A Holiday Checklist for South Africa

So you’ve decided to go on holiday to South Africa? Here are some of the things you’ll need to consider before going.


Flights To South Africa

When booking your flights to South Africa remember that the best deals are often gained by booking flights and hotel rooms at the same time. Your travel agent or tour operator should be able to arrange this for you in order to get the best value holiday.

Most flights are to Johannesburg, either as a destination in it’s own right or as a connection point. Other cities do have airports but you will pay a premium to fly direct to these cities.

Flying to South Africa is a long haul taking 10-12 hours, so make sure that during your flight you move around and get up and take a walk every now and again to avoid any chance of developing DVT. Since you’ll be flying across the entirety of Africa we also highly recommend trying to book a window seat – the views during the day can be awe inspiring.


Johannesburg

Johannesburg has not traditionally been known as a tourist destination, but since Apartheid ended has rapidly grown into a young and vibrant city. Flights to Johannesburg are also common for connecting flights to other South African holiday destinations such as Cape Town and Kruger National Park. As such, many tourists to South Africa pass through Johannesburg at least once, which has led to the development of more attractions for tourists, so it could be well worth setting aside some time to visit these. In particular, you should be aware of Johannesburg’s many excellent history museums and historical spots such as The Apartheid Museum and the Museum of Africa, and the Johannesburg zoo which, as you might expect being located in Africa, is particularly good.

The biggest draw for many though is The Cradle of Human Kind (see below).

Johannesburg is known for it’s high level of crime but be reassured that violent crime is confined to districts away from tourist areas. You should however be vigilant at all times against non violent crime, in particular ATM fraud. For more information, consult a financial advice site such as the Motley Fool which has several articles on this topic such as protect yourself against credit card fraud.

The Cradle of Human Kind

A world heritage site just a short drive northwest of Johannesburg, this is the site of the discovery of the earliest known skeletons of ancient humans – the Australopithecus. The unique conditions of this extensive cave system enabled complete skeletons as much as 3.3 million years old to be perfectly preserved. This fascinating location is well worth a day trip.

More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle_of_Humankind


Activities

Whether it’s lion watching on safari, white water rafting or playing golf there’s plenty to keep everyone happy in South Africa. The Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s premier wildlife reserves. You can do a self drive safari, or charter a flight into the national park and stay in a traditional lodge. For more information on South African safari’s take a look at Go2Africa.

South Africa also has dozens of superb golf courses making it a popular destination for golf holidays.


Visas

UK citizens can travel to South Africa for up to 90 days without a visa – more than enough for all but the most adventurous of holidays.

As with any holiday it’s always a good idea to check the Foreign & Commonwealth Office information for your intended destination in advance – this gives you information about entry requirements, how to stay safe and any help the FCO can give you while you’re in the country.


Malaria

The South African Department of Health announced last month (April 2005) that fatal incidences of Malaria have decreased by 73% over recent years. Despite this it is still recommended that proper precautions are taken before making any visit to Africa. Seek medical advice on vaccination or preventative medicine, and take or buy appropriate supplies such as mosquito nets and insect repellant.


Travel Insurance

When travelling to South Africa it is highly recommended that comprehensive travel insurance is bought covering you and your family for accidents, theft and emergency care. Hospital treatment is good in cities but can be expensive so make sure your travel insurance covers you for all eventualities.


Language

Due to South Africa’s eclectic history and cultural mix there are 11 officially recognised languages in South Africa as well as a multitude of unofficial languages, making it second in the world only to India for language variation. English is one of the official languages and although it’s not the most common by any means (Afrikaans is) it is spoken by South African citizens in all major tourist destinations, so there’s no need to worry about any major communication problems.