In a nutshell
- The Cape Peninsula is home to the Cape of Good Hope, the penguins at Boulders Beach, and the stunning Chapman’s Peak Drive — three highlights you seriously don’t want to miss.
- There are also some lovely towns worth exploring, including Kalk Bay, Noordhoek, and Simon’s Town, each with its own distinct character.
- Most people visit as a day trip from Cape Town during their South Africa road trip — but we strongly recommend staying a night or two on the peninsula itself.
- The Cape Peninsula is also a fantastic base for anyone visiting Cape Town with kids.
Cape Peninsula Map
To help you plan your South Africa trip, we’ve put together a map so you always know where the individual places and attractions on the Cape Peninsula are located.
Attractions on the Cape Peninsula
Cape of Good Hope
The most famous attraction on the Cape Peninsula is the Cape of Good Hope. Getting a photo in front of the sign at the southwesternmost point of Africa is simply a must.
But that’s just the beginning — the national park surrounding the Cape of Good Hope is packed with incredible natural highlights.
Here you’ll discover unique flora and stunning viewpoints, an old lighthouse, several shipwrecks, and you can even spot animals like zebras, baboons, and ostriches.
We recommend setting aside a full day for the national park and have written a detailed article with all our tips.
Our tips for the Cape of Good Hope:
Boulders Beach
The second major highlight on the Cape Peninsula is the penguin colony at Boulders Beach.
Back in the 1980s, a single pair of penguins settled here. From those two, a large family grew — one that has since swelled to over 1,000 penguins.
The penguins populate the beach and the surrounding rocks, and the sight is seriously unlike anything else. Where else do you get to see so many penguins in the wild, right on the beach?
Admission costs 245 ZAR (approx. 9 euros), and 120 ZAR for children ages two and up.
Our tip: There’s a second large penguin colony in South Africa. You’ll find it in Betty’s Bay near Hermanus.
Chapman's Peak Drive
Chapman’s Peak Drive is a spectacular coastal road running between the towns of Hout Bay and Noordhoek.
The road was carved into nearly vertical cliff faces — absolutely mind-blowing. When you see it with your own eyes, it’s hard to believe something like this was built over 100 years ago.
If you’re traveling by car in South Africa, you’ll pay a toll of 66 ZAR to use the road. Card payment isn’t always reliable there, so bring some cash just to be safe.
Our tip: The light is especially beautiful in the late afternoon. That’s when you’ll get the most spectacular photos of the route.
The Most Beautiful Towns on the Cape Peninsula
Kalk Bay
Kalk Bay surprised us the most on the Cape Peninsula. Many travelers don’t have it on their radar and just drive through — but there’s actually quite a lot to see here.
We recommend parking right at the harbor. There’s a large attended parking lot, and you’re immediately at the first highlight.
In the mornings, fishing boats return from the sea and sell their freshly caught fish directly at small market stalls. There’s weighing and haggling going on — a fascinating glimpse into the real lives of the locals.
Right at the harbor, you can also observe sea lions up close. They just lounge around and aren’t bothered in the slightest by all the activity.
Our restaurant tip in Kalk Bay: Right at the harbor there are three fish restaurants where you can enjoy fresh fish with a great view. Lucky Fish & Chips serves really delicious fish & chips at affordable prices. The other two restaurants, Harbour House and Live Bait, are a bit more upscale.
After the harbor, we also recommend taking a stroll along Main Road. You’ll find a wild mix of shops: quirky flea markets and antique stores, cute boutiques, galleries, and plenty of hippie shops. It’s a really fun street to wander.
Muizenberg
The beach town of Muizenberg is known for two things: its colorful Victorian beach houses and the perfect waves for surfers.
When we visited, most of the beach houses were in pretty rough shape — which caught us off guard, since they’re actually one of the most iconic photo subjects around Cape Town. The good news: by the end of our trip, they’d all been freshly painted again. The neighboring town of St. James also has colorful beach houses worth a look.
Otherwise, Muizenberg is mainly all about the waves. The vibe reflects that, and there are plenty of cafés and restaurants to choose from.
Our restaurant tip in Muizenberg: Hudson’s, right on the promenade across from the beach houses, serves truly outstanding burgers — some of the best we had in all of South Africa.
Simon's Town
Simon’s Town is the largest naval base in South Africa, and that’s evident throughout the town. Warships and a submarine are docked in the harbor, and you’ll often see recruits marching through the streets.
The town is also known for its impressive English colonial-style buildings, along with some charming shops, cafés, and restaurants.
Our restaurant tip in Simon’s Town: Minari Korean Kitchen serves excellent, authentic Korean food. We worked our way through the entire menu and can honestly recommend every single dish. Really great!
Noordhoek
Noordhoek is probably the most laid-back town on the Cape Peninsula. Everything moves at a more relaxed pace here, and the long sandy beach is often nearly deserted.
