A Guide to Bo Kaap, the Rainbow Heart of Cape Town
The vivid streets of the Bo-Kaap are one of Cape Town’s oldest and most fascinating multicultural areas.
This ultimate guide to Bo Kaap covers its history, things to know, what to do and see there, and how to visit respectfully!
If South Africa is the rainbow nation, then the suburb of Bo Kaap is undoubtedly its technicolored heart.
Draped along the lower slopes of Signal Hill, right at the very edge of Cape Town’s CBD, Bo Kaap is famous for its vividly-painted Cape Dutch houses; cheerful and welcoming single-story homes that stand in terraced rows along steep cobblestoned streets.
This is the former Cape Malay area of Cape Town, and while its streets have boomed in popularity in recent years thanks to its instagram potential, the suburb is also steeped with a rich, unique Muslim culture and a complex and turbulent 260-year old history.
A trip to Cape Town is incomplete without a visit to the Bo Kaap, and we highly recommend that any traveller to the city spend some time wandering its streets.
In this guide, we’ve included our top tips for visiting Bo Kaap, including its history, the best things to see and do, and a few of our top tips to help you explore here respectfully.
A SHORT GUIDE TO BO KAAP, CAPE TOWN
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WHERE IS THE BO KAAP
Bo Kaap is nestled into the foothills of Signal Hill, right on the edge of the Cape Town CBD. Translated from Afrikaans, the name means “above the Cape”.
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HOW TO GET TO THE BO KAAP
Bo Kaap’s proximity to the city centre makes it super accessible for travellers.
On foot, it’s just five minutes walk from the centre of the Cape Town CBD, or a pleasant 20-30 minutes from the V&A Waterfront (about 10-minutes by Uber!).
From the city centre, just follow Wale Street straight up until you get the IZIKO Bo-Kaap Museum. If you’re travelling there solo or towards the evening, we’d recommend going by Uber for safety.
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THE HISTORY OF BO KAAP
While the Bo Kaap's very instagram-worthy rainbow streets might be inviting and cheerful today, the history that underlies them is far more complex and turbulent.
The origins of the area date back to the 1760s, when the first rows of terraced houses were constructed while political exiles, craftspeople, convicts and every day people (predominantly Muslim) were imported as slaves from Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and beyond. While not technically correct, they came to be known as the Cape Malays.
Many Cape Malays were able to lease the single-storied terrace houses (called huurhuisies). The first Mosque in South Africa, the Auwal Mosque on Dorp Street, was built (1794), and when slavery was abolished in 1834, the population swelled in the area as those emancipated moved into the newer parts of the Bo Kaap.
During Apartheid, the area survived the forced removals and destruction of suburbs like District Six. Under the Group Areas Act of 1950, it was designated as a coloured and Malay-only area and other ethnicities and religions were forcibly removed.
During this time, the National Monuments Council decreed the houses could only be painted white - it’s believed that it was only with the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 that residents began to use their homes as a canvas to finally celebrate their long-subdued freedom, expressing their individual rights through the bright colours that you can see today.
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MODERN THREATS TO BO KAAP | GENTRIFICATION
Today, Bo Kaap faces a new threat in gentrification.
As the area’s popularity has increased in recent years, so too has the desire of savvy developers and business folk keen to open new hotels, bars, restaurants, and boutiques along its cobblestone streets.
As the yoga studios and ice cream shops, quinoa salad-and-smoothie bars and hipster design boutiques have begun sprouting here, Mom-and-Pop businesses that have been open more than half a century are slowly being shuttered up and driven out by modern, hipster businesses piggybacking off the unique and exotic vibe once found here.
Gentrification is complex, with positives and negatives depending on which side of the class divide you stand; but when it drives out the people who have called the Bo Kaap home for centuries, and plays a role in the destruction of shared culture and heritage, it's a sad thing to see.
If you choose to stay in Bo Kaap, we implore you to opt for homestay-style stays owned by local Cape Malay families, and ensure that your tourist dollars support the rich and vibrant local community.
Alternatively, stay somewhere else in the city and instead spend some time wandering the streets and getting to know its history and culture — like on this Bo Kaap walking tour with a local who has called it home their entire life.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING BO KAAP, CAPE TOWN
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BO KAAP IS THE OLDEST LIVING NEIGHBOURHOOD IN CAPE TOWN
Developed in the 1760s by Dutch Colonialist Jan de Waal as housing for the Cape Malay slaves, the terraced Cape Dutch houses of the Bo Kaap are some of the oldest in Cape Town.
