"We drove her cabriolet down the road to Camps Bay..." (Sugardrive, South African band, late 1990's)
	Sophisticated & stylish or casual & beachy, we have YOUR Camps Bay Villa or Apartment

Lines that pretty much capture the Camps Bay gist: a relaxed and visually marvellous strip of photogenic real estate sandwiched between the gently curving, palm edged bay and the back end of Table Mountain.   

These essential pastimes will all be carried out on the landward side of Victoria Road of Camps Bay. Non-stop, it would take an average human 10 minutes to walk this whimsical commercial drag. But then that average human would be missing the point: there are many reasons to stop along this little route.

No doubt you have been to many shopping centres and marveled at the fake Victorian, phoney Aztec or mock Martian themed corridors of stores, the roll-in roll-out parking ramps, fast-food arenas, entertainment wings and lifestyle piazzas. Undeniably, Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (a.k.a V&A, The Waterfront, Cape Town Waterfront) is guilty of some of the above sins, being a collection of shops and restaurants stuck on the edge of a harbour, but it manages to do it with some grace.

Statistics, from whatever authority would have you believe them, say that the Cape Town Waterfront is the most visited site, natural or otherwise in Cape Town and the Western Cape. Most of these visitors will arrive by private car, taxi or bus.

There is excellent pedestrian access from the bottom end of Cape Town, known as the Foreshore, as well as from the Green Point, Mouille Point/Granger Bay areas. Parking is well organized on the outer fringes of the development, mostly under-cover and mostly pay parking at premium rates.

Once the car is parked or the cruise liner tied to its dock then pedestrians rule: follow the paved and demarcated walkways or deviate from these for more meandering routes around the piers and harbour edge. It’s hard to get lost and safety and security are well managed so there are no bad areas to be avoided: roam free.

Where better to stay than right at the Waterfront?

The Waterfront Marina started off as a couple of blocks of luxury apartments in the yacht basin just behind the Alfred Basin and has expanded yearly to occupy every last bit of available space in the area. The whole development is now nearing completion and this will result in 550 apartment units and 200 yacht moorings. This part of the Waterfront is also the location of the mega-lavish One and Only hotel that should be completed early in 2009.

A lunch stop at a really good restaurant adds to the Cape Experience

We are slowly emerging from the Winter slump, when Cape Town is less sort after as a destination and tour operators endure a lean spell. Many visitors to South Africa prefer heading North on safari during the months of June, July and August when viewing is maximised under ideal conditions. Select Motion has recently picked up some business though, in arranging tours for people who have chosen to finish off their wild South African bush adventure by spending a couple of leisurely days in civilised Cape Town.

The most popular tours involve going along the Cape Peninsula down to the tip of the African continent or out into the Winelands to soak up historical culture and wine.

Lunch stops at quality restaurants add to the sense of place, so I have chosen to provide brief reviews of 4 that have consistently met with the thumbs up from my discerning clients.

Introducing Mark and Select Motion

- Ok Mark here goes. Can you introduce yourself and Select Motion? -

Sure - I'm born and raised here in Cape Town, so have an intimate knowledge of this stunning city. Now aged 42, it seems a long time ago that I graduated as a physchology major from the University of Cape Town . Then after dabbling in retailing, journalism and coaching tennis I moved into the growing tourism sector in the mid 90's where I gained experience as a freelance guide for some large, reputable companies, before setting up my own small business, Select Motion, in 2002.

Top must do and see in Cape Town 

-What in your opinion are the top "must do and see" in Cape Town?-

What characterises the city is it's beautiful setting so "essential" Cape Town involves spending a fair amount of time up the mountains, along the coast or out at sea. It has always been a cosmopolitan place as an historically strategic port, so tapping in to the local vibe by enjoying the array of excellent restaurants would also be a must do. The more politically conscious visitors find visiting Robben Island provides a revealing insight to our recent turbulent social history and a frame of referance for challenges that our society still face.

There can be surely few more scenic or accessible places to paraglide than Cape Town. If you keen for the once-off thrill of it, or to check out whether this is the sport for you, a tandem is the way to go. 

Sign up for a Tandem Instructional Flight (TIF) with a licensed pilot who has a total of thirteen years of active paragliding experience and of which the last seven years have included tandem flying in the Western Cape.

- Summary: Cape Town facts and figures -

Size in square kilometres: 2461