Dangerous Cape Town – Neighborhoods to avoid in Cape Town and where to stay

What are the neighborhoods to avoid in Cape Town, where are the best places to stay? It is legitimate to ask these questions because South Africa and Cape Town in particular are dangerous.

Whether for a business trip, a tourist trip or a vacation, it is important to know the neighborhoods to avoid in Cape Town and those to privilege.

Here is a guide to knowing where the most dangerous neighborhoods are in Cape Town but also the best neighborhoods to stay in. It summarizes data from numerous websites (media, local press, statistics and rankings). This synthesis of information therefore does not involve judgment or discrimination.

South Africa dangerous country?

Yes, South Africa is one of the most dangerous countries in the world with a very high crime rate, particularly in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Pretoria.

In 2024, many Governments (France, Canada, Switzerland, Grande Bretagne) have classified this country as a reinforced vigilance zone.

The world ranking Numbeo, positions South Africa as the 2024th most criminal country in the world for 4 with a crime index of 76.06:

To form your own opinion on the dangerousness of South Africa, you can consult the statistics on crime on the South Africa Police official website.

Also read the newspaper article iol.co.za which explains that crime is spiraling out of control in South Africa and the Western Cape is in the midst of the storm, with a 50% increase in contact crime and 74% increase in sex-related crime.

Cape Town dangerous city?

Yes, according to many rankings (Worldatlas, Express.co.uk, Statistics, Wikipedia), Cape Town or Cape Town is one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

This is also confirmed by the statistics from Numbeo.com which displays Cape Town as the 18th most criminal city in the world out of the 459 cities ranked.

Watch the video report from The Economist: https://youtu.be/9Gy1VuHtQFs

Cape Town dangerous for tourists?

As in Johannesburg, tourists arriving in Cape Town can be targets of criminal gangs. THE French government warns of the risks upon arrival at Cape Town International Airport: “Cape Town's airport is surrounded by dangerous neighborhoods. Upon arrival, it is recommended that travelers:

• to use a secure application to order a taxi;
• not to take taxis parked in front of the airport, in particular those towards which people trying to guide them who survey the terminal with signs indicating the name of a secure taxi ordering application.
• If renting a vehicle, it is recommended to plan your route in advance. To get to the city centre, the N2 motorway is safe but stopping there is prohibited. Signs recall “High crime area. Danger area. Do not stop”.
• It is advisable not to be guided by the GPS which can take you on secondary roads. »

The main districts of Cape Town

To locate the districts to avoid which we will discuss below, here is the map of the main districts of Cape Town: Google Map

Cape Town has 120 neighborhoods divided into several large areas:

City Bowl area

The City Bowl which is the historic center of Cape Town located between Table Bay, the mountains of Signal Hill, Lion's Head and Devil's Peak. Surrounding City Bowl are the Garden Districts (Gardens), Business District (Cape Town City Center), Port, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Fort of Good Hope, Bo-Kaap, De Waterkant, Higgovale, Oranjezicht, Salt River, Schotsche Kloof, Tamboerskloof, University Estate, Vredehoek, Walmer Estate, Woodstock and Zonnebloem.

Cape Town South and Atlantic Suburbs

Cape Town also includes municipalities and seaside resorts:

• On the south-west of the Atlantic coast: Bantry Bay, Camps Bay, Clifton, Fresnaye, Green Point, Mouille Point, Sea Point, Three Anchor Bay, Hout Bay, Llandudno.
• South East of Cape Town: Rondebosch, Claremont, Plumstead, Mowbray, Observatory, Ottery, Pinelands, Wynberg, Newlands, Bergvliet, Constantia and Bishopscourt.

Northern Cape Suburbs

This area includes the neighborhoods and suburbs of Bellville, Bothasig, Brooklyn, Burgundy Estate, Durbanville, Edgemead, Elsie's River, Factreton, Goodwood, Monte Vista, Panorama, Parow, Richwood, Thornton, Table View and Welgemoed.

Cape West Coast

This is the area to the west beyond the northern suburbs on the Atlantic coast. It includes Bloubergstrand, Milnerton, Tableview, West Beach, Atlantis, Melkbosstrand, Big Bay, Sunset Beach, Sunningdale and Parklands.

Eastern Cape Suburb

This is the Eastern zone which includes the districts of Fairdale, Brackenfell, Kraaifontein, Kuils River, Blue Downs, Belhar and Protea Hoogte. Helderberg is a suburb in the Eastern Cape which lies in a wine region and includes the seaside resorts of Somerset West, Strand and Gordons Bay.

