We were all good as we've both travelled Asia for a combined 22 months but have now just been told by a previous CT police officer that Long Street is probably the worst place we could stay and we're basically asking for it. Long Street is like a red light district with some shops and restaurants some of which are very good. When I walked down Long street during the day it seemed okay but not sure what its like at night.
There were a few kids begging but we encountered this in other areas as well. We stayed just off Long Street on Wale St. Having gone through it once in the early evening, we skipped on going back through the area. It would be a huge pity to skip on the area around Long St. Two of the restaurants in that area Fork and Haiku were among the best we ate at in South Africa. Also we never saw anywhere quite as good as the Pan-African market for African souvenirs.
Thanks so much for your advice, we're going to stick with it but just be careful at night time - our hostel has a bar anyway so we'll just make sure we're back fairly early each night. Prostitutes in every window. If you expect that in Long Street you will be totally and utterly disappointed! Long Street is a pretty gentle. There are some decent bars a few with live music. Some reasonable ethnic restaurants - Ethiopian, South Indian, East African, Portugese, a rather up-market Tapas restaurant, a good Beerhouse with around 50 different local craft beers and German Beer Food, the obligatory Irish Pub and an excellent handmade Hamburger restaurant.
A few mosques - some quite historic - a couple of churches of different denominations. A lot of shops selling tut - and a few shops selling good African crafts new and old , some good African music shops, the best second-hand bookshops in Cape Town, some good genuine antiques an a lot of tut , a couple of surf shops and a lot of new local designers and fashion studios - www.
Also quite a few backpackers - some good, some middling. Some extremely interesting architecture, early, mid and late 19th century, as well as Art Nouveau and Art Deco - keep your eyes looking up at the facades and balconies all along the street, a very historic, still public, swimming and Turkish Baths and lots more. Maybe a few red lamps but a prostitution area absolutely not!! I'd be happy to stroll down there at night with my Maiden Aunt. Although she was quite a pary goer and is sadly now dead!
