MacSporran

This is probably a daft question, and in that case I do apologise to Capetonians in advance.
We'll be in Cape Town for the first time next week. We were planning to drive from the Simonstown area to Stellenbosch along the shore of False Bay (most direct route), but I notice that the road either skirts or passes through the Cape Flats area.
Is this a safe area to drive through ?

mkhonzo

I would suggest that you travel along the coast from Simonstown to Muizenberg from there head inland and use the blue routs to hook you up with the N2 to access Stellenbosch.

the road from Muizenberg through Maccasar & the flats is not bad, but if you go down with a flat tyre or something, you might well be in a situation, so rather give it a miss.

I haven't driven that road in years, so perhaps the proudly south african guys can add further comment.

MacSporran

Thanks for the advice :thumbsup:
I've no intention of being paranoid, but as first time visitor it's nice to get an idea of the lie of the land.
Cheers.

brandywine

Mac,
I think we drove this very route you are referring to in June 2005. We were coming from Stellenbosch towards Muizenberg and on down to the Cape of Good Hope. I beleive it was on a Sunday morning, it was a very easy drive and seemed very quiet and fine. It was a nice pretty drive along the Bay looking towards the Cape. I think the road is called R310 (but maybe someone from Cape Town will correct me if that is not right), and it crosses the N2 and heads directly up to Stellenbosch. I don't see why we would hesitate to take this route again, of course we did not get off the main road at all and it was during daylight hours, but nothing sticks in my mind as being scary or uncomfortable. But then we did not have a flat tire! - but did stop along the way a couple of times for photos.

atravelynn

On the safety issue. I plan to walk around Simonstown during the day with a backpack alone, looking at penguins, etc. The people at the place where I'll stay said that's fine. Has it been your experience that would be fine?

Selwyn_Davidowitz

MacSporran

As I see matters the only difference between the two possible routes that you can take simply comes down to distance and time. Safety wise I think both routes are on a par with each other. Mkhonzo could well be correct in saying if you had a flat tyre on the seafront road you could be in trouble but then I might add that the same applies if you had to drive the Cape Town - Rondebosch - N2 – R310 road.

The road from Simonstown to Rondebosch, N2 and R310 to Stellenbosch is about 80 km long and should take you about 50 minutes while the sea road, as I like to call it, (Simonstown, Mitchells Plain, Mnandi Beach, Monwabisi Beach, Khayelitsha all via the R310) is about 50 km long and should take you about 40 minutes to drive. Thus time and distance really are not a factor. Visuals along the way are no different from each other excepting that you do drive along the sea for part of the way on the sea road

Personally I do not see a safety issue being prevalent if you drove the sea road. I have done this journey many times before and I have never had a problem nor have I ever expected a problem and I would recommend you take this road to travel on.

All I can say is enjoy this part of Cape Town when you visit us.

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Atravelynn,

I agree fully with your hosts that there should be no problem in walking around Simonstown in the manner that you are proposing. One point to mention is that Boulders Beach, where the penguins live, is about 4 km from Simonstown central. The road that you will walk to go to the Penguin Colony is perfectly safe other than if you bump into a stray penguin along the way, because if you do then please watch out in that they bite fiercely. Along the way stop in at the Bronze factory studio as well as at the toy museum (well worth visiting). When you pass the sharp gabled Dutch Reformed Church on your left (Find out why the church is of historic value?? ) then look upwards to your right where you will see a most wonderful Catholic Church built out of natural rock. This is so easy to miss when you are in a car however when you are walking you will most certainly have time to take all in.

Have a great stay in Simonstown as well as in Cape Town and South Africa.

Very proudly part of the wonderful nation of South Africa

MacSporran

Selwyn, and to the others who replied, many thanks for the kind advice !

atravelynn

Thanks Selwyn. I'm saving your suggestions and will take a printout with me. If I see I sign warning of attacking penguins you can be sure I'll snap a photo of it!