South Africa · Ethical luxury

We spent three weeks in South Africa, most of it in Cape Town, and I came home a little in love with the place. It is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever stood in, and one of the most unequal in the world. You can’t write about it honestly without holding both at once. I went as a guest there, not an expert, so take this as one traveler’s notes rather than a verdict on a city that isn’t mine. Cape Town keeps topping the year’s best-of lists. Travel + Leisure named it the world’s most affordable luxury destination for 2026, and after being there, I understand why. Here’s what we loved, what stayed with us, and the one thing I’d do differently.

What we loved

Our anchor was POD Camps Bay. Five-star design, an infinity pool over the Atlantic, and a nightly rate that makes “affordable luxury” sound modest. Camps Bay was the easy joy of the trip: sundowners with the mountains behind us, a long, happy dinner at The Codfather, that golden late-afternoon light. And Table Mountain gave us the sweeping views everyone promises.

One moment we still talk about wasn’t on any itinerary. Near the V&A Waterfront, a children’s choir was singing on the street, songs I think were in Zulu. Their voices cut straight to our hearts, and everyone around us stopped to listen. We stood there with tears in our eyes. I’ve gone looking for clips of it ever since, and nothing I find comes close.

When we wanted more time in the city, we moved to Blackheath Lodge in Sea Point. A different feel, a different part of town, lovely in its own way. The real lesson was the slow one. Staying put longer beat racing the country, and it cost us less.

The day that reframed the rest

If you do one serious thing in Cape Town, make it the District Six Museum. District Six was a thriving, mixed neighborhood in the heart of the city. Under apartheid’s Group Areas Act it was declared whites-only in 1966, and roughly 60,000 people were forced out and their homes flattened. Former residents helped build the museum, and it tells the story from the inside. It didn’t weigh our trip down. It made everything after it land differently.

My one real regret: we never got to Robben Island, where Mandela was imprisoned. We should have. It’s first on the list for next time.

The hours that meant the most

The Bo-Kaap is the historic center of Cape Town’s Cape Malay community, home to those bright, much-photographed houses. The respectful way to be there is to do more than take a picture of someone’s front door. We booked a Cape Malay cooking class at Faeeza’s Home Kitchen on Chiappini Lane. It was one of the warmest afternoons of the whole trip. We rolled roti and folded samoosas, then sat at her table and ate while she told us about the neighborhood. It’s woman-run and proudly local, and the money goes straight to the community whose street drew us there.

That became the quiet theme of our best days. It’s easy, as a visitor, to spend a whole trip inside the polished, mostly white-owned tourist bubble and never clock it. We tried to step outside it where we could. Not as a rule for anyone else. The family-run places were simply where the trip came alive.

The honest one: even the choices I loved

The Zeitz MOCAA, the contemporary African art museum on the V&A Waterfront, was one of the best museums I’ve ever walked into, anywhere. The building alone justifies the visit. It’s also worth knowing the debate around it. The founding collection belongs to a white German businessman. Its leadership has been largely white in a country that is almost 80% Black. The ticket price puts it out of reach for most South Africans. I’d still go back tomorrow. My point is only that traveling thoughtfully isn’t about getting everything right. It’s about going in clear-eyed about whose story you’re standing inside.

Three things I’d tell a friend before they go

None of this is a rulebook. I’m still figuring out how to travel here well. But three things I’d pass along:

• Do your homework before you wander. The inequality is real, and some areas aren’t safe to explore unprepared. Ask the people who host you, and treat that care as part of getting to know the place.
• Don’t trade the history for the beaches. Skipping it isn’t neutral, and the beaches mean more once you’ve sat with the rest.
• Spend a little past the bubble. The default spots are genuinely nice. The local, family-run ones are the ones we remember.

The bottom line

Luxury and conscience aren’t opposites in Cape Town. The pool over the Atlantic and the District Six Museum belong on the same trip, and ours was richer for holding both, not heavier. Go for the beauty. Stay for the depth. It’s become one of the great loves of our traveling life, and I can’t wait to go back. Robben Island first.

Frequently asked questions

How can I travel responsibly in Cape Town?

Travel in a way that gives back more than it takes. Tourism is a big, much-needed part of the city’s economy, so the goal isn’t to stay away, it’s to go thoughtfully. Engage with the history, support local and family-run businesses, and spread your spending past the tourist core.

Is Cape Town safe for tourists?

Generally yes, for travelers who prepare. It’s a city of real inequality and uneven safety. Research neighborhoods, take local advice, skip wandering unfamiliar areas after dark, and use trusted transport. A little caution here is normal, not paranoia.

What’s a respectful way to visit the Bo-Kaap?

Do more than photograph the colorful houses. They’re people’s homes. Book something that puts money into the community, like a Cape Malay cooking class. We loved Faeeza’s Home Kitchen. Eat at local spots, and treat the area as a living neighborhood, not a backdrop.

What are the best apartheid history sites in Cape Town?

Start with the District Six Museum downtown, then Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Both are essential. We made the first and missed the second, and I regret it. Book Robben Island early, because it sells out.

What are the best places to stay and eat in Cape Town?

A full guide to where we stayed and ate is on the way. The short version: POD Camps Bay for the stay, and Camps Bay’s restaurants and cocktail bars are worth the trip on their own. Full guide coming soon.

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We only feature places we’d actually stay. This guide reflects our own 2023 trip; details and prices change, so confirm before you book.