A table full of bounty

Great cities have great landmarks. Paris has its tower and New York its statue. Cape Town has a mountain. Wonder which genius gave Table Mountain its name. It is, literally, as flat as a table. It stands guard, like a timeless sentinel, over one of the oldest cities in Africa. You can see it from everywhere, despite the skyscrapers that are rising at an alarming rate.

Every sojourn to a foreign land must have its "biggest regret". Mine was that I did not go up the mountain.

Two factors prevented me from doing so — time and heavy mist. The view from the top has been described in various places as "heavenly", "unbelievable" and "out of the world". In other words, it is a must-see. You can take a cable car to the top or spend three hours climbing it along well-marked routes and see dassies along the way — small creatures that are the closest living relatives of the elephants.

World-class town

An Indian journalist visiting South Africa a few years ago wrote: "Cape Town is too beautiful a city to work from." On my recent work trip to the city, I was reminded of her words at every stage. It is not difficult to see why some tourist literature brands Cape Town the most beautiful city in the world.

But do people really work here? The pace of life is so relaxed, it is sometimes difficult to tell the locals from the tourists. Everyone seems to be on vacation.

Like most of South Africa, however, Cape Town is a place of contrasts. Inside town and in the beach suburbs, it is easy to forget that you are in Africa. The world-class infrastructure, superbly maintained gardens and cafés along cobbled pathways are more reminiscent of southern Europe. But it is on your drive into town from the airport that reality hits hard: crowded and dingy shanty towns.

While Cape Town is safe when compared to Johannesburg — where the level of crime has gone through the roof — it still pays to be vigilant.

The general affluence and the easy-going nature of the city induce a false sense of security among visitors. Some areas, such as the Cape Flats, home to the city's poor, jobless and illegal immigrants from across Africa, are no-go zones for foreign visitors. Even the police rarely venture into these townships.

Public transport, which mainly consists of mini-vans, is avoidable. Stick to metered taxis which, starting at R10 (Dh5), are not cheap. But, at least, you know you are safe.

Perhaps, the safest place to be in Cape Town is the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. This is the best place for people-watching. This is also where the tourist trail begins. It is a huge complex of shopping malls, restaurants, cinemas and hotels.

You can enjoy sumptuous meals in one of the dozens of open-air restaurants along the marina, or marvel at seals popping up from under the bridges and beneath the luxury yachts.

If you are looking for halaal food here, you will be hard-pressed to find any. Head back into the main shopping mall, and there are dozens of Cape Malay, Indian and Moroccan joints. Try Nur's eatery for some spicy, authentic and mouth-watering Cape Malay delicacies, such as the bobotie (curried beef cooked with eggs) — for just R30 (Dh15).

Tourist destinations

No visit to Cape Town is complete without a trip to Robben Island, where political prisoners were held in inhuman conditions during the days of apartheid and before. The most famous prisoner, of course, being Nelson Mandela. It has been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.

First, you can visit the Robben Island Museum at the V and A Waterfront. It is also from here that you have to buy the tickets (R150 or Dh75) for the ferry ride to the island itself. Two ferries take visitors to the island at regular intervals throughout the day.

Interestingly, these are the same two ferries of the apartheid regime which used to ferry prisoners to the island. Once on the island, you will be given a guided tour in a bus.

Booking at least three days in advance is compulsory, as there is demand for tickets throughout the year.

With two oceans washing its shores — the Atlantic to the west and the Indian to the east — Cape Town is home to some of the most spectacular beaches in the world. But some of them, especially those on the Atlantic coast, are for sunning than swimming. If you get in, you will scream and jump out. The water is cold throughout the year, as a result of an Antarctic current.

Go there...Cape Town

From the UAE
From Dubai: Lufthansa and South African Airlines fly six times a week via Frankfurt. Fare: Dh5,500

Malaysia Airlines flies five times a week via Kuala Lumpur. Fare: Dh5,080

Qatar Airways flies four times a week via Bahrain. Fare: Dh2,530

From Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways and South Africa Airways fly twice a week via Johannesburg. Fare: Dh2,900

Qatar Airways and South African Airlines fly four times via Johannesburg. Fare: Dh2,050
— Information courtesy: MMI Travel

What to see
Bo-Kaap (Upper Cape in Afrikaans) has to be culturally and historically the most interesting district of Cape Town. Its uniqueness lies in its houses: painted in shocking bright shades of orange, red, green, yellow and mauve.

Many of the residents are descendents of slaves and political prisoners captured from Malaysia, Indonesia and India by the Dutch East India Company during the 17th century and sent to South Africa. Together, these people are referred to as Cape Malays. Almost all of them are Muslims, and almost all speak Afrikaans as their first language.

While here, do not forget to check out the Bo-Kaap museum on Wale Street. The museum is a house that belonged to a prominent Muslim family in the 19th century and documents the history of the Cape Malays.

Where to stay
I stayed at the three-star Ritz Hotel, which at R500 (Dh250), including breakfast, was good value for money.

Information
Citizens of most countries require a visa to go to South Africa. The visa can be got from the South African consulate in Dubai. Phone number: 04-3975222