Bo-Kaap (Malay Quarter), Cape Town - What To See & Museum

Cape Town Bo Kaap houses

Bo-Kaap is Cape Town’s most colourful district. It sits at the foot of Signal Hill and is also known as the Malay Quarter. Everywhere you look there are brightly coloured houses, set along lovely cobbled streets. It’s just gorgeous! There’s a museum here which charts the history of the area and the contribution made by the early Muslim settlers. The story goes that the bright colours came about as a statement of freedom from slavery for the people who originally lived here.

Cape Town Bo Kaap Street

When you arrive in Bo-Kaap it best to head straight to the museum so you can understand a bit more about the area before seeing the colourful streets. The museum is small and will not take long to visit, but it’s a great introduction. Inside it’s laid out as a traditional house and shows the lifestyle of a 19th century Muslim families. Bo-Kaap Museum is located at 71 Wale Street and is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Adult admission is 20 Rand (2016 prices).

Cape Town Bo Kaap Signal Hill

Other things to look out for in Bo-Kaap include South Africa’s first official mosque on Dorp Street. We’d also recommend exercising a little caution on some of the streets which are away from the busiest areas of Bo-Kaap. We wandered on to one street at the lower end which felt questionable and promptly left. Stick to the well-trodden tourist routes and you’ll be fine. If you’re concerned about visiting on your own, go as part of an organised tour like the Cape Malay Cooking & Cultural Tour.