South Africa Travel

A South Africa holiday is a great option if you would like to enjoy a safari experience without having to give up any creature comforts. Located at the southernmost tip of Africa, South Africa has very long coastline that stretches more than 2500km (1550mi) and across two oceans (the South Atlantic and the Indian). It has been argued that there is no "single" culture in South Africa because of its ethnic diversity. Today, the diversity in foods from many cultures is enjoyed by all and especially marketed to tourists who wish to sample the large variety of South African cuisine.

This cultural diversity is also on display in terms of cultures, religious beliefs and languages - a whopping eleven of which are recognised in the constitution! Walk down a city street on your African holiday and you are sure to hear numerous African languages spoken, as well as some Afrikaans and English peppered with very interesting accents. The country was originally established as a seaport for the Dutch East India Company who stopped over at the Cape of Good Hope to replenish their food- and water supplies on long sea journeys. Immigrants came from near and far to populate the erstwhile British colony and today these diverse cultures have combined to make for one of the most interesting African travel destinations on our books.

Despite South Africa's controversial past, the country has come a long way since the days of racial discrimination and Apartheid. The first multi-racial elections were held in 1994, which the ANC won by an overwhelming majority. The party has been in power ever since.

South Africa Info:

Capital: Pretoria - Administrative
Cape Town - Legislative
Bloemfontein - Judicial
Area: 594 180sq km
Currency: ZAR - South African Rand (R)
Climate: South Africa has a generally temperate climate, due in part to it being surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans on three sides, by its location in the climatically milder southern hemisphere and due to the average elevation rising steadily towards the north (towards the equator) and further inland.
People: South Africa is a nation of more than 48 million people of diverse origins, cultures, languages, and religions.
Official Language: Eleven official languages including English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu to name just a few.
Time: GMT plus two hours