South Africa - Destination Fact Sheet

Capitals: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
Primary Language(s): English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa (Although we have 11 official languages)
Currency: South African Rand
Time Zone(s): UTC +2
Important Airports: Johannesburg (JNB), Cape Town (CPT), Durban (DUR)
Important Cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Soweto
Tourist Hotspots: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Kruger National Park, Soweto, Sun City, Drakensberg, Knysna, Wild Coast
Best Time of Year to Visit: Year-Round
Public Holidays: Jan. 1, Mar. 21, Mar. 28, Apr. 27, May 1-2, Jun.16, Aug. 9, Sep. 24, Dec. 16, Dec. 25-26
Main Landmarks: Table Mountain, Robben Island, Kruger National Park, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Blyde River Canyon, Durban Beachfront, Cape Peninsula
Beaches/Coastal Towns: Clifton Beach, Gordons Bay, Camps Bay, Umhlanga, Margate, Balito, Mossel Bay, North Beach, Nahoon, Sodwana Bay, South Beach, Buffels Bay, Hout Bay, Plettenberg Bay, Bloubergstrand, Port Elizabeth, East London, Margate, Hermanus
Natural Landmarks: Tsitsikamma Forest Big Tree, Table Mountain, Cango Caves, Blyde River Canyon, Cape Peninsula, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Historical Sites: Apartheid Museum, Cradle of Humankind, Robben Island, Voortrekker Monument, Union Buildings, Lesedi Cultural Village, Hector Pieterson Museum, Soweto, Kimberley Big Hole
Hidden Gems: Cullinan, Paternoster, Clarens, Drakensburg, Storms River Mouth, Bo-Kaap, Wild Coast
Special Tips & Tricks: Try local foods such as “biltong”, “Pap & Wors” and “koeksisters”. Ride the Gautrain in Johannesburg.
Things to Consider: When travelling to the Limpopo Province and the lowveld of Mpumalanga the use of anti-malaria drugs is advisable. All children under the age of 18 leaving and entering South Africa will be required to have an unabridged birth certificate to accompany their passport.
Did You Know? There are more than 2,000 shipwrecks off of the dangerous coast of the Cape of Good Hope!