Under $100: Cape Town

There are few cities on Earth as exciting as Cape Town, but a day in South Africa’s Mother City will make you go broke if you’re not careful. We’ll help you make it through the day and see the best sites for less than $100.

Boulder Beach © Neil Bradfield | Dreamstime

Roughly 20 minutes outside the city center lies Rondevlei Nature Preserve, which should be visited early in the morning due to the sun. Here you’ll find herds of hippopotami along with dozens of other animals you can’t find outside of Africa. Entry is only 12 rand per adult.

From there, head back to the center of town and stop at The Company’s Garden. It was placed in Cape Town by the Dutch East India Company in 1652 to produce fresh fruit and is home to the oldest cultivated pear tree in the country, along with a rose garden and dozens of bird species. It’s free to walk around.

For lunch, make your way to Miller’s Thumb for a delicious seafood meal or a fresh salad for less than $15 dollars.

Colorful houses of the Bo-Kaap District © Xvaldes | Dreamstime

Afterward, you can spend the afternoon doing a self-guided tour of the V&A Waterfront which houses 22 separate landmarks to explore. While you’re there you’ll definitely want to stop at the Creamery for some organic, local, handmade ice cream. It’s a bit pricey at around 30 rand, but it’s certainly worth it.

For dinner, hang around the waterfront and wait in line at Willoughby & Co. for what’s believed to be the greatest (and largest) sushi in all of South Africa, maybe even the continent. It’s a bit pricey, so expect to drop around $30 here.