Wersha Bharadwa sets up base at The Radisson Blu Waterfront in Cape Town as she continues to explore what South Africa has to offer honeymooners.
No trip to South Africa is complete without at least a pitstop in action-packed Cape Town. After an hour’s flight from Johannesburg, it’s a 15 minute drive from the airport to our hotel. We opted for the Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront in Cape Town and set off in a shiny new 4×4 Hyundai Tucson from Avis Rent A Car.
One of the best ways to do Cape Town is self-driving – especially because of all the scenic road trips to be had. Before we set off, we download an offline city map on Google Maps and get a great deal by booking the car well ahead of the trip (an International Driver’s Permit from your local Post Office is essential, FYI). The location is unbeatable.
The Suite at The Radisson Blu Waterfront
Perched at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, we pull back the curtains of our vast and spacious apartment, step onto the balcony and inhale the fresh sea breeze. We down beers and applaud ourselves for having landed ourselves a room with one of the coolest of views in one of the planet’s coolest cities.
The interiors come with nautical accents as an homage to the Atlantic and there is a small kitchen, two bathrooms and flat screen TVs in the living room and both bedrooms. Communal facilities include a rim flow swimming pool overlooking the ocean and from where if you’re lucky you’ll spot pods of dolphins swimming in the distance.
Dining at The Radisson Blu Waterfront in Cape Town
Back at the hotel, Tobago’s restaurant and terrace boasts one the city’s best seafront fine dining locations. Outside on the deck during dinner, we linger over glasses of fine wine, glistening under the moonlit marina where the hotel sits. We opt for biltong spiced beef fillet for main – a perfect and relaxed introduction to the city’s cuisine.
The breakfast buffet at the Radisson Blu Waterfront is a work of art: magnificent fruit platters, hot buttery croissants served with hot selections of traditional South African delicacies. As we depart, we are met by a Marimba band who ensure we don’t leave without an impromptu lesson.
What You’ll Love…
Feeling lazy, we opt for the free hourly shuttle service to the famed V&A Waterfront, for a fun evening where we take flight as passengers on the Cape Wheel then head into the mall for shopping. The fun atmosphere unites everyone. Mandela’s presence is felt everywhere in South Africa, and palpably so in major cities like Cape Town where one store has a large lego statue of him greeting customers at the entrance.
Head to Boulders Beach to gawp at its famous colony of endangered African penguins in the wild. Our drive from the hotel offers a variety of scenery, from roadside stalls piled high with wooden crafts and textiles to candy coloured dainty shops with colonial roofs. After a few hours with the penguins and other wildlife, we stumble across a small unspoilt cove where we spend the day watching a small group of penguins playing peek-a-boo behind caves, and starfish lapping by the sand in crystal clear waters. It’s a tranquil heaven – despite the area being a tourist attraction, there’s only us and a handful of others and animals on this serene stretch.
Getting There…
Hire a car at Cape Town Airport via Avis Rent a Car before departing the UK for the cheapest rates and availability. Our shiny new Hyndai Tiguan was a dream drive for the week and provided lots of luggage storage space too.
South African Airways flies daily from Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport to Johannesburg. The airline is a Star Alliance member so you can cash in on those handy Avios points. Check in is easy and it’s worth upgrading for access to the beautifully-designed Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2. Onboard, our seats have ample legroom and comfortable seat recline which make for a decent night’s sleep.
For more information on Cape Town visit capetown.travel and southafrica.net to plan your trip.
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