SOUTH AFRICA

Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings

Pretoria: the British High Commission is now at Liberty Life Place on Glyn, between Pretorius and Schoeman Streets. The telephone number is: 012 483 1400.
Andrew Hamling, South Africa (Dec 98)

By entering SA with an onward or return ticket you get a holiday visa (temporary residence officially) for a maximum of 3 months or up to the day you will leave if this is earlier. If the custom officer has a nice day he might give you a bit longer (Just ask and be friendly). If you leave SA and reenter you get a new visa if the old one has expired (or if the old one will expire soon which means within a few days). If the visa is still valid you have to use the old one. Visa extensions are also available at every home affairs office. They will renew it if they want to. If they don't want try another town or come the next day and hope you get another clerk. Here in Durban you will wait for about 2-... hours. The cost is about 400-500 Rand. Don't try to bribe anyone it won't help. Work permits are another story. You have to have a job offer in SA and you must apply with the South African embassy in your home country. You're not allowed to enter SA before they have issued your visa. You can't enter anyway, because you have to send them your passport. There is not much chance getting a work permit once you're in SA. These statements are issued to my best knowledge which I gathered going through the whole process. I'm not an South African official and things might change.
Peter, Thorn Tree (Oct 98)

Change of address for the South African embassy in Denmark:
South African Embassy / Sydafrikansk Ambassade
Gl Vartov Vej 8
2900 Hellerup
Phone: +45 3918 0155; fax: +45 3918 4060
Open 9am to noon, closed Saturdays.
Vibeke Barchalia-Borgen Axt, Denmark (Aug 98)

The correct address for the South African embassy in Denmark is Gammelvarlovvej 8, 2900 Hellerup. Phone: +45 39 180 155; Fax +45 39 184 006.
Jeppe Mikkelsen - Denmark (Mar 98)

The Tourist Rendezvous Information Centre in Pretoria has closed and the information offices moved to the old Nedbank building, Church Square, Western Facade, ground floor. The numbers for information have changed to (012) 326 2225, (012) 308 8937 and (012) 308 8909. There is also no longer a desk of the National Parks board, but their head office is still in Pretoria at numbers (012) 343 1991 and (012) 346 6065 (24 hours).
Jaco Robbertse, South Africa (Jan 99)

Like most visitors to Cape Town in October, we went whale watching. There is a telephone service which offers up-to-the-minute details of recent sitings. I think the number (which I saw advertised at the Cape Town Aquarium) is (0800) 228 222. The aquarium itself is excellent and includes seabirds and large sharks.

It is now possible to hire mobile phones from GSM at major airports at R9.60 per day and a call charge throughout SA of R2.40 per minute. Although Vodaphone coverage is far from complete away from major cities, the reassurance and ability to phone ahead for accommodation was very comforting.
M E Rosenbloom, UK (Dec 98)

You might wish to consider hiring a mobile phone if you are going on a long drive. These were available quite cheaply at the airports we visited.

Hluhluwe/ Umfolozi Game Reserve: both camps have shops, but carry only very limited supplies; you should stock up before arriving. Also, be sure to take the local advice about preventing tick bites, as they are rife here.

Cape Vidal: almost nothing is obtainable here, so take all food with you. You should also hire snorkels and arrange boat trips on the way up.
Martin Thomas, UK (Dec 98)

The monthly magazine, Getaway, available at all newstands in South Africa, is an excellent source of information on destinations in Southern Africa.
Stefan Grosse, Cape Town (Dec 98)

I have been living in South Africa for the last three years. One of the greatest headaches and issues for travellers here is security; this message has spread around the world. However, I have been entirely safe during my time here by following these guidelines:

• Don't use public transport: it isn't reliable at the best of times, and even then it is not safe. What little value you think your backpack may have, it is nevertheless very valuable to people living in poverty and marks you as an instant target.
• It is unwise to arrive without an immediate plan to get yourself from the airport to your destination. Before you arrive, ensure you have someone to meet you at the airport. If you have a booking for a hostel or hotel, they will normally provide transport from the airport. Hire car companies will also meet you and display their banner. Under no circumstances should you use unsolicited transport offered at the airport. Jan Smuts has a lot of "scanners" - usually men paid to look for unsuspecting tourists. Likely victims are spotted in the arrivals hall and followed whilst their colleagues wait for a suitable moment to pounce.
• Be careful about using ATM machines, banks and foreign exchange offices. If possible, you should change travellers' cheques in small amounts. Don't count money openly in the vicinity of the bank or ATM, and make sure your money is out of sight quickly. Spotters also hang around these machines looking for likely victims.
• When travelling on the roads, lock vehicle doors at all times, and don't stop if signalled to do so. It may look like an ordinary situation (eg car breakdown), but you should nevertheless be very cautious. The only exception is stopping for a marked police car, but even then you must be sure it is the genuine thing. Recently a gang was caught whose method was to use a white unmarked car with a flashing blue light to stop travellers leaving the airport and steal all their valuables. Pull over only when you have checked around the road. Don't stop close to the villages and informal settlements. At the least, this invites unwanted curiosity. At worst, it can make you a target. If you are lost, don't make it look obvious. Pull into a petrol station and ask directions there.

