The other waterfront, Cape Town

Photo © Michael von Aichberger

There are two ‘Waterfronts’ in Cape Town: the famous Victoria and Alfred Waterfront overlooked by Table Mountain, and the ‘real’ Waterfront in the township of Khayelitsha.

The Waterfront is a shebeen (bar) named after a single tap that served 3,000 people and once stood where the bar now is.

The bar is opposite a guesthouse run by a remarkable lady called Khuthazwa Vicky Balman. It is now proudly billed as ‘South Africa’s smallest hotel‘.

It is much more fun than coming in to the township on a coach, saying hello to the locals and then returning to a nice hotel in Cape Town. So go and see Vicky for a life-affirming experience.

Written by

Readers who enjoyed
this article also liked:

  • 1933, Shanghai

    Meet the Shanghai creative complex with a gruesome past.

  • Monkey Buffet, Thailand

    The Lop Buri Monkey Festival sees a fabulous monkey feast laid out by the Khmer temple for the lucky primates.

  • Oasis outdoor pool, London

    Hidden within a council estate in Covent Garden, this open air pool is heated all year round and steams with warmth during the winter.

Discuss