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CCape Malay heritage tours are a rewarding way to explore the interwoven histories of Western Cape’s culturally diverse communities and enjoy some sightseeing en route. You’ll get to visit Cape Town sites of religious, social and political significance in the history of the Cape Malay people, interact with the community and stop over at top attractions around the Cape Peninsula.
Cape Malay culture is arguably best known outside of South Africa for its distinctive cuisine, but as visitors to Cape Town can discover on a culture tour, the Malay community is proudly protective of their traditional and religious beliefs, and deeply conscious of their struggle heritage.
A tour of Cape Malay heritage on the peninsula takes visitors to must-see sites like Table Mountain, the Castle of Good Hope and Cape Point, and includes stopovers in historic Cape Malay strongholds like District Six and the Bo-Kaap.
What adds depth and interest to this tour is the opportunity to visit museums, mosques, tombs and shrines of significance to the Malay community (most of whom are Muslim). Cultural interaction is a key component, enabling visitors to meet imams and Islamic scholars, sample traditional cuisine in a Malay home and socialise with local community members.
While the focus is on Malay heritage, visitors will gain an understanding of the heterogeneous community of the early Cape, and multicultural District Six in particular. Political oppression and enforced racial segregation during apartheid forced different ‘non-white’ cultures to live together, so a Cape Malay culture tour includes a stop at an Anglican church in a Muslim suburb, accounts of different races and faiths living peaceably side-by-side, and a visit to the Great Synagogue in the Company Gardens.
For those with an interest in the influence of slavery and apartheid on South Africa, and in particular the Malay community, a Bo-Kaap heritage tour includes visits to the Bo-Kaap Muslim Museum, Cape Town’s flower market and station, Sea Point, the V&A Waterfront, and an optional visit to Robben Island.
Likewise, the Cape Winelands abound with Malay slave heritage, so on a Cape Malay winelands tour, you’ll experience the best wine estates, farms and restaurants, and learn the history and contribution of the Cape Malays to this beloved region of the Cape.
Did You Know?
TTravel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Oemies Tours
Tel: +27 (0)21 797 1070
Andulela Tours
Tel: +27 (0)82 695 4695
Email: info@andulela.com
How to get here
Drive to Cape Town or fly to Cape Town International Airport. Your tour guide will pick you up at your accommodation.
Best time to visit
Cape Malay heritage tours are available year-round (excluding Muslim religious holidays).
Get around
Tours include transport and guides for walking excursions
Length of stay
Full or half-day Cape Malay heritage tours are available, but spending less than a week, if not 2, exploring all that Western Cape has to offer is selling yourself short.
What to pack
Comfortable walking shoes, hat, camera, sunglasses, sunscreen, weatherproof jacket.
Where to stay
Enquire with your tour operator or guide about home stays in the Malay community, if you’d really like to immerse yourself in the culture. Alternatively, Cape Town and its surrounds offer accommodation to suit all budgets, ranging from backpackers’ lodges to luxury hotels; see the listed websites.
What to eat
Tours typically include traditional Malay refreshments or lunch. Food is halaal.
What's happening
The Bo-Kaap Crafts and Food Market Day is held on the first Saturday of the month in the middle of the Bo-Kaap district. Sit down with the locals and enjoy treats like samoosas, smoked snoek, curries and special cakes.
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