Travel Info South Africa
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South AfricaSouth Africa ranks on the world's Top 10 travel destinations list. It’s no wonder that South Africa draws more visitors than anywhere else in sub-Saharan Africa. World-class game-viewing areas, cosmopolitan cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town, stunning natural panoramas from Table Mountain and Blyde River Canyon and the vibrant captivating people, gives South Africa its unique allure and appeals to almost every taste and budget. Endless sun-kissed beaches, amazing sand dunes, jagged mountain ranges, dense green forests, winelands and so much more …. South Africa is a world in one country and one that offers excitement and intrigue - there is a magic and a sense of freedom that inspires even the most seasoned traveler! GeographySouth Africa is on the southern tip of the African continent, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and by the Indian Ocean in the south and east. Its neighbors are Namibia in the northwest, Zimbabwe and Botswana in the north and Mozambique and Swaziland in the northeast. The southern most point of Africa is Cape Agulhas, which is located in the Western Cape Province about 100 miles (161 km) southeast of the Cape of Good Hope. South Africa is further divided into nine regions or provinces namely Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape, Northern Province, Northern Cape, Free State, North West Province and Mpumalanga. South Africa also owns the islands of Prince Edward and Marion. Brief SummaryArea size : 1,219,080 km2 (470,689 square miles) ClimateSouth Africa is famous for its sunshine. It's a relatively dry country, with an average annual rainfall of about 464mm (compared to a world average of about 860mm). While the Western Cape gets most of its rainfall in winter, the rest of the country is generally a summer-rainfall region. The best time to view game in the game parks like Kruger Park is just before the summer rains start (September and October). The grass is short, not many leaves on the trees and the animals tend to congregated around waterholes. Good photographic opportunities! Being in the southern hemisphere, our seasons are opposite of Europe and North America, so, yes - we spend Christmas on the beach! Here is the number for the weather line 082-162 when you are in South Africa. What to wear?Lightweight cottons are required for the sunny summer periods, but it is necessary to bring along a jersey or sweater for the cooler evenings and very warm clothes for the winter evenings (especially when hiking in mountainous areas). Rain gear is essential throughout the year. Entry Requirements & VisasA passport (valid for at least 6 months beyond date of departure) and a visa are required for some nationalities, but many are issued at the point of entry into South Africa. An International Vaccination Certificate for yellow fever for travelers arriving from infected areas will be required. Entry permits are issued on arrival to holiday visitors from most British Commonwealth countries and to Japanese, Irish, Swiss and German passports holders. South Africa has consular representation in most countries. It is possible that, on entry into South Africa, you will be asked to show sufficient funds to support your stay or that you have an onward ticket. Visa extensions are expensive and can be difficult to obtain because of the recent influx of illegal immigrants. Heath Spas and ResortsEach and every province features several top class health resorts. Many health resorts have been established on the grounds of luxurious game lodges, which mean you have the rare pleasure of enjoying the wilds of Africa all from your very own massage table or therapy bed. The country is literally dotted with thousands of first class Health Resorts, Wellness Centre’s and Spas. You can combine a trip to the magnificent city of Cape Town with a stay at a Health Resort, while you have your body restored to a better state of health and your mind revitalized. MalariaThe north-eastern areas of the country (including the Kruger National Park, St Lucia and surrounds) are seasonal malaria zones, from about November to May. The peak danger time is just after the wet season from March to May. Consult a doctor regarding appropriate precautions, depending on the time of year you will be travelling. The risk of contracting the disease is negligible provided that you take the standard precautions.
Travel InsuranceIt is advisable to always ensure you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy which covers you for repatriation to your home country. If you need medical care whilst in South Africa, it is best to be aware that medical providers may not accept payment through your insurance company. In these circumstances you will have to pay in full after your treatment and file a claim with your insurance company for reimbursement. Therefore you should have access to cash, either from a credit card or by wire transfer. If you need assistance contact the country's local embassy or representative. To be compensated you must be treated by licensed medical personnel and provide your insurance company with proper documentation and receipts. MoneyOne Rand = 100 cents The best currency to use is US Dollar, British Pound and German Marks. Credit cards like Visa and MasterCard are accepted in the majority of shops, restaurants and hotels. Some venues will not accept Amex cards. It is also possible to withdraw money from these cards at various cash points. The import and export of SA Reserve Bank notes are limited to R5000. There is free import of foreign currency, subject to declaration. