Sunset activities in Cape Town

December 2020

The Mother City is well known for its magnificent sunsets and offers so many amazing spots to enjoy the sun setting into the Atlantic Ocean.  Whether it is from a mountain top, onboard a luxury boat, sitting on the sandy beaches, or onboard the Red Double Decker bus, the options are endless.  We wanted to share a list of magical spots in Cape Town.  Pack a picnic basket, a blanket, a sundowner, and enjoy the sunsets.

On a bus

Join the red double-decker open-top City Sightseeing Bus for a magical sunset experience. This journey takes approximately 3 hours and includes a fantastic coastal drive that departs from Stop 1 at the V&A Waterfront.  Meandering along the coastline on Beach Road, passing Mouille Point, Sea Point promenade, Bantry Bay, then on to the famous beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay.  On this route, you will have the ocean on your right and the Twelve Apostle mountain range on your left.

As the sun starts dipping into the ocean the bus heads up to Signal Hill in time for sunset.   Sit on the lawns that offer fantastic views of the sun setting into the Atlantic Ocean. Signal Hill is an iconic spot known for its magnificent sunsets.

Signal Hill Sunsets with City Sightseeing

As the sun dips into the sea and the city lights twinkle in the distance, the views are outstanding and it’s a really magic sunset location.  After sunset, the bus takes a route down Kloof Nek road, where the lights sparkle as the city comes to life. Enjoy the magic view of all the city lights and the renowned Chrismas lights’ display as you head back to the busy V&A Waterfront.

Please note that the Sunset Tour Bus tour will be travelling to Blouberg from the 26th of December 2020 until the 2nd of January 2021.

On the mountain

Take the cable car to the summit of Table Mountain (Stop 7). Between 16 December and 15 January, the last cable car up is 20:30, and the last one down is 21:30.  Therefore a perfect spot to enjoy the sunset from the top of the mountain. As the sun sets into the Atlantic Ocean and the city lights sparkle in the distance, the views are incredible, and it’s an exceptional sunset location. Many engagements have taken place on the mountain during sunset and this mountain is known as one of the most romantic places to watch the sun setting in the city.  Descending the mountain in the dark will give you the most magical views of the city lights.

Table Mountain and the city lights

On the ocean

The Waterfront is home to numerous luxury yachts.  Join Waterfront Boat Company onboard one of their many vessels. Either choose a sunset under sail on the Esperance and Serenity One or onboard their motor vessels of Sea Princess and Southern Cross.  This approximately 2-hour cruise experience will see you enjoying a glass of sparkling wine, whilst watching the sunset and the city lights coming to life.  The routes from the harbour vary dependent on wind and water conditions, and either travel out towards the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay or alternatively around the western coastline.  Either way, you will have a magical sunset on board.

Sunset from the ocean

On the beach

Cape Town offers a remarkable coastline and hidden among its beaches are some wonderful saltwater tidal pools which are amazing and offer fantastic views, such as the tidal pools at Camps Bay (Stop 8) which overlooks the ocean and Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles backdrop offers incredible sunset views.  Alternatively, pack a picnic and a blanket, and sit on the sand watching the glorious sunset.

If you’re looking for a beach a little further out of the city, we recommend Bloubergstrand.  A short 20-minute drive from the city bowl, this beach overs picture-perfect sunsets with the wide-open landscape of the long sandy beach, the ocean in the front, and Table Mountain, Signal Hill, and Lions in full view.

Blouberg beach sunset

Enjoy the golden hour in Cape Town when the sunsets and the skies turn to a soft glow of pinks and purples. Because there is nothing like a sunset to set the mood and enjoy some sundowners with friends and family.