Is Cape Town Safe? What 11 Years Taught Me (Not Guidebooks)

Oh, my God. If one more person asks me, yes, but Rob is Cape Town south, then I'm going to pull what little hair I've got left out of my head. The real issue is that Cape Town is just terrible at doing its own PR. But after 11 years of traveling to Cape Town, buying a home there, and extended stays, today I want to share with you seven lessons that we've learned that keep you safe beyond the typical Guidebook or other YouTube videos that they share with you around safety. Because real safety isn't just about crime. It's about having comprehensive knowledge of the location that you're going to. Two blocks in the wrong location can mean the difference between walking home and calling an emergency Uber. Driving down the wrong street late at night can be the difference between getting home safely and having your car broken into. And that car guard that you are initially wary of suddenly becomes your security system and your local advisor. But mostly today, I want to allay any fears you have about visiting Cape Town, because I think Cape Town is terrible about doing its own PR to say what an amazing city it is. And I'm telling you, it's as safe as any city if you are streetwise. Hi, I'm Rob from Rob and James. And if you're over 50 and perhaps planning on an extended stay in Cape Town, then these lessons I'm going to share today move you from being anxious to having the most amazing trip. So let's get started. So lesson one is all about really knowing your neighborhood really well and knowing the geography around it. And the over a 50 advantage is that we typically have time to do our research. So if you're going to Cape Town, then you're probably going to stay in the kind of Green Point, Sea Point, maybe Camps, Bay areas, and Green Point to the VNA waterfront is totally safe to walk during the day, but probably at night I would get an Uber. And the Sea Point main road area is a great location to stay, but once you start going a few streets back from that, you're going to want to do your research. Because just saying I'm staying in Greenpoint can be a huge difference. You might end up overlooking a busy main road, or you may be way back in the suburbs, which might make you feel uncomfortable. And by and large, my advice to you about walking and the area you're staying in regardless, is to walk during the day, but get an Uber at night. And as I've said before, Ubers are plentiful and they are really cost effective to you, so don't risk it and just get an Uber. Even if you're only going a couple of miles now, you may be looking at other areas like Woodstock and you can see the amazing vibrant biscuit meal market on a Saturday. But walk a few streets away from that into Woodstock itself and it's a different kettle of fish and not particularly an area that I would recommend staying in, although it is definitely funky and it's an area that's up and coming. Similarly, if you're staying in Camps Bay, it's perfectly fine and obviously a very tourist area. But once you start getting more streets back, just do your research really carefully. And if you think you're going to Camps Bay for a beach holiday, then make sure you are aware of how windy it is there. And I've spoken about that in last week's video. So go back and watch that if you want to know. Let's talk about car guards because these are the people that you'll see in the green or orange vests in most car parks. And I think the over 50s advantage here is that we are mindful that building relationships with people is a really smart thing to do. And you can get a lot of local knowledge that way. So first of all, don't be afraid of them. Remember, they're there to try and earn some money. So give them five or ten rand tip when they look after your car and you can rest assured that your car will still be there. But also start building a relationship with them as well, because they can you lots of local advice. I have a friend who has built a really good relationship with a local car guard near the theatre in Camps Bay, the theatre on the bay. And he always asks for him when he drives there. And the guy has opens up this little area that he saves for his special guests, I guess for their parking. So it is always worth building relationship. And be mindful that they're just trying to earn a bit of money. They'll keep your car safe and they'll also give you some good local advice as well. Now, another thing that's going to not only keep you safe, but also make sure that you have the best holiday is to recognize the different sort of microclimates that exist within Cape Town. Because it's an area that's right by the sea and it's got mountains by it. The weather can change on a dime and you've probably heard about things like the tablecloth that comes over Table Mountain that will spoil your planned trip to Table Mountain because it's closed, because they can't run the ski lifts when it's foggy or windy. So do check the weather every day. And if you're planning a beach day, for example, in Camps Bay, check the weather because it's often so windy there. And as I've said before, the images you will see of Cape Town are the beautiful Instagram images on a calm day, but that is one in five days and the other four days it's super windy. So if you want to have a beach day, check the weather because Camps Bay may not be the place that you want to go. And you might want to head down towards Muizenberg or False Bay to find somewhere that is much better. I'll give you an example. I was in Cape Town a few years ago and I actually wanted to get out of the city and the weather was really gray in Cape Town, but I just got in the car, drove over the mountains to Noordhoek, which is beautiful, and the weather was lovely there and the beach was almost empty. So make sure you've got your apps downloaded on your phone, like obviously weather apps or wind finder apps to check the weather before you set off to do something. Check it a day or two in advance and always have Plan B in your pocket so it doesn't spoil your day. Now, one of the things that you might be surprised to learn is how good the private health care is in South Africa. In fact, medical tourism is massively on the rise because it is not only extremely good efficient, but it's also really cost effective for us Europeans or Americans that are going there. Totally understand