| Tourist Information | ||
| General Information | ||
| Welcome to SA | ||
| Stunning scenery, long sandy beaches, vibrant city life, and excellent game viewing are making South Africa one of the fastest growing holiday destinations in the world. Steeped in history and culture, there are world class attractions in every part of this vast country. The excellent road infrastructure, hotels, and other accommodation make South Africa ideal for travelling around independently, and as this is Africa you still get a real sense of adventure. With two great oceans meeting just below vibrant and scenic Cape Town, staggeringly beautiful rural areas such as the Cape Winelands and Gardenroute, the towering dunes of the Wild Coast, the magnificent game parks of Kruger and Zululand, the Drakensberge and Kalahari and Karoo deserts, barren for much of the year but a carpet of flowers in spring, the possibilities for tourists are endless. | ||
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| Highlight Destinations | ||
| Cape Town, nestled at the foot of the majestic Table Mountain, is consistently voted amongst the top cities in the world to visit. The Winelands and the Garden Route offer beautiful scenery, historic buildings, and, of course, wineries and beaches galore. The Eastern Cape is known for long unspoilt beaches with fantastic surf, buzzy seaside resorts, as well as wildlife and culture. KwaZulu-Natal has everything - from bustling Durban with its miles of beaches and activities, to the spectacular Drakensberg mountains, and wonderful wildlife. And Johannesburg, besides the unique experience of nearby Sun City, has a wealth of attractions from museums to amusement parks. The 'Rainbow Nation' has something everyone, and whether you spend 2 weeks or 2 months here, one visit will simply not be enough. | ||
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| Value for money |
| South Africa is not an exceptionally cheap destination to visit, nor is there any reason why it should be. The country is still struggling to address the imbalances between the richest and poorest segments of its society, and this has meant costs have increased as a minimum wage and improved employee rights have been introduced, and taxes have risen to ensure clean water and electricity are available in the poorest areas of the sprawling townships. The strengthening of the Rand, which is essentially a vote of confidence in the economy of South Africa, has compounded the increase in local prices, and many visitors returning to the region are astonished to see how much prices have increased. Prices for accommodation and car hire may now be approaching the levels we see in Europe and North America, but accommodation and service standards are generally far higher. Food and drink remain inexpensive. Overall South Africa is a good value destination with world class attractions. |
| Political climate |
| There is a tangible sense of pride and optimism amongst the vast majority of South Africans after the 10th anniversary celebrations of the 1994 democratic elections in 2004, and the recently awarded 2010 soccer World Cup. A decade ago it seemed almost unbelievable that a huge and ethnically diverse nation could move from the nightmare of apartheid to majority rule without a continuation of the violence that preceded the elections. As 77% of the population is black, 10% white, 8% mixed race, and 3% of Asian descent, there are still strong cultural differences not only between these ethnic groups, but also within them. Long standing tribal rivalries and the rivalries between the whites of British and Afrikaner descent are never far from the surface, but the foreign tourist however, will probably only experience this country as a top holiday destination with the most advanced, broad-based economy on the continent, with an infrastructure to match any first-world nation and some of the world's most breathtaking scenery, featuring an amazing display of flower, bird and wildlife species, including the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino) or even Big 7 (Giraffe & Hippo). |
| Crime & Safety | ||
| The scars left by the apartheid years are slowly healing, but have left huge inequalities between rich and poor. As a result the crime rate in the townships is still high, but with a little common sense, travellers can have a perfect, safe holiday. As pick-pocketing and thefts from easily-identifable hire cars are quite common, take the usual sensible precautions. Know where you're going before you set off, particularly at night, watch your possessions, don't walk alone in dodgy areas and lock your doors at night. You should be careful when changing money and never count it in the open. Avoid wearing visible jewellery or carrying cameras and bags over your shoulder in non-tourist areas. Keep mobile phones and wallets tucked away where no one can see them. It is not advisable to hitchhike or to use local commuter and metro trains and we also strongly advise against visiting any township on your own. If you are mugged, do not resist - hand over your valuables, and wait until your assailant is out of sight before heading for the nearest phone. | ||
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