Informations Utiles

Money matters

Foreign Exchange
Facilities for exchanging money can be found everywhere in the city at Information Centres, the Airport and Bureau de change.

Currency

The local currency is the South African Rand

Climate

Cape Town has 4 seasons:
  • Summer: December to February
  • Autumn: March to May
  • Winter: June to August
  • Spring: September to November
Whatever the season you have chosen to come to the mother city of Cape Town be awarded of the old joke: “Cape Town has four seasons, sometimes all in the same day”

Religion

Most faiths and denomination are represented.

Languages

There are 11 official languages. English, Afrikaans and Xhosa are mostly speaking in Cape Town.

Communication Services

There are lots of facilities in the country such as:
  • Public phone with coins (blue boxes)
  • Telephone cards (green boxes)
  • Prepaid cards
  • Airtime for cell phone
  • Internet cafes, …

Opening times

In most places the times are as follow:

Offices hours

Weekdays: 9h00-17h00

Bank

Monday-Friday: 9h00-15h30
Saturday: 9h00-11h00
Sunday and Public Holidays: Close

Chemist

Open during normal office hours.
If close you should find details of the nearest after-hours facilities displayed on a notice.

Shopping malls

Mostly from
Weekdays: 9h00-17h00
Saturday: 9h00-13h00
Many of the bigger malls (V & A Waterfront, Canal Walk) are open seven days a week from 9h00-21h00.

Transports

There are many transport facilities available in Cape Town, the cheapest and most popular options are:
  • The train
  • The mini buses
  • The taximeter is also popular but quite expensive

Important numbers

Emergency services 107
Cell phone users 112
Ambulance 10177
Fire 0215351100
Passport and Visa 0214624970

Time

1 hour ahead of Gabonese time.

Going out & eating out

There many restaurants and fast food in the city, the popular ones are:

African food

  • Africa Café 0214220221
  • Mama Africa 0214248634
  • Marco’s African Place 0214235412

Fast food

  • Mc Donald
  • Steers
  • KFC
  • Wimpy

Pizzeria

  • St Elmo’s
  • Debonnairs
  • Panarottis

A pint of the best

  • Nando’s (chicken)
  • Ocean Basket (Sea Food)
  • Spur (Steak)

Shopping

You would like to buy something or just window-shopping, those are the most popular places:
  • Access Park (Kenilworth)
  • Canal Walk Shopping Centre
  • Cavendish Square
  • Greenmarket Square
  • Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

Nightlife

Tired of the long working day, you would like to move your body, have a sip of beers, or maybe try yourself in money games or just enjoying your nights with friends, these are the things to do…
Long Street is the main artery of Cape Town’s entertainment scene.
(Find more information on www.clubbersguide.co.za)

Clubs

  • 169
  • Bossa Nova
  • Buddha Bar
  • Dockside
  • Eclipse
  • Hemisphere
  • Ivory Room
  • Rhodes House
  • Snap
  • Sutra

Bars

  • Bob’s
  • Café Vacca Mata
  • Chilli & Lime
  • Joburg
  • Po Na Na Souk
  • Stones

Casino

  • Grand West