South Africa - A World of its own

Advantages: It is beautiful, lots of things to do and see, good tourist facilities for both families and travellers, this place is amazing all round!
Disadvantages: Some areas can be very dangerous - but then most countries do

...As the title suggests, South Africa is a place you probably never want to forget. In fact you won?t be able to forget it if you go there!!!! If any of you readers are from South Africa or have been there and see something I have written wrongly or I have missed something out on this opinion, please tell me and I will gladly change it. There are many things you should know before visiting this place, for your own safety and to get the best enjoyment out of the place. GENERAL SAFETY RULES - Don?t go out alone at night in certain places in South Africa, unless you are in a place that you have been told that it is a safe place to be by a trustworthy person - In certain cities there are these taxis that you shouldn?t get into. They are usually Toyota Hi-aces (like minibus things) and if you jump into one of those you are...

Sweetiesarahjane 22.08.2001 (05.08.2002) · Read review
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Review of General: South Africa

Indispensible for outing yourself as a tourist in Southern Africa

Advantages: Comprehensive, up-to-date, well researched
Disadvantages: cumbersome to carry

...For my recent trip to Southern Africa, I ideally wanted a guidebook for Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa in one. Unfortunately Lonely Planet do not have such a guide but their South Africa guide also included Lesotho (and Swaziland) which meant that rather than take two books for these two countries I was able to take them in a single volume. The one problem I find with some Lonely Planets is that they become very bulky for a large country like South Africa - and unless you are really travelling throughout a country, it is almost worth only taking the pages that you need. As being white shows you up as being a tourist in a lot of places - there is little by way of domestic tourism for poorer non-white South Africans - brandishing a Lonely Planet just draws further, unwanted attention to yourself - the book is therefore not something...

Morgenhund 25.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of South Africa Lesotho and Swaziland - James Bainbridge

South Africa. The Ultimate Holiday Option

Advantages: Spectacular scenery, friendly people always willing to help, great value for money!
Disadvantages: Ongoing worries about crime, other than that perhaps sunburn.

...Being South African born and bred, and having travelled through much of Europe this year, I now feel compelled to convince the whole of Ciao to visit good old South Africa. I recently went back for a short visit, and was once again convinced that I will eventually end up back there. Wide open spaces, wonderful sunshine for at least 9 months a year and some of the most beautiful scenery you are ever likely to find. All this made me realise that the Tourism Board’s slogan of “A World in One Country” has never been more true. A short history: South Africa’s ethnic population has been around for many hundreds of years. There is still today a rich mixture of tribes and different cultures, but sadly they are becoming more westernised. South Africa was first colonised by the Dutch in roughly 1651, to be used...

riaan 23.10.2001 · Read review
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Review of General: South Africa

South Africa Wins The Cup?

Advantages: Worlds greatest tournament
Disadvantages: Are you crazy?

...South Africa recently hosted their English counterparts in a friendly game in Johannesburg to launch their 2010 World Cup bid campaign. Though they lost 1-2 to England, they achieved their aim of successfully launching their bid in a professional manner unlike Nigeria whom I will come back to. They made sure that a clause was inserted in their contract with England, which guaranteed that the most famous footballer in the world – David Beckham – was part of the trip. Even the Great Nelson Mandela arranged to meet Beckham and some of his team mates, although some of them chose not to attend. But for those who attended including David Beckham it was an experience of a lifetime. Back to South Africa’s World Cup bid, David Beckham openly endorsed their bid by going on worldwide television stating that he would support...

whitedevil 30.07.2003 (31.07.2003) · Read review
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Review of South Africa World Cup Bid

South Africa, Cape Town and Johannesburg

Advantages: Great Scenic views on the tour
Disadvantages: Can be hot, humid and sticky...

...Day One: Morning arrival 09.35 on SAA221 flight at Cape Town International Airport. Transfer to The Bay Hotel for the next six nights. Day Two: Day at leisure to explore the magnificent features of Cape Town, for the treasures in diamonds and gold jewellery. Day Three: Visit “Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden” to explore Van Riebeeck's Hedge and Peninsula garden, with many other features from around the world for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora. Lunch is served in the gardens from The Ritz Tea House. Day Four: Visit the “South Africa Jewish Museum” to explore the social, intellectual, and cultural contributions made by South Africa's Jewish community. Then visit “Telkom Exploratorium” where technology and the science of telecommunications becomes...

Lifestyle1 14.06.2004 · Read review
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Review of Cape Town (South Africa)

Wanna go to South Africa for the weekend

Advantages: Lots to see and do for a short stay, Overnight flight, time zone - BST+1.
Disadvantages: Helluva long way, safety off the beaten path.