Tips for South Africa:
1. don't bring cash - only ten pounds or US$10 for emergencies
2. when arriving wherever, phone a reputable hostel and listen to their advice - don't think common sense will prevail
3. don't take the Metro between Jo'burg and Pretoria
4. don't send any poste restante to Jo'burg's GPO. For Pretoria, send poste restante to Sunnyside Post Office.
Jaco, The Thorn Tree (Sep 98)

Everything is closed on Sundays in Cape Town. No cafes, breakfast places, shops, nothing. So plan in advance - coming from the UK I expected something to be open. Also, many tours did not run on that day but the large fleamarket is open on Greenpoint, and also V&A.
Caroll Everest (Sep 98)

You now have to pay commission on AMEX cheques at Nedbank, but First Bank will not take any commission on AMEX and they give good rates compared to other banks. You can also change any travellers cheque without any commission at any Rennies exchange outlet.
Bernt Arnesen, Norway (Aug 98)

There's a new service for tourists in the centre of Johannesburg: 'City Ambassadors'. They'll ask you where you want to go, escort you for a while giving advice and alert their colleagues via radio as to the direction you're heading.
Daniele Theseider Dupre, Italy (Aug 98)

New cable cars up Table Mountain are complete so the long wait has now gone.
Graeme McClimont (Apr 98)

Unleaded petrol is now freely available (see p151) in both 95 and 97 octane (at least in Cape Province).
The Valley of Desolation drive is much less difficult than previously: the road is bitumen right up to the summit car park, and the gradients are mostly around 20%. Ordinary 2-wheel drive cars cope easily.
Ann Y Green - UK (Apr 98)

On arrival at Johannesburg International Airport, there is a free booklet called Info Africa. It gives telephone numbers on everything from accommodation, restaurants and car hire to information on things to do and see in various regions throughout South Africa. It's free if you pick it up at passport control or else you have to pay for it in the Info Africa office in the terminal. Also, in the Sunday Times there is a magazine called The Getaway (I think). At the back of it you can find various accommodation options around SA.
Thomas Cook in Cape Town have changed their location to the main street at the Adelphi Centre, Seapoint Branch, Main Road (near Reise Deli CafΘ). Phone: 439 7529 or 439 7461; Fax: 434 2565.
Sheila Coghlan - Ireland (Mar 98)

Changing money is cheap compared to banks in Europe. You can avoid queuing in a bank by using ATMs. You can now find VISA/MasterCard compatible ATMs at every little village, many gas stations and in every shopping mall. Even if there is no VISA sign, VISA cash advances are available. Normally credit card cash is more expensive than travellers cheques or foreign cash exchange.
Juergen Marschall - Germany (Mar 98)

We found that all through South Africa, even in the compounds in Kruger Park, ATM machines were easy to find and use. They give a better rate than travellers cheques and are more convenient than a personal visit to the bank. I would not recommend taking travellers cheques at all - plastic is fine for this country.
Mary Oglivie - Canada (Jan 98)

The main roads in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia are all pretty good. Lesotho and Botswana are a different story. Kruger National Park in South Africa is good and easy to reach and self drive through. Accommodations are good and cost about US$60 a night for an air-conditioned hut. Book well in advance as they are popular all year round. The best area is the southern area. Prettiest camp is Olifants. Plan on spending at least three days in Kruger and make sure you try to book a night drive (it's only $15). Umfolozi National Park south of Kruger is great for rhinos & nyalas. Hilltop is beautiful - a good bit pricier but worth it. Etosha National Park in Namibia is good and VERY reasonable ($30 a night for a two bedroom/kitchen/living room with a/c per night). The best time to go to Etosha is in October.

Border crossings from SA to Namibia are no problem. You can pass from Namibia to Botswana and Zambia (note: once in Botswana without a 4x4 it's a joke). Most car companies will NOT let you take a rental car from South Africa into Zimbabwe. The border crossing, however, at Messina from SA into Zimbabwe is not a big hassle. Crossing from Zimbabwe into Zambia at Victoria Falls should not be a hassle either.

