Travel & Hotspots

KIKI'S WINTER WHERE ABOUTS

Part 8

Just admit it. It's okay, I do it too. Since the whole month of December started, you've been out of sorts. Fatigue is setting in, you have little energy and actually want to binge-watch Netflix all day with a blanket over your head and eat calorie-rich food. Feeling a winter slump? I am. And every year, more than 500,000 people in the Netherlands feel the same. Fortunately, the world is wide, and there are always tropical summer spots where it's nice to stay in winter. Are you bringing the sunscreen?

Cape Town, South Africa

The coldest months in Cape Town? July and August. The warmest? January, February, and March with an average of about 26 degrees. Yep, this is a typical example of reversed seasons, and for the Dutch, it's a great idea to head to South Africa right at the start of the new year. Cape Town has a so-called Mediterranean climate, characterized by warm weather in the summer (dry and warm) and wet and cool weather in the winter. On average, the temperature hovers around 17 degrees all year round, so you can actually go there any time of the year. Grab a terrace at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, visit the Green Market at St Georges Mall for the most unique souvenir, or take a boat to the impressive Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for eighteen years). If you're not a fan of tourists, you might want to avoid the latter. In the backpacker domain of Long Street, you can enjoy affordable restaurants, a lively atmosphere, and African music. And of course, you want to know where you can comfortably park your behind in the sand. At the four trendy beaches of Clifton, it's all about seeing and being seen. If you're young and hip, you want to be here. A bit further down, you'll find Camps Bay beach. This is a much larger and wider beach, with a busy promenade filled with many restaurants and bars. Surfers and romantics (because: the best sunsets) head to Llandudno Beach. Oh dear, I think my eyes are suddenly wandering to a very attractive deal in February... Shall I meet you there?