...Every now and then, you need to do something totally extravagant. So, when we were looking to celebrate a special occasion a couple of years ago, we were thrilled to find a discounted weekend break to Cape Town. Now you might think it is crazy to go all that way for a long weekend, but the beauty is the overnight flights - you get on, watch movie, sleep and hey presto you wake up in South Africa. There is only 1 hour time difference in the summer so jet lag is not an issue. We boarded our South African Airways flight at Heathrow 9pm Friday night. In-flight service was excellent, and the flight was not that full so we had two seats each and managed to get 5 hours kip en route to Cape Town. We were woken by the cabin crew at about 6am with the best in-flight breakfast I have ever had. Sort of Full English plus croissants, yoghurt...

averagepunter 25.10.2002 · Read review
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Review of Cape Town (South Africa)

South Africa - Our best ever holiday.

Advantages: Excellent value for money, wonderful food and wines, friendly people, marvellous weather. Lots of good hotels and guesthouses.
Disadvantages: Long flight from UK (11 hours). Some areas to be avoided because of high crime rates.

...Why did we go? My wife and I have had some very enjoyable holidays in various parts of the world but we had never been to South Africa. I suppose we were a bit concerned about safety because of reports we had seen in the press about high crime rates and violence. However, last Christmas we met an old friend who had “discovered” South Africa a few years ago and now goes there for a holiday every year, usually in January, to escape the worst of the UK winter. He assured us that South Africa was just as safe for tourists as many other places, provided that you follow a few common sense rules. We decided to give it a try and booked a 2-week holiday there for November this year. We chose November as this is the early summer down there and we reckoned it would not be too hot or too crowded at that time of the year. After...

Barbarian 29.11.2001 · Read review
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Review of General: South Africa

Riviera of the South

Advantages: Beatiful unspoilt beaches, whale watching, walks
Disadvantages: Busy during summer school holidays (Dec and early Jan)

...you can see them clearly from land (the whales, not the sharks!). Hermanus even has a whale crier, who sounds his bamboo horn to direct people to the latest sighting of whales. Hermanus has a beautiful golf club for the golf enthusiasts, and many restaurants to fit any taste. The Old Harbour museum in the middle of the town is worth a visit, as is the open-air pub situated on the waterside near the harbour. There are many footpaths along the coastline, as well as in Fernkloof, a nature reserve. Apart from the beautiful beaches, there is a lagoon, which flows into the sea near Grotto Beach. Although not a very big town, it has everything you might need, supermarkets, banks and even the Wine Village, which sells the biggest range of wines in South Africa (www.wine-village.co.za - they deliver world wide, I have ordered from them...

Brakkenjan 01.07.2001 (14.07.2001) · Read review
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Review of Hermanus (South Africa)

First meeting with Africa

Advantages: Kruger park near by, multi cultural experience, Sun City
Disadvantages: They say there is a lot of crime

...This review of Joburg is a summary of my three trips to South Africa and Johannesburg (or Joburg as it is often called). I guess it is a bit different from my other travelogues because this is more based on the impressions that I'm left with after going there in 1997, 1998 and 1999. I didn't not go to Joburg as a ordinary "tourist" because I met up with an internet friend...a friend that would become my wife but that is another story :-) The first thing I did when I came to the airport in Joburg was to go to the toilet. When washing my hands I saw this sign urging people to save the water because it is "precious to mother Africa". I come from Norway and most of the time water shortage is not a problem around here (it rains quite a lot in western Norway :-). When I came out of the airport I discovered that Joburg wasn't that much...

gard 26.06.2003 · Read review
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Review of Johannesburg (South Africa)

The fairest gardens of Africa.....

Advantages: Amazing scenery, wide range of activities to do
Disadvantages: Becoming more expensive, can be overcrowded at peak times

...So where to go first in South Africa? Well the Western Cape is one of the most Tourist friendly areas. It is said to strectch along the coast from Cape Town in the West up to Port Elizabeth in the East, encompassing such delights along the way as Hermanus, Mossel Bay, George, Wilderness and Knysna, to name but a few. You might also choose to take a bit of a detour inland from George, most likely up the Famous Route 62 - leading to Oudtshoorn, with it's wonderful ostriches, Cango Caves, wildlife ranch (where you have the opportunity to stroke cheeters and tigers!!).....as well as the chance to go down (or up) the Swartberg pass - particularly fun (should that be challenging?!) on a bike......wow! I have worked out there, but the last time I was out there, I took a two week trip down the Garden Route and Cape Town....here are some...

irishwench69 17.04.2005 · Read review
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Review of Western Cape (South Africa)