Southern Peninsula: Cape Town

Home to the Cape Point National Park, the Southern Peninsula offers beautiful scenery, close encounters with baboons, and, of course, the southwestern most point in Africa. This is the place to experience Cape Town's natural beauty and to come to grasp the fact that you are at the southern tip of Africa.

Though the majority of the area is comprised of the National Park, the Southern Peninsula is home to several small towns including Noordhoek, Kommetjie, and Scarborough on the Atlantic seaboard and Smitswinkel Bay on the False Bay coast.  By Cape Town standards, the mountains become less dramatic as one travels south and scenery and life pick up a relaxed contentedness.  Farm stalls, wine farms, horseback riding, surfing, and generally idling away the day happen so easily here that you may just forget about the rest of your holiday. 

Along with Cape Point, highlights of the area include the long, beautiful Noordhoek Beach and the penguins just south of Simonstown.  Take the time to explore some of the many trails in Cape Point, horseback ride on Noordhoek Beach, or ride the ostriches just outside of Cape Point National Park.  Life in this area is to be savored slowly, remember to go beyond seeing the sites and really experience the visit. 
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