South African Tourism Information

The land of the Rainbow Nation, Nelson Mandela and the Big Five. Breathtaking Bio Diversity , a rich cultural heritage and a friendly professional hospitality industry make South africa an enjoyable and unique holiday destination.

The country is divided into 9 Provinces that cover the southern tip of africa from the Atlantic Ocean in the West to the Indian Ocean on the East Coast. The diversity in climates and ecologies provide for plenty of variety, with some areas enjoying summer sunshine, others gentle drizzle and light mists, or year round rainfall, or to the extreme complete drought. The natural vegetation, marine,animal and abundant bird life are varied enough to draw fascinated visitors back time and again.

what to Do

South africa has many cities which lend themselves to many activities, such as nightclubing, theatres, shopping malls, gambling, fine dining and watching sport.

For the nature lover and adventure enthusiast there are activities such as hiking, mountain climbing, surfing, canoing, sailing, abseiling, scuba diving, fishing, snorkeling, white water rafting and even snow skiing. For the golf enthusiast there are also a number championship golf courses. For the less adventurous there is a wide selection of spas and wellness centres.

For photographers and nature lovers their is ample opportunity to photograph and view the wonders of our diverse wildlife and take an off-road excursion in 4x4 vehicles. One cannot forget our national pastime boerewors, camping and braaivleis (Barbeque) with friends.

General Information

Time Zone
GMT +2

Climate
South Africa has large variations in climate.While Cape Town and the surrounding Western Cape have a Mediterranean climate, the Garden Route has year round rainfall, The inland Karoo is largely arid while the East Coast is hot and humid. The Northern Escarpment attracts summer thunderstorms.

Summer : Oct - March
Winter : May - Aug (possible snow fall in Mountainous regions)

Clothing
Clothing should be cool and light in summer and warm in winter. it is preferable to dress in layers, so that warm clothes can be shed as the temperature can change rapidly in certain regions.

Languages
There are 11 official languages in south Africa, although English and Afrikaans are the most widely spoken. Twenty - Three percent speak Zulu and 17% Xhosa.

Population
South Africa has a population of 44 819 778 of which 32% are under 14.

Health
Anti Malaria precautions should be taken when travelling to Northern and Eastern parts. Tick bite fever in areas where there is long grass. Other than a certificate of inoculation for travelling from a yellow fever area, no other inoculations are compulsory.

Transport
Air Travel internally and internationally is good and fairly frequent. The main international Airport is Johannesburg International. The main seaports are Cape town Durban and Port Elizabeth. The Countries roads are also generally good.

Communications
There are over 5 million telephone lines and 7 million mobile users in the country. Internet connections and cafes are also widely available. There are also numerous radio and television stations.

Electricity
The Electricity supply is 220/240 Volts AC, 50 Hz.

Water
Tap water is safe across the country and bottled water is also obtainable at most supermarket and general stores.

Currency
The national currency is the South African Rand which is divided into 100 cents. All Major credit cards are accepted at most establishments. ATM are also widely available. Travellers cheques can be exchanged at airports and most banking institutions.

Public Holidays
January 1 - New Years Day
March 21 - Human Rights Day
Good Friday (variable)
Easter Monday (variable)
April 27 - Freedom Day
May 1 - Workers Day
June 16 - Youth Day
August 9 - National Womens Day
September 24 - Heritage Day
December 16 - Day of Reconciliation
December 25 - Christmas Day
December 26 - Day of Goodwill

If the public holiday falls on a Sunday the Monday following is a public holiday.

Entry Regulations
All Visitors need a valid passport and proof of return booking. It is advisable to check with South African embassies for Visa requirements.Transit and multi-entry visas are advised for visitors intending to visit neighbouring countries.

For information on travel, tours and safaris in South Africa got to http://www.roamingafrica.com

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