I mentioned this area to our tour guide and she said it was on our way back from Table Mountain. She was happy to take us. As we drove through this very interesting area she told us about the history of the colors of the houses. It really was pretty and worthwhile.

Besides the vibrant colorful houses, very interesting history - then and now. It's worth a visit, but I heard it's not recommended to go on your own, so join a walking tour. There's a free one leaving every hour from the hop on and hop off office on Long Street.

Bo-kaap is a must when visiting Cape Town. It is a really pretty area. Unfortunately there wasn't much to see apart from the houses, which is a shame. My tour guide then wanted to move on. It seems to be an unsafe area.

Such an incredible place with about a million photo opportunities! The coloured houses were gorgeous and had such lovely features (plant pots, murals, sculptures etc) and we loved just wandering around. We didn't have a guide so it gave us time to explore. The best houses were on Chiappini, Rose and Wale streets.

This is a very interesting part of Cape Town to visit but best done with a guide. There is a fair bit of history here, but it is much more meaningful to have someone tell you what you are looking at. There are also a bunch of interesting art galleries, and a wonderful Turkish spice store.

Has some history associated with it but essentially now a tourist attraction. Not much to see or visit beyond the colorful houses with some mountain backdrops. Go early or late to escape the crowds and the problems with finding a location to park (and having to pay those individuals hawking parking spots).

It is very colorful, a little magnet. Some people try to earn a little money by giving parking directions and information. Since I am generally not very fearful, we had an entertaining encounter with the young men. There are a few small, pretty galleries with local art as well as very beautiful photographs.

My family and I took an absolutely wonderful walking tour of Bo-Kaap that we booked through guruwalk.com. Our guide was Bridget (note that her tour is listed as being by Michael, her husband; they run Tusk Adventures). The information was fascinating, the pace was good, and Bridget was friendly and encouraged questions. Our teenage daughter also found the tour really interesting. At the end of the tour, Bridget recommended a place for Cape Malay food for lunch, and it was delightful. This tour was definitely one of the highlights of our stay in Cape Town!!

walked around town a bit with our local colleague who grew up there--beautiful neighborhood and gems of restaurants. We ate at deli for Gatsby's (a trick our local friend helped us order) and then pined over a chicken tikka place down the street--you can't go wrong. Pick up some extra food to tip the folks who 'watch' your car while you eat.

Bo Kaap is THE must see area in Cape Town. I advise you to go there, choose a quiet street, park your vehicle and walk through these alleys full of little colorful houses. I can't believe it. The place is quiet and detonates a bit in style with the rest of the city. This multicoloured area of Cape Town in South Africa means "Over Cape Town" as it dominates the city, built on the sides of the Signal Hills. Bo-Kaap is the Malay and Muslim residential area of Cape Town. The streets are steep and allow you to admire the brightly colored facades. The brightly coloured houses of Bo-Kaap date from the 18th century, the residents are mostly Malaysian nationals enslaved and forcibly driven to South Africa by the Dutch. Some slaves also came from Indonesia, India or even Sri Lanka but the whole community was called “Cape Malays”. Originally, these Dutch architectural houses were white. The bright colors of the houses emerged, it was a way for residents to celebrate their freedom and proudly display their Muslim religion as they were colored on the occasion of the celebration of Eid. Not to be missed. A Cape Town must-see.