Hotels near Bo-Kaap

Bo-Kaap is a Cape Town neighbourhood on the slopes of Signal Hill - famous for its tightly-packed terraces of brightly painted houses (cobalt, lime green, hot pink, sunshine yellow) along cobbled streets. The district was historically Cape Town's Cape Malay quarter - Muslim descendants of slaves brought by the Dutch East India Company from South-east Asia in the 17th-19th centuries. The painted houses tradition started after the 1994 democratic transition as a celebration of freedom by residents who could finally own their homes.

The Bo-Kaap Museum (1763 building, 60 ZAR) tells the Cape Malay history. The Auwal Mosque on Dorp Street is the oldest mosque in South Africa (1798). Wale Street, Chiappini Street, and Rose Street have the most photogenic stretches. The Bo-Kaap Kombuis restaurant on the corner of Wale Street serves the most authentic Cape Malay cuisine (mains 100-200 ZAR). Free to walk; respectful photography only.

Pro Tip: Visit early morning before 09:00 for the best light and almost no other tourists. The Bo-Kaap Cooking Tour (700 ZAR, 3 hours) operated by Bo-Kaap residents at their home is the best authentic Cape Malay food experience - learn to make samosas and bobotie.