Location

South Africa, the southernmost country on the African continent, renowned for its varied topography, great natural beauty, and cultural diversity, all of which have made the country a favoured destination for travelers since the legal ending of apartheid (Afrikaans: “apartness,” or racial separation) in 1994.It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini (former Swaziland); and it surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho. South Africa is often referred to as the "rainbow nation" to describe the country's multicultural diversity, especially in the wake of apartheid.

South Africa is recognised globally for its major conservation efforts and its protected areas. It is also committed to community and conservation projects, and aims to be as ‘green’ as possible. Over and over again, visitors comment on the friendliness they encounter everywhere in South Africa. The people of our ‘Rainbow Nation’ are made up of many diverse cultures and will give visitors a warm welcome wherever you go South Africa really is many worlds in one. Expect stunning coastlines, dramatic mountainscapes, huge areas of untamed bushveld, starkly beautiful semi-deserts, lakes, waterfalls, spectacular canyons, forests and wide plains, plus Cape Town, undeniably one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Immigration

All visitors need a passport to enter South Africa. Unless you come from a visa-exempt country it is also necessary to present a visa. At the moment, visitors who require a visa must apply at a South African embassy or consulate in person and provide biometric data.

Climate/Weather

South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Most of the country has warm, sunny days and cool nights.

Currency/Money

The rand is the currency of legal tender in South Africa since 1961, the year when it replaced the South African pound. It is divided into 100 cents.

The symbol ZAR is the currency abbreviation for the rand in forex markets.
The South African rand is made up of 100 cents and is often presented with the symbol R. The rand comes from the word "Witwatersrand" which means "white waters ridge". Johannesburg, the location of a majority of South Africa's gold deposits, is located on this ridge.

Though the value of the rand has fluctuated greatly in the latest years, travelling through the country is less expensive than in Western Europe or the USA. As the 200 rand notes have been suffering from counterfeit, some establishments refuse to accept them. The banknotes with the face of Nelson Mandela were called “randela”.

Accommodation

Backpacker lodges
Backpacking lodges or hostels are widespread all over the country. Most establishments offer great value tours and activities in the areas. There is a great network of transport around the country making it suitable for single and younger travelers. Some lodges provide meals especially in the more remote areas. Most have self catering facilities and shared bathrooms although en-suite bathrooms are also common.

B&Bs
Bed and breakfast establishments are becoming very popular. The accommodation is usually provided in a family (private) home and the owner/manager lives in the house or on the property. Breakfast is usually served. Bathroom facilities may be en-suite. In general, the guest shares the public areas with the host family.

Self catering
A house, cottage, chalet, bungalow, flat, studio, apartment, villa, houseboat, tents or similar accommodation where facilities and equipment are provided for guests to cater for themselves. (This can include a fridge, oven, stove, microwave etc...) The facilities should be adequate to cater for the maximum advertised number of residents the facility can accommodate.

Guest house
A guest house is either a converted house, manor, etc adapted to accommodate overnight guests or it may be a purpose built facility. A guest house is run as a commercial operation and is often owner-managed. A guest house has areas which are for the exclusive use of the guest. The owner/manager either lives off-site, or in a separate area within the property.

Camping and caravaning
South Africans are an outdoors people, and thus there exists a culture of caravaning/camping throughout the country.Caravan parks can be found in most towns that are holiday destinations. Most caravan parks also offer camping sites where you can pitch a tent (double check because sometimes tents are excluded). The parks generally have central ablution facilities.

Most of South Africa's National parks have excellent camping facilities at very reasonable prices

Language

South Africa has 11 official languages, namely Afrikaans, Southern Ndebele, Xhosa, Zulu, Swazi, Northern Sotho (Sepedi), Southern Sotho (Sesotho), Tswana, Tsonga, Venda and English. Most people other than rural black Africans speak English as a second language. South African English is heavily influenced by Afrikaans. Afrikaans is also widely spoken, especially by the majority of the white and coloured population.

Many different peoples make up South Africa, each with their own language and history. The country has 11 official languages and many more unofficial ones. This colorful mix of cultures gives South Africa its nickname "rainbow nation."

People

South Africans are passionate about music, often using song and dance to express social and political ideas. They're also known worldwide for their skill in sports, including rugby, cricket, golf, and soccer. In 2010, South Africa became the first African nation to host the World Cup.

Religion

Almost 80% of the South African population adheres to the Christian faith. Other major religious groups are Hindus, Muslims and Jews. A minority of the South African population does not belong to any of the major religions, but regard themselves as traditionalists or of no specific religious affiliation.

Important Dates

Whether you’re living in South Africa or just visiting, it’s important to note the dates of South Africa’s holidays. This is because many public institutions and companies close on these days.

Holidays and Observances in South Africa

1 Jan - New Year’s Day
21 Mar - Human Rights Day
22 Mar - Human Rights Day Holiday
2 Apr - Good Friday
5 Apr - Family Day
27 Apr - Freedom Day
1 May - Workers Day
16 June - Youth day
9 Aug - National Women’s Day
24 Sep - Heritage Day
16 Dec - Day of Reconciliation
25 Dec - Christmas Day
26 Dec - Day of Goodwill
27 Dec - Day of Goodwill Holiday

Activities

It’s hard to beat South Africa when it comes to the Great Outdoors and adventure activities. Whether you are adrenaline junkies or just want to get active, choose from bungee jumping and shark cage diving, to hiking, horse riding, whale watching, snorkelling, scuba diving, hiking and scores more adventures.

