Cape Town

Currency

Exchange at Travelex or American Express offices in malls. Airport rates are acceptable. The rand is weak so everything is cheap for foreign visitors.

ATMs & cards

FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank ATMs are safe. Use ATMs inside malls, not street-facing ones. Cover your PIN. Withdraw max R4,000.

Card-swapping scams are the specific risk here. Use machines inside malls or bank branches, and never accept assistance.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Avoid walking alone at night outside tourist areas. Don’t leave valuables visible in cars. Uber everywhere after dark.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

• Yellow fever certificate, but only if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present

Worth having

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Tetanus up to date
• Malaria prophylaxis only if you are going to Kruger or the north-east — Cape Town has no malaria

Getting treated

Private hospitals (Netcare, Mediclinic) are genuinely world-class and cost far less than Europe or the US, which is why medical tourism exists here. The public system is overloaded. Insurance is worth it, and private ambulances (ER24, Netcare 911) respond faster than the state service.

Tap water is safe in Cape Town. No malaria in the Western Cape.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Try a braai (BBQ) experience, biltong (dried meat), and bobotie (Cape Malay curry dish). Wine is incredible and very affordable.

Getting around

• MyCiTi bus — reliable, covers city center, Sea Point, and airport. Tap myconnect card
• Uber/Bolt — very cheap, safest option for getting around
• Rental car — best for exploring the peninsula, wine lands, and Garden Route
• Walking — fine in V&A Waterfront, City Bowl, Sea Point promenade during day
• Airport: MyCiTi bus to Civic Centre (R90, 30 min) or Uber (R200-300)

Must-see

Things to do

• Hike or cable car up Table Mountain
• Visit the V and A Waterfront
• Drive to Cape of Good Hope
• Explore Bo-Kaap colorful houses
• Visit Kirstenbosch Gardens
• Wine tasting in Stellenbosch

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

South African English — local usage

• HelloHowzit
• ThanksThanks / DankieDUNK-ee
• BarbecueBraaibry
• Traffic lightRobot
• Yes, definitelyYebo
• No problemSharp sharp
• The bill, pleaseThe bill, please
• GoodbyeCheers / Totsiens

Religion

Christian majority

Around 80% Christian, alongside African traditional belief, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish communities. The constitution protects all of them explicitly.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Greet with howzit and take time over it; abruptness is rude
• Tip 10-15% at restaurants, and a few rand to car guards
• Accept a braai invitation — it is the central social ritual
• Ask locally which areas to avoid; the answer changes by street and by hour

Don't

• Do not walk alone at night, or use a phone visibly in the street
• Do not accept help at ATMs from anyone, ever
• Do not discuss race and politics casually; the history is recent and raw
• Do not leave anything in a parked car, or resist if you are robbed