In fact, these streets are home to the largest concentration of pre-1850 South African architecture, and the suburb is the oldest residential neighbourhood still surviving today.
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YOU SHOULD DRESS CONSERVATIVELY IN BO KAAP
This is still a predominantly Muslim area, and as such, all tourists should dress conservatively whilst visiting. for men and women alike, it’s best to keep your chest, legs, and shoulders covered respectfully, particularly if you plan to enter any of the Mosques.
For ladies, carry a headscarf in your bag if you intend to enter the Mosque, too.
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BO KAAP ISN’T YOUR INSTA-PLAYGROUND
Yes, the street is wonderfully colourful and a true photography playground… but while the facades have become a huge draw for travellers in recent years, please remember that this is still a living neighbourhood with a complex past and a rich Muslim culture.
It’s absolutely not just a backdrop for your next Instagram post!
These are people’s homes and livelihoods, so be mindful of that when exploring.
Don’t be intrusive, jump on gates, steps, or outdoor furniture, and try not to disrupt people trying to live their lives in their own neighbourhood more than you need to.
READ | Read our guide to responsible tourism
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THINGS TO DO, SEE AND EAT IN BO KAAP, CAPE TOWN
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THE BO KAAP MUSEUM
Start your explorations at the Bo Kaap Museum, located in the oldest building in Bo Kaap.
This former home to a wealthy Muslim family was built by Jan de Waal, the original developer of the area, in the 1760s. It’s now a National Monument, and decorated and furnished in the style of the time. Along with the story of Bo Kaap, it provides visitors with an impression of what local homes and culture looked like at the time.
Plan to spend about an hour browsing here. Entry is R20.
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WANDER THE COLOURFUL STREETS OF BO KAAP
Of course, after you’ve visited the museum and got a sense of the heritage and culture of the area, it’s time to get lost amongst these wonderfully charming, colourful houses and cobblestoned streets!
Taking our time people-watch and just observe daily life as it happened was one of our favourite things to do in Bo Kaap, and gave a real sense of what life is like here.
We’d recommend taking your time to explore the streets, turn corners you’re not sure of and just lose yourself in the pretty streets.
While you’re walking, listen to this audio walking tour by Bo Kaap local Shereen Habib whose family has lived here for almost a century. As you wander down the lanes and streets, she shares her personal stories from the area and explains why this place is so loved by its inhabitants.
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THE AUWAL MOSQUE
The Auwal Mosque, built in 1794, is the first mosque established in South Africa, on land owned by a freed Black Muslim slave and his family.
The mosque was the first place in the country where the unique Cape Malay muslim traditions and language were formally taught and public prayers observed — and has stood as a symbol of faith and freedom to worship for the local community ever since.
It’s also home to a handwritten copy of the Quran by Tuan Guru, who wrote it from memory while incarcerated on Robben Island.
It is possible to enter the Mosque outside of daily prayer times; please remember to cover your legs and shoulders (both sexes) and ladies please remember to bring a headscarf if you wish to enter.
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TANA BARU CEMETERY
After religious freedom was finally granted in 1804, Bo Kaap’s Tana Baru Cemetery, on the slopes of Signal Hill, was the first designated Muslim burial site in the country.
While it isn’t currently in use, it's still a revered cemetery in the city and many of the earliest Muslim settlers to Cape Town rest on its slopes. The graves and shrines of important Cape Malay imams, like Tuan Guru, can also be found here.
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THE ATLAS TRADING CO.
You’ll smell the Atlas Trading Co long before you actually see it, so fragrant are the exotic spices and ingredients that waft from its front door.
Open since 1946, this family-owned spice shop has served generations of Cape Malays have come to find the perfect ingredients for their cooking.
The shelves are stocked full of woody Turmeric and curry mixes, aromatic incense, wholesale bags of rice, or head-tingling dried chillies, and it’s well worth a wander. Although be warned: it’s almost impossible to leave without purchasing something delicious!
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EAT AUTHENTIC CAPE MALAY FOOD
We’re pretty firm believers that one of the best ways to get to know a culture and its people better is to join them for a meal and sample the food.
For the most authentic Cape Malay meals and hospitality, we recommend visiting — note that all traditional Cape Malay restaurants in Bo Kaap are halal and alcohol-free:
BO-KAAP KOMBUIS | Sweeping views of Table Mountain and the most authentic and delicious Cape Malay curries and samosas you’ll find anywhere in the city. The hospitality is also second to none!
BIESMELLAH | Another great authentic restaurant in Bo Kaap, particularly popular for its bobotie, the tasty Cape Malay dish consisting of spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping (and one of South Africa’s unofficial national dishes!).
