooms that spread over hills and mountain tops stood out. Part of the Cape floral region, the town is said to have hundreds of flower species.

Our next stop was the Darling Wine Route where our palates were treated to some fine wine and more olives. Just when we thought we’d seen it all, the farm showcased its cosmetic range of lotions, lip balms and soaps made from olive oil.

A few kilometres from there was Darling Brew, a brewery for craft beer. If you are a sports fan and enjoy a sip while watching sports on the telly, this is certainly the spot.

Day three of the tour led us to a Khoisan museum called !Khwa Tuu, where the history of the indigenous people of this land is well-documented. The various dialects of the language are explained, as was how the people danced when they celebrated and how they healed themselves when they were ill.

I was attracted to various medicinal teas including what is known as the wellness tea, a cannabis tea that has healing properties.

According to the Khoisan, you don't need to wait to be ill to drink the tea as it gives your metabolism a boost and helps you fight off any potential sickness. The taste is quite strong for anyone who imagines it to taste like rooibos, you really can’t miss the cannabis in it, but it is said to be just the doctor you need. You take it with no sugar and you’re good to go.

In her launch of the Tourism Month last month, tourism minster Lindiwe Sisulu said Cape Town, after Johannesburg, was the most sought-after tourist destination, with the country seeing a significant increase in domestic spend since restrictions of the pandemic were lifted. This means locals are travelling more within their country.

“Many of our small tourism businesses that struggled during the travel restrictions benefitted from the spend we are seeing now," Sisulu said. "I would like to thank all South Africans who continue to heed the call and choose to explore their country.”

So take a short left this December, even if it's not to Cape Town, and get to know your country while you support the local economy.

sibiyan@sowetan.co.za