Bo-Kaap

Where it is & how to get there

• On foot: On the slopes of Signal Hill, 10 minutes from the city centre.
• Auwal Mosque: South Africa's oldest mosque (1794) is on Dorp Street.
• Food: Join a Cape Malay cooking class; almost all local food here is halal.

The story of the Bo-Kaap

The Bo-Kaap is home to the Cape Malay community, descended largely from people brought from Southeast Asia — many of them enslaved or exiled Muslim scholars — by the Dutch from the 17th century. Islam took root in Cape Town through them.

The Auwal Mosque, founded in 1794, is considered the first mosque in South Africa. The houses were painted in bright colours after the end of slavery as a sign of freedom, according to local tradition.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Try Cape Malay food and visit the Auwal Mosque.
• Visit the Auwal Mosque and the Bo-Kaap Museum.
• Book a Cape Malay cooking class to learn bobotie and samoosas.

What's around the Bo-Kaap

• Auwal MosqueOldest mosque in South Africa.
• Bo-Kaap MuseumHistory of the community.
• Signal HillViewpoint above.
• Bree StreetRestaurants.

Questions travellers ask