7. March of many penguins

A sign on the walk approaching Boulders Beach reads: the easiest place in the world to make the acquaintance of penguins. It's no joke. There's a real colony of more than 4,000 African penguins, waddling around and fishing and paying absolutely no attention to the many pasty sunbathers competing for the sand. 1 Kleintuin Rd., Simon's Town, 011-27/21-786-2329, $2.25.

A flower seller on Long Street (Dook) [enlarge photo]

8. Backseat drivers

Hundreds of minibus taxis hurtle around town, stopping at random to pick up anyone ready for a little risk and a tight squeeze. Flag one almost anywhere (though for safety's sake it's best to stay in well-populated areas), and grab a seat with the other passengers. A guy in the back serves as a sort of carnival barker, shouting out the next stop from an open window. You can figure that most destinations in the city cost under a few bucks. A less alarming way to get oriented is a topless double-decker bus. The bright red Cape Town Explorer buses stop at 15 major attractions--from the city center to the Atlantic beach communities--and allow riders to get on and off at their leisure (011-27/21-511-1784, hyltonross.co.za, full day $14).

9. Oceans that kiss

It's a popular misconception that Cape Point, a.k.a. the Cape of Good Hope, is the southernmost tip of Africa. (That distinction actually belongs to Cape Agulhas, a few hours to the east.) Nonetheless, Cape Point, a finger of rocky land 45 minutes south of town, where the Atlantic and Indian oceans abut, is spectacular. To get to the top, you hike 15 minutes uphill or take the five-minute ride on the funicular (look out for--but do not feed--the precocious chacma baboons, which roam free around the area). A lighthouse is one of the only buffers between you and constant 50-mile-per-hour winds, which add to the whole land's-end feeling of it all. Capepoint.co.za, $5.30.

10. Prison for a day

It's impossible to visit South Africa without acknowledging apartheid and its aftereffects. The notorious Robben Island prison, a dusty spit of land in Table Bay where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years behind bars, is a 30-minute ferry ride away. The island became a national monument in 1997; former political prisoners now run 21/2-hour tours that take in, among other things, the maximum-security facility and the garden Mandela started as a way to stay sane. The tours tend to fill up early, so it's best to book well in advance. 011-27/21-413-4220, robben-island.org.za, tour $23.

11. Lobster by another name

Just about every menu in town features "line fish," meaning whatever's fresh off the boat that day. Yellowtail and kingklip are both common, as is crayfish--which is actually what locals call lobster. At the beachside restaurant Paranga, in Camps Bay, succulent tails are chopped and served atop a bed of crispy lettuce. Shop No. 1 The Promenade, 011-27/21-438-0404, crayfish salad $25.

12. Pith helmet not included

Capetonians' colonial heritage runs deep. Nowhere is that more apparent than at The Mount Nelson Hotel, a vast pink complex in the city's Garden section. A longtime haven for rich travelers, it also welcomes rubberneckers to an all-you-can-eat afternoon tea ($17), a mass of cookies, crumpets, and crustless sandwiches. 76 Orange St., 011-27/21-483-1000, mountnelson.co.za, 2:30 p.m.--5:30 p.m.