Cape Town Shopping

Business Hours
Most shops in the cities and suburbs are open between 08h00 and 17h00 to 17h30. Shops at major centres like the V&A Waterfront and Canal Walk open at 09h00 and close at 21h00 or later, even on Sundays and most public holidays. Informal traders and flea markets generally unpack before 09h00 and start packing up after 16h00, depending on foot traffic and weather conditions. Muslim-owned businesses close at noon on Fridays and re-open at 14h00. Cinemas operate seven days per week, with shows starting at around 09h30, and last shows at around 22h00.

Payment Options
Most chain stores in shopping centres, cities and suburbs accept a variety of payment options - cash, credit card (including Visa, Master Card, Diner's Club and American Express), and most debit cards (check with your bank to be sure your debit card will be accepted overseas). Very few stores accept traveller's cheques or foreign currency as payment - so ensure you have South African Rands or a credit card handy to make payment. Most shops in smaller villages and towns accept cash only.

Duty Free Shopping
All stores must charge the Value Added Tax (VAT) of 14%, but foreign visitors can claim back VAT on purchases over R250 (see VAT Refund). For shopping addicts, however, the International Departures lounge at the Cape Town International Airport provides the opportunity to buy products from some of South Africa's leading retailers - Duty-Free. So be sure to have a good look around for fine goods at bargain prices before leaving Cape Town!

Shopping Malls
With its stunning ocean-side setting, Victoria Wharf at the V&A Waterfront, home to designer label stores and craft markets, offers visitors the best of everything Cape Town and the Western Cape have to offer. The Waterfront has been a favourite destination of Capetonians and visitors since its 1992 re-awakening.

Canal Walk, just outside the Cape Town city centre, is one of the biggest shopping malls in the Southern Hemisphere, offering shoppers a choice between hundreds of stores offering everything from designer imports to hand-crafted South African curios. With malls dotted throughout the Western Cape's cities and towns - from Stellenbosch to Knysna and Plettenberg Bay - anyone wanting to treat that special someone back home to a gift will be spoilt for choice. The Local Tourism Office in every town will assist you in finding the shopping mall to suite your needs.

Bookshops
The Western Cape has a variety of bookstores. You may find the chain stores like CNA and Exclusive Books, but also be on the look-out for the privately owned bookstores. You will be amazed at the variety and quality of the books to be found. Staff are generally well-read and willing to assist. Long Street in Cape Town is renowned for the diversity of the bookstores. You will even find a store dealing specifically in comic books.

Antiques and Art
South Africa, and the Western Cape in particular, has had an interesting history. Stepping into any one of the hundreds of antique stores will illustrate this. You may find a Khoi bow and arrow standing next to an item of Victorian era furniture. The possibilities are endless. To find these treasures you will need to be vigilant. Many towns have an antique store. When you arrive in a town, take a walk down some of the side streets. This is normally where the antique stores prefer to hide. You will be met by knowledgeable staff and good value for money prices.

The art scene has shown tremendous growth over the last ten years. The quality and variety is exciting and inventive. In the Cape, people have found art to be a constructive way to express themselves. The result is a mixture of textures and a kaleidoscope of colour. You will find art being sold at flea and craft markets, art galleries and at antique stores. African art is vibrant, colourful, and always has a story to tell.

Music
Music is one of the elements that makes Cape Town and the Western Cape such a vibrant place. The people of the Cape enjoy an eclectic mix. Jazz, rock, classical, R&B, kwaito and traditional African beats are all part of the Cape music spectrum. We also have a variety of music stores throughout the Cape province. The bigger chain stores (Musica, CD Select and Look & Listen) are well represented in most towns. These stores carry a wide variety of music for most tastes, including classical music. Music can also be bought at many supermarket chain stores. They carry more main stream music. Smaller specialist stores like Syndicate Records and Outlaw Records are available in Cape Town.