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About South Africa
Click here to see a map of South Africa.Cape Town is one of the world's most beautiful cities, and the most relaxed in Africa. It's a manageable size and as well as the best food and nightlife in South Africa, it also offers superb natural attractions. There are many beaches and Table Mountain is right in the middle of the city. On the city's doorstep is the Cape of Good Hope, part of a national park, and the Winelands which make an easy day excursion. Although you can easily visit the winelands from Cape Town, it makes sense to stay in the Winelands, at least overnight. Many of the vineyards welcome visitors for sampling and cellar door sales, while some offer good food. Stellenbosch is a delightful old town and Franschhoek is a village set in one of the most beautiful valleys in the country. The Garden Route is one of South Africa’s most well-known attractions (it gets crowded in summer), and with its warm water beaches, resort towns and forests, it isn't difficult to see why. Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park is stunningly beautiful and has famous hiking trails. Just driving through and stopping in a few places could take a few days. Jeffreys Bay has perhaps the best surfing in the world, and it's a relaxed little town that welcomes surfies. For the non-surfer, there are great beaches in this area that don't get as crowded as those on the Garden Route. Durban is the beach resort city for Southern Africa, and in summer it is a lively place. It has a subtropical climate and excellent surf beaches in the heart of the city. Johannesburg is the most important city in Africa and is worthwhile a visit, however be careful as Johannesburg has earned itself a bad reputation for crime.
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Culture
The mingling and melding in South Africa's urban areas, also with the suppression of traditional cultures during the apartheid years, means that the old ways of life are fading, however traditional black cultures are still strong in much of the countryside. Across the different groups, marriage customs and taboos differ, however most traditional cultures are based on beliefs in a masculine deity, ancestral spirits and supernatural forces. In general, polygamy is permitted and a lobolo(dowry) is usually paid. The British can take most of the blame for the food dished up in South Africa, although the situation is improving dramatically. Steak or boerewors sausage, overboiled vegies and chips are the normal cuisines, and where the food gets more adventurous it often turns out to be pretty scary. Vegetarians will not have a good culinary time. Aside from the Afrikaners, the majority of European South Africans are of British extraction. The British are generally more urbanised and have tended to dominate the business and financial sectors.
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Local_Currency
The unit of currency in South Africa is the rand (R), which is divided into 100 cents.The coins are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents; and 1, 2 and 5 rand. The notes are 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 rand. There are many places around South Africa to exchange travellers’ cheques, with the main ones being American Express and Rennies Travel, the Thomas Cook agent.
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Transport
Approximately 30 airlines now fly to South Africa, though South Africa still isn't exactly a hub of international travel and the fares reflect that. Johannesburg International Airport remains the main international airport, however there is an increasing number of flights to Cape Town and a few to Durban.The Baz Bus is an excellent form of transport, alternative to the major bus lines. The major market for this transport is backpackers, however its routes, organisation and service levels make it very useful to travellers on any budget. The Baz Bus offers hop-on hop-off fares between Johannesburg and Cape Town via the Drakensberg, Durban and the Garden Route, plus a very useful loop from Durban up through Zululand and Swaziland and back to Johannesburg, passing close to Kruger National Park. This loop runs through what is arguably the most interesting part of the region and no other transport options cover it.
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Visa_Information
Entry permits are issued on arrival to holiday visitors from many Commonwealth countries and other countries including Japan, Ireland, Switzerland and Germany. You are entitled to 90 days, but they usually write the date of your flight home as the date of expiry.If you are not entitled to an entry permit you will be required to get a visa before you arrive. It's worth getting a visa before you depart for Africa, but allow a couple of weeks for the process. If you do require a visa (rather than an entry permit) it must be multiple-entry if you plan to go to a neighbouring country (such as Lesotho) then return to South Africa.
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