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival. Most banks are open Mon-Fri 0900-1530 and Sat 0900-1100. Auto banks are found in most towns and operate on a 24-hour basis. Local TimeSouth Africa is two hours ahead of GMT Phone callsIf you wish to make a call overseas, you must first dial 00, which is South Africa's international access code. You then dial the country code where you want to phone, area code of the city or region and the number of the person you wish to call. If people want to dial you in South Africa they must dial 00 27 then the number dropping the first 0. Internet & WiFiIn most the major towns and cities of South Africa you can access the Internet from the Postnet shops and Internet Cafes, these rates are reasonable. Even cheaper and more mobile would be to buy a prepaid cell phone starter pack (less than R10) and access the Internet with GPRS or 3G. Generally R2 per MB for out of bundle data from most providers (50c for Virgin Mobile), but it becomes a lot cheaper if you buy a data bundle. Vodacom prices range from 38c per MB on a 500MB bundle to 19c per MB on a 1GB bundle. MTN prices range between R1 per MB on a 10MB to 39c per MB on a 1GB bundle. Prepaid WiFi access is starting to take over in South Africa. The hotspots can now be found at Cape Town, Durban and OR Tambo airports, City Lodge Hotels, Sun International Hotels, some Southern Sun Hotels, Mugg & Bean restaurants and various other places. Simply connect to the access point and you will be given the opportunity to pay for access by credit card. Pricing starts at around R15 for 10 minutes or R60 for 100MB. Electrical PowerElectric Power is 220/230V running at 50Hz. Three pronged plugs are universal, so take an adapter. Most hotel rooms have 110 volt outlets for electric shavers and small appliances. You can get a South African adapter from the airport if required. Social BehaviorA handshake is the customary greeting, while woman will do the continental kiss on the cheek – sometimes the Zulu people give you an interesting handshake. Except for designated beaches, nude sunbathing is illegal. Tipping is customary in South Africa. A guideline for visitors is the following: Porters R5 per item, taxis 10%, waiters and waitresses in restaurants 10 -15%. Accommodation and FoodAccommodation and food can be compared with Western standards. However, it is much cheaper in South Africa! A full range of accommodation can be found throughout the country ranging from 5 star quality through to bed and breakfasts and campsites. Food is exceptionally good especially the variety of seafood including Kingklip, Kabeljou, Snoek, crayfish, prawns and calamari. Local delicacies include bobotie (a curried mince dish with a Malaysian influence), braai vleis (barbecued meat), biltong and droëwors (seasoned dried meat), bunny chow (half a loaf of bread with the inside replaced by lamb or beef curry), potjiekos (a casserole cooked slowly in a round cast iron pot over a small fire), masonia (fried mopanie worms) and waterblommetjiebredie (made with mutton and indigenous water lily stew). Tap water is drinkable (South Africa is one of only 15 countries in the world), although bottled water is available throughout the country. Golf CoursesIf you are a golfing enthusiast, South Africa has a beautiful climate, bright sunny days and some spectacular golf courses. You can enjoy the challenges of a variety of course designs and surfaces, some of which have been designed by award winning golfers and golf-course designers. Getting AroundPublic Transport: Flights: Regular flights arrive from major centers throughout Africa including: Blantyre, Cairo, Gaborone, Dar es Salaam, Harare, Lilongwe, Livingstone, Luanda, Lusaka, Kinshasa, Maputo, Manzini, Maun, Mauritius, Nairobi, Victoria Falls and Windhoek. Direct flights also arrive from major European centers including Amsterdam, Athens, Madrid, London, Paris, Istanbul, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and Lisbon... There are also direct flights from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, New York, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Buenos Aires, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Perth. Train Services: Buses: A number of coach operators operate an inter city service. Translux Express offers very flexible passes, enabling visitors to make up their own itineraries to explore the country. It is advisable to book in advance. The Baz Bus: The Baz Bus is South Africa's only convenient hop-on hop-off door-to-door backpacker bus service to over 180 hostels Self Drive / Car Hire / Camper Hire: Road conditions are good, there are plenty of petrol stations often open 24 hours and fuel is relatively cheap. Driving is on the left hand side and a valid national license is accepted provided it carries your photograph otherwise an International driving license is required. Contact us for car hire rental options. Health & SafetyAs South African is a developing country, crime does exist, so we would advise you to take a few basic precautions. All valuables, passports and cameras should be locked in the safe of your hotel. Valuables should be carried discreetly when walking in cities. Gold and other expensive items offered for sale by street vendors are likely to be fake or stolen property. Public transport is available in South Africa so there is no need to hitch-hike (this is not safe). Local residents will advise you on safe transport. Should you find yourself waiting at a red traffic light late at night in an area where you do not feel safe, you can (illegally) cross over the red light after first carefully checking that there is no other traffic. If driving, do not pick up hitch-hikers and ensure that your car doors are locked at all times, especially when you stop at the traffic lights. In the rural areas, the locals tend to herd their cattle and goats near the road. If you see an animal on or near the road, slow down, as they are unpredictable. Do not stop to feed wild animals! Getting AroundSouth Africa has one of the largest HIV infection rates world-wide. 5.4 million People out of a population of 48 million are HIV-positive (South African Medical Research Council ). For your own safety, do not have unprotected sex. Public HolidaysJanuary 1st - New Year's Day School HolidaysSchool holidays vary slightly for different provinces. Generally, school holidays occur early December to middle January, early in April, middle June to middle July and late September. In South Africa it is advisable to pre-book accommodation in game parks, hotels and even campsites during the school holidays as most South Africans go on leave during these times and accommodation will be harder to find. 2010 Fifa World CupGreat excitement for the 2010 World Cup! This will take place in South Africa from the 11th June 2010 to the 11th July 2010. Well over a billion people from all around the world are expected to follow the month long tournament between the world's top 32 (possibly 36 in 2010) soccer playing nations. South Africa is to issue special "event visas" for soccer fans coming to the 2010 Fifa World Cup, enabling fans to use dedicated counters at major airports around the world for pre-clearance before they arrive in the country. Important Telephone NumbersThe National Tourism Information and Safety Line, ☎ +27 (0)83 123-2345. From a fixed line From a mobile phone Useful AddressesThere is various diplomatic representation across the world including: USA Submit an enquiry so we can assist you in planning your holiday to South Africa. |