With golden beaches, jagged mountains and national parks overflowing with wildlife, South Africa is the Africa you’ve always imagined. While memories of a troubled past remain, the republic is well on the way to regaining its throne as the holiday capital of Africa, visited by nearly 10 million people every year. Topping a long list of attractions is the republic’s spectacular wildlife and natural scenery. National parks and nature reserves preserve an incredible variety of landscapes - rolling plains, towering mountains, arid deserts, coastal fynbos (shrubland) and pure blue oceans - home to an incredible variety of wildlife, from lions and elephants to great white sharks and playful penguins.

You can do Morning Safari in Kruger National Park from Hazyview with a skilled guide. Since animals are most active in the AM and evenings you'll have a better chance of spotting leopards, hyena, lions and more. Learn about the area's flora and fauna as you go, including distinct behavior patterns of everything from hippos to elephants. Or you can do a Full-day or half day game viewing tour in Kruger National Park. Hit the game trails with an experienced guide in an open-air 4x4 vehicle. Stop along the way for breaks and food, then return to base by late afternoon. Led by a local guide.

You can do kayak and Lilo Adventure into storms River Gorge. You will explore Tsitsikamma National Park's Storms River Gorge on a kayak and lilo tour. Go deep into the park to see the ancient forests, the deep caves, and quiet pools with a guide who will shed light on the flora and fauna of the area through informative commentary. Paddle a double, sit-on-top kayak, suitable for beginners; then switch to a small, inflatable boat called a lilo, specifically designed for reaching narrow, shallow spaces where even kayaks can't reach.

Some of the best diving in South Africa involves colder water, strong currents and launching from the surf – bring your appetite for adventure and reap the rewards of marine life encounters you’ll remember for a lifetime. If you’ve ever been interested in diving with large creatures in epic seascapes, you’ve come to the right place. Off the coast of Gansbaai you have the opportunity to cage dive with massive great white sharks. In the Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal you can enjoy warmer waters, coral reefs and lots of sharks. South Africa’s waters beckon scuba divers to enter its wild and woolly realm. The dive experience here is as varied as the people, running the gamut from big sharks to throngs of tiny sardines. You’ll find tropical reefs in the northeast and temperate rocky reefs in the west.

You can do Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour. Get a whole new perspective on South Africa with a zipline canopy tour of Tsitsikamma indigenous forest. Glide from platform to platform through the foliage of giant trees and learn all about the area's heart pears, giant yellow woods, and tree ferns as you go. This activity is suitable for all ages: An ideal choice for families and kids.

You can go to water parks like uShaka Marine World. Start the journey by visiting the underground aquarium, and be awed by the award-winning dolphin and seal shows. The water park has high-speed water slides and palm-lined swimming pools. The adventurous at heart can snorkel in the snorkelling lagoon or see an array of arachnids and reptiles in the 'dangerous creatures' section. Shopping enthusiasts can enjoy a unique shopping experience at the Village Walk. The open-air setting offers visitors an array of speciality stores and restaurants offering indigenous and tourist-focused goods and services.

You can go to GATE69, South Africa’s premier cabaret venue and corporate function hire hotspot. This one-of-a-kind theatre is to resemble a mini Moulin Rouge; ornate, plush, classy, mysterious, with a whole lotta soul. Expect a heightened sensory experience, during which Patrons will indulge in exquisite mezze cuisine, world class entertainment & be embraced by the inextinguishable enthusiasm of the Staff. Located on Cape Towns hip and happening Bree Street, this theatre and its exquisite bar could not be more perfectly placed.

Nightlife in South Africa revolves around restaurants, bars and cinemas, with a scattering of good nightclubs in the main cities too. The most popular areas are the few streets where café spill out onto pavements for late nights in the balmy summer air. There's a thriving theatre scene, and the quality of stand-up comedy has improved enormously over the years with comedy clubs, theatres and bars running regular comedy nights. Some cities have art house cinemas that screen less mainstream movies and run offbeat film festivals.

Entertainment

If you are in Cape Town, this is the place for jazz, with several live music venues and an annual international jazz festival. South Africa is firmly on the international pop and rock circuit, and the local music scene is also successful, with most cities having a handful of live music venues. Classical music and opera fans will only get their fix in larger cities. There are several stadiums and other large venues where international bands often perform. Football and rugby are national addictions, and many bars and some restaurants have large-screen TVs for sports enthusiasts.

Health and Safety

No vaccinations are essential. However: Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga and northern kwaZulu-Natal are low risk malaria areas during December-April. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year old arriving from an infected area.

Medical facilities are good in urban areas but can be limited elsewhere. Doctors and hospitals often require immediate cash payment. Comprehensive health insurance is recommended to cover the fees of private facilities.