Well worth a visit is the Noordhoek Farm Village — a cluster of restaurants around a central courtyard with a small playground, plus a few shops including a farm store where you can pick up local products.
Our restaurant tip in Noordhoek: The Foodbarn serves an outstanding lunch. The springbok fillet is excellent, and the desserts are something else entirely — absolutely divine. You’ll find it in the Noordhoek Farm Village.
Kommetjie
Much like Noordhoek, Kommetjie is a quiet town with a few restaurants and a long sandy beach.
It’s best known for Imhoff Farm — less a traditional farm and more of a fun tourist attraction. The property features several restaurants (including good sushi), various shops, and a petting zoo that kids absolutely love.
Scarborough
Scarborough really won us over. It sits on the west coast of the Cape Peninsula, about 15 minutes south of Kommetjie by car — and even the drive along the coast is seriously impressive.
Scarborough itself is a small hippie surfer town where you can genuinely disconnect from the outside world for a few days. In the afternoons, locals head to the beach to surf, and at sunset things get briefly a little busier — though normally only a handful of people are there.
The little town has three cool cafés and restaurants. We especially loved the Village Hub — you’ll find everything you need there: a restaurant in a courtyard with a small playground, a bakery, a small shop, and an ice cream parlor.
We spent our last week in South Africa here. One honest heads-up though: it’s quite far out for sightseeing in Cape Town — from Scarborough it takes at least 45 minutes to get to the city center.
Where to Stay on the Cape Peninsula
We can’t recommend spending a night on the Cape Peninsula highly enough. It makes exploring the highlights so much more comfortable than doing a day trip from a hotel in Cape Town.
If you have the time, definitely stay a few days and soak in the tranquility of the peninsula.
But which town is best for basing yourself on the Cape Peninsula?
Honestly, it almost doesn’t matter — the distances are short and you’ll need a car regardless. That said, certain towns do have specific advantages:
- Simon’s Town: The ideal base for day trips, as it’s relatively centrally located.
- Kalk Bay: If you’re after something a bit more alternative and eclectic.
- Noordhoek: If you want somewhere as peaceful and relaxed as possible.
- Muizenberg: The ideal base if surfing is on your agenda.
Our accommodation tips for the Cape Peninsula:
Cape Peninsula in One Day: Our Suggested Route
Short on time and only have one day for the Cape Peninsula? Then we recommend the following route starting from Cape Town across the peninsula, which lets you see as much as possible in a single day.
8:00 AM: Departure from Cape Town via Chapman’s Peak Drive
Start at your accommodation in Cape Town. We recommend taking Chapman’s Peak Drive both on the way there and on the way back. Yes, you’ll pay the toll twice — but it’s absolutely worth it, and you get to experience the route in both directions.
9:00 AM: Cape of Good Hope
Arrive right at 9:00 AM, before the crowds descend. Get a photo at the Cape of Good Hope, then drive to Cape Point. From there, walk up to the lighthouse or take the funicular and hike the Lighthouse Trail at the top for incredible views.
Plan for about 2.5 hours
11:30 AM: Penguins at Boulders Beach
Next, head to the penguins at Boulders Beach.
Afterward, you can make a quick stop in the center of Simon’s Town. If you enjoy Korean food, we recommend Minari Korean Kitchen for lunch. Otherwise, drive straight on to Kalk Bay and grab a table at one of the fish restaurants at the harbor.
Plan for about one hour at Boulders Beach
12:30 PM: Kalk Bay
In Kalk Bay, explore the harbor and fish market while keeping an eye out for sea lions lounging along the walkways.
Have lunch at one of the three fish restaurants right at the harbor, then take a leisurely stroll through town and browse the cool shops.
Plan for about 2–3 hours in Kalk Bay
3:00 PM: Beach houses in Muizenberg or St. James
After Kalk Bay, make a quick photo stop at the colorful beach houses in St. James or Muizenberg. You’ll be going a few kilometers out of your way, but the small detour is totally worth it.
4:00 PM: Return via Chapman’s Peak Drive
Head back in the afternoon and take Chapman’s Peak Drive again. The light for photos is probably even better now than it was in the morning. Including photo stops, the return trip takes just under an hour — getting you back to Cape Town right in time for dinner.
Alternative: On the return trip, head from Simon’s Town over to the other side of the Cape Peninsula toward Scarborough via Misty Cliffs and Witsand Beach, then through Noordhoek and back via Chapman’s Peak Drive toward Cape Town.
Plan for about one hour for the return trip
It’s a fairly packed day for exploring the Cape Peninsula in one go, but very doable.
Guided Tours on the Cape Peninsula
If you’d rather explore from Cape Town with a guide, here are our top picks:
Private tour to the Cape of Good Hope: A private guide picks you up from your hotel and takes you to the Cape of Good Hope as well as the top highlights on the Cape Peninsula.
Budget-friendly tour to the Cape of Good Hope: The most affordable option — this tour covers the two standout highlights: the Cape of Good Hope and the penguins at Boulders Beach.
