What I Learned as Solo Female Traveller After 3 Months in Cape Town
The first time I went viral on TikTok, I somewhat awkwardly attempted to answer the question, “is Cape Town safe for solo female travellers?”
In my video, I shared that I had never felt in danger while in South Africa as a woman on my own. I immediately got a lot of hate and threats, as well as many concerned comments. While some weirdos said things like “I’m going to track you down” and others ominously cautioned, “just wait a few weeks”, that told me a lot more about TikTok trolls than the actual situation in Cape Town. I still couldn’t help but think that this was my Kim K moment.
I do admit, however, that my blanket statement about safety in South Africa deserves a less biased amendment, which I’m going to address in this blog post.
So if you ask me today, “is Cape Town safe for tourists?”, I’ll give you a somewhat different answer.
Should You Visit Cape Town as a Solo Female Traveler?
Cape Town is, hands down, one of the most beautiful destinations on the planet. You have kilometres of white sandy beaches, mountains steps from the city, an amazing foodie and cafe scene, world-class art and entertainment, and sensational views wherever you look.
It is also a stone’s throw from the internationally acclaimed wine regions of Franschoek and Stellenbosch. And if wildlife is more your thing, you can chill with seals or swim with penguins.
I loved Cape Town so much that I plan to return every winter for the rest of my life. But if you ask me if you should visit Cape Town as a solo female, my answer depends on your own personality, mindset and previous travel experiences.
Cape Town Compatibility Test
Cape Town is the perfect destination for you as a solo female, if:
Well, as a male solo traveller that has been all over South Africa, I have to tell you that your article is detailed and, quite simply, excellent! Though it targets the travelling woman, almost all of what you said can be applied to everybody.
I’m a hiking, history and Nature enthusiast and, consequently, I am always taking pictures with a decent-quality camera everywhere I go. I don’t know if being a male is an advantage or a liability in such circumstances, but confidence, vigilance and common-sense indeed goes a long way to keeping one safe from unwanted attention.
I’m South African and love Cape Town as well. In many aspects, I’ve felt a lot safer in many places in Cape Town than I have felt in my home city, Johannesburg, or even Durban for that matter! One of the big differences I’ve noticed in Cape Town is that, along the promenades and main roads along the coast, there are huge quantities of locals that walk and run in these areas. All of them seem comfortable doing so and that, plus perhaps the imagined safety in numbers, has led me to frequent these areas early and late in the day.
But, the safest is to be cautious, and especially, I believe, to follow your sixth sense. If something doesn’t feel right, it usually isn’t, so rather leave immediately and seek a safer area. This is not perfect advice every time by any means, but it has stood me in good stead during decades of travel in this exquisite country of ours!
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