Main water is safe to drink. Milk is pasteurized and dairy products are safe for consumption, as are local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables. Diarrhoea remains the most common cause of ill health in travellers, with South Africa graded as an intermediate risk country. The standard of food safety and preparation is generally good and poses little threat to your health, but sensitive travellers should follow the advice to ‘cook it, peel it or leave it’.

Avoid swimming and paddling in stagnant or slow-moving water as there is a low risk of contracting bilharzia, and a risk of catching E.coli. Cholera is spread by contaminated food or water and occurs in rural areas of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, Where it can be picked up from swimming in contaminated streams. Swimming pools that are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Vaccinations against tuberculosis and hepatitis B are sometimes recommended.

Department of Health statistics show the prevalence of HIV/AIDS remains high despite increasing efforts to combat it, with 178 out of 1,000 adults infected, compared to a global average of just 8 in 1,000. Malaria is found in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the north-east of KwaZulu-Natal, and the Department of Health recommends taking preventative drugs during the peak period between September and May.

Sunburn is a much more common risk, with the African sun being far fiercer than most people realise. Tourists are also vulnerable to theft or mugging and the usual precautions apply - keep jewellery, cameras, handbags and other valuables out of sight, do not carry large sums of money, and avoid walking at night or along isolated beaches and streets. Motorists should park in well-lit areas, be alert when waiting for traffic lights to change, and if a hijacking does occur, keep your hands where the attackers can see them and do not try to resist.

Tips for staying safe in South Africa
Always keep your handbag on you, and close to your body. Keep it zipped up and don’t hang it off the back of your chair or leave it on the restaurant table when you go to the ladies.
Don’t leave anything visible in your car. Check your doors once you’ve locked them before you walk away from your car.
Stay aware. Keep your head up when you’re walking around town and be aware of your surroundings. Don’t walk around alone at night.
Keep valuables close to you. It’s safe to carry a camera around, but make sure you’re alert. If someone is walking towards you or if you feel your ‘spidey’ senses tingling, put it in your bag.
Be aware of pickpocketing scams. There are a few common pickpocketing scams that often ruin people’s trips. If someone approaches you with a big smile saying “nice shoes, look we have the same size!” and attempts to step into your personal space, simply say “I’ve heard this one before” and walk away.
Don’t hike alone. When hiking, always go in a group. Carry your phone with you for emergencies. Always carry a bottle of water and a warm top as the weather can change very quickly on the mountain.
Getting around safely. Always take an Uber, never hail a cab from the street. Be sure to check the number plate to see that it corresponds with your app before you get in.
The National Tourism Information and Safety Line is 10111. Netcare 911 (tel: 082 911; www,netcare911.co.za) is a private emergency service offering road assistance and evacuation, ambulances, private hospitals and emergency overt the phone medical advice.

Currently, there's no single emergency number in South Africa and therefore you need to save the correct contact details for a possible emergency. For an emergency that needs police response, dial 10111. For an emergency that requires an ambulance, dial 10177. If you're in the City of Cape Town metropolitan area, you can simply dial 107 (at no cost from a landline or public phone) for ANY emergency or disaster. Dialling 107 from a cell phone won't work. To dial the Cape Town single emergency number from a cell phone, dial 021 480 7700. Normal cell phone charges apply.
However, if you're calling from a cell phone you can dial 112 and you'll be linked to your cell phone company's emergency call centre.

Services and Utilities

The country code to dial into South Africa is +27. South Africa operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.

The type N socket and plug are the official standard in South Africa. Type C plugs are also official, but not type C sockets. This does not pose a problem, however, since type C plugs are 100% compatible with type N sockets. The older type M standard is being phased out, but is still ubiquitous.

Shopping

South Africans love shopping, and tend to do it in huge shopping centres rather than in shopping streets. The Gateway Mall in Durban is reputedly the largest in the southern hemisphere. However, areas where shops and restaurants spill out onto the streets are becoming increasingly popular as both daytime and evening venues. Johannesburg has three popular weekend markets that have sprung up as part of the city centre’s rejuvenation plans: 44 Stanley, Arts on Main and the Neighbourgoods Market. Cape Town’s V&A centre at the Waterfront is a tourist-friendly combination of shopping and entertainment with bars, music, restaurants and cinemas, as well as a large arts and craft shed. Traditional African arts and crafts are sold in numerous craft markets including Johannesburg’s Rosebank Mall craft market. The intricate beadwork necklaces and bold wooden carvings including large masks are particularly attractive, and six foot tall giraffes are often being wrapped for safe transit home in the cargo hold. Impromptu craft stalls often appear at the side of the road, particularly on popular tourist routes, and some have become permanent attractions in their own right, such as the one between Johannesburg and Sun City. Haggling is perfectly acceptable and often expected in the craft markets. Gold, diamonds and local wine also make excellent buys. In general, visitors will find the exchange rate favourable and prices much easier on the pocket than in many other countries. Visitors can claim a 14% VAT refund on purchases worth more than R250. You need to show your passport, flight ticket, the items and invoices to the refund desk in airports. Many shops stay open until at least 1800, and large shopping malls and tourist spots generally stay open even later. Sunday shopping is very common too.