ROSE CORNER CAFE | Famous for their Koeksisters, braided spiced donuts fried in syrup and sprinkled with coconut, which are every bit as sweet and sticky as you can imagine. Get there early though - they’re so popular they sell out by midday!
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BO KAAP TOURS
We believe in travel that directly supports and empowers the communities in which you're travelling, which is why we’d encourage you to only take tours in Bo Kaap that are operated and owned by the local residents.
Interested in more day tours of Cape Town? Check out this post!
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BO KAAP WALKING TOUR
We recommend getting to know this area beyond the colourful facades by spending time with the people who call it home. This Bo Kaap walking tour through the suburb’s major historical sites, the Auwal Mosque (the oldest in South Africa), and the famous Atlas spice shop is hosted by a local who’s lived in these streets since his birth.
You’ll also get to share a cup of tea and a traditional treat at the home of another local resident, and chat about the suburb and how it’s changed over time.
BOOK | Bo Kaap local walking tour
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JOIN A CAPE MALAY COOKING CLASS
We joined the wonderful Gamidah Jacobs at Lekka Kombuis for a Cape Malay cooking class, where we took a tour of the local markets and shops, then learnt how to make aromatic curries, delectably crisp but impossible-to-fold samosas, and a zesty onion and tomato sambal.
The flavours were intense, exotic, and richly complex - a true reflection of the incredible culture that was born from the former turmoil of this area.
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SAFETY IN BO KAAP
We’ve written a post with everything you need to know about safety as a traveller in South Africa, but for Bo Kaap specifically, the main thing to keep in mind is that the suburb is, like most places in Cape Town, best visited during the day.
We want to be clear that the people of Bo Kaap are extremely friendly, warm and inviting, but that the area is not immune to the petty crime that plays out across Cape Town and wider South Africa.
Furthermore, as the area has boomed in popularity with tourists in recent years, it’s also likely to have drawn the attention of petty thieves, so keep your wits about you, don’t go flashing all your valuables, and don't leave your stuff unattended particularly when it comes to cameras, tripods, etc.
Save your explorations for the daylight hours when there are plenty of other people around, or if you must visit at night, travel in groups.
Obviously it kind of goes without saying that when you travel in South Africa (and beyond), travel insurance is super important. We use World Nomads insurance for our travels, and find them pretty great for comprehensive cover and convenient claims
BOOK | Book travel insurance here.
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WHERE TO STAY IN BO KAAP
We’ve already talked about how gentrification is impacting the Bo Kaap area, and one of the prime examples of this is, unfortunately, airbnbs and guesthouses purchased by wealthy outsiders and leased to Capetonians or foreign travellers.
If you do choose to stay in Bo Kaap, we implore you to opt for homestay-style stays owned by local Cape Malay families, and ensure that your tourist dollars support the rich and vibrant local community - not the businesses that threaten to drive them out.
Alternatively, stay somewhere else in the city (read our comprehensive guide to where to stay in Cape Town here) and instead spend some time wandering the streets and getting to know its history and culture — like on this Bo Kaap walking tour with a local who has called it home their entire life.
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PLANNING A VISIT TO CAPE TOWN SOON?
We have a whole lot of essential reading before you travel to Cape Town:
CAPE TOWN HIGHLIGHTS | The very best things to do in South Africa’s Mother City
WOODSTOCK, CAPE TOWN | Our guide to Cape Town’s coolest suburb, Woodstock
CAPE TOWN DAY TRIPS | 11 unmissable day tours in Cape Town and surrounds
SOUTH AFRICA SAFETY | How to travel safely in Southern Africa
AFRICA TRAVEL TIPS | Everything you need to know before you travel in Africa
PACKING FOR AFRICA | Our ultimate Africa packing list (what to pack and what to leave behind!)
TRAVEL INSURANCE | Don’t leave home without travel insurance (seriously, don’t!). Click here to get the best deals with World Nomads, our trusted travel insurance provider
PHOTOGRAPHY | Love our photography? Wondering what gear we use to get all of our photos around the world? Click here to view our detailed photography gear guide, as well as our top travel photography tips!
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL | Responsible travel is important. REALLY IMPORTANT. Learn our top responsible travel tips to help you, your family and friends travel more consciously around the globe
ECO FRIENDLY PACKING ESSENTIALS | Don’t leave home without our favourite eco-friendly travel essentials
HEADING TO CAPE TOWN SOON? USE OUR HELPFUL GUIDES!
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