Last Updated on July 17, 2024 by Hannah Stephenson
If you ask me, De Waterkant is one of the most underrated neighbourhoods in Cape Town. You don’t hear as much about this cute little enclave as you do with other neighbourhoods, but there are lots of reasons to love this area.
With its colourful cottages, bougainvillaea, and cobbled streets, this super-safe area is a must-visit part of Cape Town. It’s also a very safe and LGBTQ+ friendly. In my opinion, it’s one of the best areas to stay in Cape Town!
So, without further ado, let’s get into my complete guide to De Waterkant.
Where is De Waterkant?
De Waterkant is a small enclave sandwiched between Green Point, the Waterfront, and the CBD. Well, technically, it’s actually a sub-district of Green Point.
Basically, this means that De Waterkant is smack dab in all the middle of the action!
It’s super close to a lot of the city’s best nightlife, and close to many other attractions. For example, it’s:
- A 15-minute drive from the Clifton beaches
- 10 minutes from the Lion’s Head and Table Mountain hikes
- Just across the road from Bo Kaap
- A short walk from the city centre
Why Stay in De Waterkant?
I actually lived in De Waterkant for a year, so I can confirm it’s an amazing place to stay.
It’s very pretty, with lots of cute boutiques and cafes to check out. It’s also very safe, and I never had any issues while living here. I would even walk to the supermarket after dark, which I’d never do anywhere else in the city.
Some streets don’t get loadshedding, either!
De Waterkant is also welcoming for members of the LGBTQ+ community, with several gay bars around.
And last but not least, it’s ideally located within easy reach of all of the city’s best attractions! There’s free parking around but if you’re not hiring a car, you won’t end up spending a ton on Ubers here, either.
Best Things to Do in De Waterkant?
Shopping
De Waterkant is home to the Cape Quarter Lifestyle Village, which is one of the best shopping malls in Cape Town. There are a few big brands here but it’s mostly home to boutiques, and you can find bespoke items like sound bowls and beautiful sculptures, or even go for a vitamin drip at the IV clinic.
Take Photos
If you look at the Cape Town geotag on Instagram, you’ll see a lot of photos of Bo Kaap. However, De Waterkant is just as pretty and it’s definitely safer to be waving your phone around here. So if you want to do a photoshoot #forthegram, I would recommend doing it in De Waterkant instead!
Get Active
There are a couple of boutique fitness studios here in De Waterkant. One is Yoga Life, which offers excellent classes, including a free one on Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday evenings.
De Waterkant is also home to two CrossFit gyms – Motley Crew and Oxygen Functional Fitness. I also love the classes at SpinHaus, which has a ton of different themed rides, awesome instructors, and a very inclusive ethos.
Where to eat and drink in De Waterkant?
- The Charles is an amazing cafe, restaurant, and BnB. I love coming here for breakfast, and I always get the croissant French toast.
- Cafe Chiffon is an elegant cafe that serves beautiful drinks and desserts. I’m not usually a fan of tiramisu, but the one here is delicious.
- The Piano Bar at The Grey Hotel is also a nice place to grab a drink. They have a small outdoor section that looks down over Jarvis Street, and they serve free popcorn, too!
- Kong Fu Dim Sum and Sushi does great lunch specials and yummy wonton soup.
- Yen’s Vietnamese Street Food is one of my favourite restaurants ever! It’s super cute and the only place in Cape Town that serves authentic Vietnamese food. I lived in Vietnam for years, so I know the food here is the real deal!
Where to go out in De Waterkant?
As I mentioned earlier, De Waterkant is a LGBTQ+ hotspot in Cape Town. Even though this area is pretty small, there are a couple of gay bars around. One of the main ones in Cafe Manhattan, which is a bar-slash-restaurant that’s usually open until 1 am. It’s cheap and chilled out!
If you want to dance until the wee hours, head to Pink Candy. Formerly known as Pink Panther, they blast Cher here all night long. There’s a cover charge of R150, and it’s one of the few places in Cape Town that I actually think warrants this. If you love cheesy tunes, you can’t go wrong here.
Where to stay in De Waterkant?
The Grey Hotel
Pretty, cosy, and comfortable, The Grey Hotel is a very reputable place to stay in De Waterkant. Plus, it’s home to the Piano Bar, which I mentioned earlier, and a nice rooftop pool, which is ideal in the summertime. Prices start at R990 per night.
Home Suite Hotels
Home Suite Hotels is my personal favourite place to stay. I spent a few nights here before I moved into my house, and I loved it. The room was way bigger than I was expecting, and the bed was super comfy. The shower was fantastic, too.
The rooms also have air-con (which isn’t always a given in Cape Town), so it’s a nice place to stay during the summer months. Prices start at R1,300 per night.
The Charles
The Charles is one of favourite places to grab breakfast in Cape Town, but it’s also a boutique guesthouse with nine rooms and three duplex cottages. Guests also get private access to exclusive roof decks, which is ideal if you want to sunbathe. Rooms start at R1,200, but you’ll need to contact the property for a complete price list.
They also have long-stay deals where you can get up to 50% off!