that's a different kettle of fish for locals who may not be using the private health because they can't afford to, but it is by and large 60, 70% cheaper than it is in the UK as an example. So if you are going to be in Cape Town for an extended period of time, it's definitely worth knowing where the local hospitals are and doctors and dentists. But it also might be worth you being proactive like I always am. And for example, I always see a dermatologist every time I come to Cape Town every year, and that costs me around about 800 to 1200. Random dentistry is also really good in Cape Town. So if you're there for an extended period of time, do consider seeing a hygienist or having any of that dental work that you need doing. As you know, I'm going to be having an implant started when I go back next month and that is going to cost me about £450 instead of about 2 and a half thousand pounds that I'd have to pay if I was doing that in the uk. So massive saving and also super efficient. And it might also be worth you doing any kind of other medical checkups while you're there as well, so don't discount that. Obviously, if you're only in Cape Town for a week or so, you're not going to want to do that, but if you are there for a longer period of time, do consider it. And regardless, we obviously want to make sure we are safe. So know where the local hospitals are, where the local dentists are, where the local doctors are as well. Now, if you are staying in Cape Town for an extended period of time, pick the area that you're going to staying really carefully, as I said in lesson number one. But once you've picked that area, then do your research, Work out where the nearest pharmacy is, where the banks are, where obviously the coffee shops, where the restaurants are, how far away are they from where you're staying. Do that research in advance. And A, you're going to know that you're staying in a good area because all those things are around you, and B, you're going to get a really good sense of the area before you even arrive. My advice to you is then when you do arrive, spend the first couple of days just acclimatizing yourself to the area. Like I said. Work out your restaurants and book them in advance. Work out where the coffee shops are. If, like me, you want to join a gym, which you can do pretty cheaply with day passes or week passes, then work out where that gym is and just kind of scout out the area before you arrive. Because if you do that in the first couple of days, then you're going to feel at home really quickly and you're going to find the things that you need without tons and tons of research or wasted time trying to locate them, because you have done your research and you've planned strategically. Now you may well want to have a true cultural experience and I'm a bit conflicted about this, this piece of advice. And you may want to go to a township, but not all tours are created equal here. So you want to make sure that you are booking through a reputable tour operator and one that you know which some of your money is going back into the community. So, so you're not just kind of observing what it's like to live in a township, but you're actually contributing to that township as well. And this is cultural education, not poverty tourism. When it's done right through the right tour operator can cost you somewhere between 600 and 900 per person. Take some extra rand to support the local businesses when you're on the tour for craft purchases or for food or for lunch. And it's something that I recommend everyone does at least once. But make sure you're following the tips that I just shared with you. The last thing I want to talk about is going on a wine tour. My advice here, if you possibly can, if you're there for an extended period of time you can do this, is to go midweek and avoid the weekends, which are full of bachelorette parties and tour buses and will be really crowded. Whereas if you go midweek and you go in the morning, it could well just be you and the tour guide. Now, of course you'll, you can't drink and drive. The drink and drive law are really strict there. So make sure you've got a designated driver who can enjoy the tour, but sadly not the wine. And it's about a 45 to 60 minute drive to Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, the two areas that you would do wine tasting. So totally doable in a day. Or of course you may choose to stay there. And now the drive to Franschhoek and Stellenbosch is totally safe, but as ever, I do it during daylight hours, so obviously doing it in the morning, you will do that. And use your car smarts when you're driving. So the first thing you should always do is lock your door. The second thing is don't leave any valuables on the seat. And if you are stopped somewhere and there's someone outside trying to point at your headlights, then just ignore them because they may well be hoping that you'll wind your window down and then they'll reach in and grab your phone. That's. People have pointed to me before and I've never opened the windows. Now, a lot of traffic lights, you're going to see people selling the Big Issue or all sorts of stuff and you know that's just people trying to make some money. So, you know, if you want to buy the hats or the, the mops or the Big Issue that they're selling, then go for it. But I think you're fairly safe there. It's just sometimes they're quite annoying because they stand right in front of your car until the lights turn green again. But again, just be smart about driving and drive during daylight hours. Now, these seven lessons I've shared with you are not typically in guidebooks or other videos because they are lessons that I've learned from living in Cape Town, not just visiting. And it's definitely not about being fearful, it's just about being informed. And for those travelers who are prepared to do a bit of their homework, as I've outlined in this video, you're going to have a richer experience and you're going to make the most of every single day because you are not wasting a day because the weather has turned so that beach days out the window and you don't really know what to do instead. And if you found today's video useful, then last Sunday's 10 must know travel Tips video is also worth having a watch as well, and I'll put a link to that above. But other than that, good planning, safe travels, and we'll see you next time.