A view from the road along Chapman’s Peak Drive.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — This has to be one of the most spectacular seaside drives in the world.
Chapman's Peak Drive — affectionately called "Chappies" by South Africans — winds along a dramatic stretch of the Atlantic Ocean.
The route travels from Hout Bay to Noordhoek, just outside Cape Town, on a craggy stretch of shoreline that leads to the Cape of Good Hope.
The 9-kilometer (5.6 mile) route has 114 curves, with sheer drops to the ocean below. There are pull-out spots along the way — helpful, because with views this stunning, you want to take photos around every turn.
Unsurprisingly, Chappies has long been a popular spot to film car commercials. This vintage BMW ad is one of them:
Chapman's Peak Drive costs a toll fee of 38 rand (around $3.25) each way for a regular car — more for buses, less for motorbikes. The drive is closed during dangerous weather conditions.
Pro tip: When you get to Noordhoek, visit the Cape Point Vineyards for a wine tasting (amazing sauvignon blanc) and the view. Assuming you have a designated driver for the way back.
Noordhoek beach. View from Chappies. #latergram
A photo posted by Erin Conway-Smith (@erinconwaysmith) on
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