South Cape Town

Beach resorts and fishing ports area: Hout Bay, Muizenberg, Noordhoek, Fish Hoek, Kommetjie, Scarborough, Simon's Town, St James, Sun Valley and Steenberg.

Cape TownCape Flats

The Cape Flats designate an area southeast of Cape Town's central business district. This is where the slums of Cape Town are located, where the city's poorest people live.

Cape Town's Most Dangerous Neighborhoods

In South Africa, during apartheid, a township designated a district reserved for the black population. Blacks were forbidden to reside in a neighborhood where whites lived. South African cities were therefore divided into townships, areas reserved for populations according to their skin color. Despite the end of apartheid, we still deplore today the existence of townships which are veritable slums of extreme poverty.

In Cape Town, these townships (listed below) are mainly located in the Cape Flats (Die Kaapse Vlakte). It is a large area that lies south east of the central business district of Cape Town.

Here is the map that lists the most dangerous neighborhoods that tourists should avoid: Google Map location

Neighborhoods to avoid in Cape Town

Here is the list of townships which are the most dangerous areas in Cape Town:

• Nyanga (which is one of the most dangerous areas in the world)
• Khayelitsha (2nd largest township in South Africa after Soweto)
• Delft
• Mitchell's Plain
• Langa
• Gugulethu
• Manenberg
• Bishop Lavis
• Hanover park

In addition to these townships, here are areas in Cape Town that tourists should also avoid for their safety:

• Woodstock
• Observatory
• Cape Town City Center (Area around Long Street)
• Harare + Noordhoek Beach + Table view
• Zone of kakapo shipwreck
• Site of Table Mountain

This list of neighborhoods to avoid in Cape Town is not exhaustive and is not ranked. Indeed, in Cape Town, whatever the neighborhood, you must remain very careful by avoiding all outings at night, traveling only by official taxis, avoiding all beaches and isolated places.

Safest neighborhoods to stay in Cape Town

Here are the neighborhoods that professionals and real estate agents rank among the safest and best in Cape Town and its suburbs:

• newlands
• Camps Bay
• Clifton
• Sea point
• Waterfront
• tamboerskloof

Best areas to stay in Cape Town

It's hard to name the best neighborhood in Cape Town. Indeed, the choice of the best district is made according to your tastes, your desires and according to the type of stay you are planning.

To choose a hotel in the best areas of Cape Town, here are some recommendations depending on your type of stay:

• Camps Bay and Clifton : Best areas in Cape Town to enjoy the beaches of Clifton, Glenbeach, and Bakoven
• Cape Town City Center et Bo Kaap : Best neighborhoods in Cape Town for a tourist stay in the city center or for a business trip (business district).
• sea ​​point : Best area of ​​Cape Town for a family stay facing the ocean
• Victoria & Alfred Waterfront : Best area in Cape Town for shopping and sightseeing (close to the center)
• tamboerskloof : Best area in Cape Town to enjoy the entertainment of Kloof Street

Among all these neighborhoods, I present below the 2 favorite neighborhoods of tourists:

Best area to stay in Cape Town for beaches

If you don't want to stay in the city center and you prefer a beautiful neighborhood, a beautiful view and a magnificent setting, I recommend that you stay at Camps Bay.

Indeed, Camps Bay is a beautiful area of ​​Cape Town, renowned for its large white sand beach. It is crossed by Victoria Road which is lined with many bars, shops and restaurants. Only 10 minutes from the central City Bowl area and the Waterfront, Camps Bay is an ideal area for a tourist stay.

Here is one of the most beautiful hotels ideally located in Camps Bay: South Beach Camps Bay Boutique Hotel

Best area to stay in Cape Town for tourists

Closer to the sights of the City Bowl than Camps Bay, the neighborhood Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is ideal for a tourist stay in Cape Town. Indeed, this district is one of the least dangerous in Cape Town and it is very lively with shops, bars and good restaurants.

Here is a perfect hotel for its location, its quality services and its tranquility: Queen Victoria Hotel

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How to visit Cape Town?

Usually, I am the one who organizes my excursions and visits (see Colombia, Panama ou Peru). And I'm happy to say that everything has always gone very well without any security problems.

But, in a city like Cape Town, it is safer to visit it with a guide. Indeed, when you are accompanied by a person who knows the danger zones, you are less exposed to risks. Here are 2 secure excursions that allow you to discover all the beauties of Cape Town: