Things to do on the water in Cape Town

Cape Town is a city built between a mountain and two oceans, and the water is the most under-used thing about it. This is a round-up of what is actually on offer, including plenty we do not sell.

We run charters, so we have an obvious interest. We have tried to write this as though we did not.

Sunset cruises

The single most popular thing to do on the water here, and deservedly so. Two to three hours across Table Bay at golden hour, with Robben Island out to one side and the full mountain range behind you.

Several operators run scheduled cruises from the V&A Waterfront, most with a drink included, most around 90 minutes. They are good value and they are busy.

A private charter costs more and gets you the boat to yourself, no fixed route, and the ability to sit somewhere quiet with the engines off. Which is better depends entirely on whether you want an outing or an occasion.

Ours: a private charter, the boat to yourselves, shaped on enquiry.

Whale watching

June to December, and world-class in September and October. Southern right whales come close inshore in False Bay, and in peak season you can watch them from the coast road for nothing.

Licensed boat-based whale watching gets you closer. That is a permitted activity with a limited number of operators, and we are not one of them, so if close approach is the point, book someone who holds the licence.

Full detail: our whale watching guide. Our Wildlife Charter runs the bay without approaching whales, for everything else that lives in it.

Deep-sea and inshore fishing

Cape Town has genuinely excellent fishing. Yellowfin tuna over 100 kg beyond Cape Point from October to June, yellowtail all year, snoek in winter, and reef species year-round.

You need a recreational fishing permit, available online at permits.postoffice.co.za or at any Post Office, and you want an operator who will tell you honestly what is running in your month.

Ours: deep-sea, reef, the overnight fishing charter. Or start with the fishing calendar.

Shark cage diving

Among the most-searched water activities in the region, and it does not happen in Cape Town proper. The operators work out of Gansbaai and Kleinbaai, about two hours east, with some day trips from the city.

Worth knowing before you plan: the white shark population at Seal Island in False Bay collapsed from around 2015, and the famous breaching-shark trips no longer run the way they once did. Operators now largely work with bronze whalers and other species. Ask directly what you will be diving with.

We do not offer this.

Robben Island

The ferry from the V&A Waterfront, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Book well ahead: it sells out, and it is cancelled in bad weather more often than visitors expect.

It is a museum trip that happens to involve a boat rather than a boat trip. Go for the history.

We do not offer this.

Kayaking and stand-up paddling

The best-value water activity in the city. Sea kayaking from Simon's Town takes you out among the penguins at close range, and there are operators in Hout Bay and along the Atlantic seaboard.

Quiet, close to the water, and much better for wildlife than any engine.

We do not run guided kayak trips, though we do hire kayaks on False Bay, from the Simon's Town side.

Jet skis and powerboats

Heavily searched, more restricted than people expect: jet ski use is limited to designated areas and requires the right licensing. Operators run guided rides rather than free hire in most spots.

We do not offer this, though licensed skippers can hire a boat from us and run their own day.

Surfing, kitesurfing and windsurfing

Muizenberg is where most of South Africa learns to surf: a long, gentle beach break with schools along the seafront. Big Bay and Blouberg for wind sports, with Table Mountain across the water as the backdrop.

Langebaan, two hours up the West Coast, is a world-class kitesurfing lagoon. The same wind that makes it excellent for kites is the reason we watch the forecast for our own charters there.

We do not offer these.

Diving

Two very different oceans within an hour's drive. The Atlantic side has kelp forests and cold, clear water. False Bay is warmer with more variety. There are wrecks on both.

Best visibility is usually the opposite season to what you would guess: winter for the Atlantic side, summer for False Bay.

We do not run dive charters, though we do run spear fishing charters for divers with their own equipment and permits.

Private and corporate charters

The whole boat, your own group, and a route decided on the day. It suits birthdays, year-end functions, client entertaining and anything where a restaurant would be the default and a boat would be better.

Ours: private charter, corporate.

Choosing where to go from

Cape Town has three genuinely different bodies of water within two hours, and which you pick changes the day more than which operator you pick.

• Table Bay / V&A: the city, Robben Island, the mountain view. Open Atlantic, cold, and exposed to the summer south-easter.
• False Bay / Simon's Town: sheltered, warmer, the fishing grounds, the whales, the penguins. About 45 minutes from the city.
• Langebaan: a shallow turquoise lagoon on the West Coast. Two hours away, and worth it.

More on each: where we are.

When to come

Short version: February to April is the best window. The wind has eased, the water is warmest, the days are still long, and the crowds have thinned. December and January are the busiest and windiest. Winter is quiet and better than its reputation, with whales from June.

Full month-by-month: the best time for a boat trip.