The Cape of Good Hope is part of a peninsula that is home to South Africa's National Nature Reserve, the only one in the world with such a rich diversity of fauna and unique flora.
The legendary Cape of Good Hope is the source of many myths and legends. In 1488, Bartholomew Dias named the peninsula Cabo Tormentoso, or Cape of Storms. King Joao II of Portugal later gave it the name Cabo da Boa Esperança, the Cape of Good Hope. In 1580, Sir Francis Drake declared that it would be "the most majestic and most beautiful cape in all the earth."
The first lighthouse was built on the cape in 1860. However, due to its high location (238 metres above sea level), it was often obscured by clouds and fog. When the liner Lusitania was wrecked in 1911, the lighthouse was moved to 87 metres above sea level, to its present location.
In the 17th century, the Dutch captain Hendrik van der Decken tried to round the cape in a strong headwind and his ship and crew mysteriously disappeared. Since then, the legend of the ghost ship "The Flying Dutchman" has been told, which is said to have been frequently spotted near the Cape of Good Hope.
The reserve located on the Cape is a floral treasure - there are more than 1000 different species of flowers. The Cape has earned international recognition as one of the world's six "flower kingdoms". Plants characteristic of the Cape of Good Hope are proteas and reeds.
It is home to the bear baboon. The close proximity to the city and geographic isolation from other baboon populations threatens their existence. The monkeys' staple diet consists mainly of fruits, root vegetables, bulbs, honey, insects and scorpions, but at low tide they can be seen on the beach fishing for clams.
Ornithologists can observe more than 250 species of birds on the Cape - the great black eagle, gulls and cormorants, nectar-eaters feeding on the sweet nectar of the protea while Egyptian geese lounge on the rocks in the warm sunshine, the steppe buzzard, spotted owl, sandpiper and the great African ostrich.
Animal lovers can see zebra, canna antelope, lynx, mongoose and field mice. As well as a large variety of insects, turtles, snakes, lizards and frogs. In winter and spring, southern right whales can be seen returning to warmer waters to give birth and raise their young.
The Cape of Good Hope is an amazing scenic spot with soft white sandy beaches interspersed with stunning cliffs. The mixing of the icy Atlantic Ocean with the warm waters of the Indian Ocean has created a unique coastal environment and one of the most productive marine areas around the world.
Diaz Beach offers surfing. This beach is dotted with tiny boulders with numerous screaming feathered species. The famous shipwreck sites along the beach offer diving.
Despite the many visitors to the Cape of Good Hope, its world remains untouched. A visit to this amazing place will enrich you with memories of bright colours, perfect blue skies, azure seawater and clean sandy beaches.