We took a day trip into Lesotho and it was great! We visited a farm in Namibia called Dusternbrook and viewed their wildlife - the leopards were really great and we stayed at the African Foundation's farm in Namibia at Okonjima which was very pricey but worth every penny. The leopards and cheetahs were super.
Ruth (Jan 98)

A lot of telephone numbers have changed in South Africa. If you need to know a new number, you can dial 1023, although, unfortunately, not all operators speak English.
Alberto Lualdi - Italy (Oct 97)

Many of my friends hadn't caught a train in years and were horrified by this story, but we didn't have any problems. When I booked, as two women, we were put into a compartment with other women. Staff walked up and down the train frequently, chatted to us and looked after us (especially as we had the same crew going back as travelling down). On the way back, we were the only people in our compartment and we hid our luggage as best we could when we went to dinner. We need not have worried, though, as the staff had locked our carriage when they saw that we weren't there.

One hint: you can book bedding when you book your ticket, or you can buy it from the staff when they come through the carriages offering it around dinner time. We didn't know this and froze overnight on the way down - the bedding had been offered whilst we were in the dining car and no one told us about it. On the way back, we bought bedding as soon as we got on (two lumpy pillows, some sheets and blankets). The only problem was that this night was much warmer; we slept with the windows open so it was cold enough to use the blankets!
Julie Evans, Australia (Apr 99)

Travelling along the national highway can sometimes be dangerous because of big potholes. The road conditions are not as good as expected. There were a lot of traffic accidents during the last holiday season, so beware of the road conditions and some crazy drivers on the road. The same goes for down from the border of Swaziland to Durban.
Anon (Jan 99)

Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift: you should avoid the rough dirt road which turns off the R68 near Vant's Drift to Rorke's Drift; it was a long, very bumpy drive. The much shorter dirt road from the R68 south-east of Nqutu to Isandlwana, and the dirt road from Isandlwana to Rorke's Drift are much smoother.
Allan Tyrer, UK (Dec 98)

After an exciting but nerve-racking trip across the Swartberg Pass in the dark, I would advise others to do it in the daylight; apart from anything else, it is a shame to miss the incredible beauty.
Melanie Redmond, UK (Dec 98)

After travelling through Coffee Bay and Port St Johns, we headed towards Kokstad via the R61. It had rained the night before we left and the road was became too slippery to continue; after about half an hour of driving, we turned around. For others travelling that way, unless you have a 4x4, I suggest going back to Umtata to use the N2.
Beverley Carolan (Nov 98)

For internal air flights, I flew with Sun Air, mostly because they were the best value, though most travel agents in Australia were a bit cautious about using them as not much was known about them. There were excellent. Superb food on the flights, brilliant service on board, very comfortable, etc. Probably the best small airline I have ever flown on.
David Carroll, Ireland (Sep 98)

To/from Johannesburg International Airport: the Pretoria Airport Shuttle's phone number has changed to (012) 323 0904. It should also be noted that the shuttle can pick up and drop you at several B&B/guest houses/hostels, not just their rendezvous.
Don Jackson, Canada (Aug 98)

The train service between Johannesburg and Harare doesn't exist any more. The service was stopped on 24 April 1998.
Holger Schulze (Jun 98)

We caught the Express Motorways bus from Bulawayo to Johannesburg. There were five of us on until we reached the border of South Africa when the driver obviously decided to line his own pockets and filled the bus with passengers who were queuing for a combi/taxi. When we reached the South African side, the taxi drivers stopped our bus and would not let us pass as they were saying the driver was taking their business and money (which he was). Eventually after two hours of negotiations and heated debates, they let us through. All I would say is be warned that the economic climate in South Africa means that taxi drivers are very territorial over business and although a seasoned traveller in Africa, I did not like the situation at all and found the atmosphere quite threatening. Next time we will be taking Greyhound or Blue Arrow.
Fern Dromey - UK (Apr 98)

I noticed that one form of public transport wasn't in your guide. I travelled from Cape Town to Johannesburg via Swaziland on 'The Baz Bus' which is the jump on, jump off bus. It's been going for a few years and it seems to be quite successful. There was another company that covered the garden route only (The Hopper Bus), but it's now folded.
Christine Ripke - Australia (Apr 98)

We looked into taking the Blue Train, only to discover that the famous train has been replaced by a new, even more luxurious train. The rates have been adapted as a consequence, making the trip unaffordable to most common mortals: 4,200 Rand one way per person in 'normal' accommodation, 4,500 Rand in luxury class. A service to Victoria Falls has also been added, for 5,100 Rand one way. More info can be found on the web under [www.bluetrain.co.za] and information (including timetables) for ordinary mainline trains can be found under [www.spoornet.co.za].
Evelyne and Boudewijn Neijens - Belgium (Apr 98)

By chance I read a newspaper article that said that the road between South Africa and Namibia via Botswana had been completed. It cuts out about 400kms and you get to see Botswana. The route goes through Lobatse (open 7am to 7pm) and car tax is R10. You can pay in rand.
Christine Ripke - Australia (Apr 98)

We flew into Johannesburg and went straight to the bus station hoping to get on a bus to Namibia and avoid an overnight stay in Johannesburg. We were quickly informed that only one bus company had a service into Namibia - Intercape Mainliner - and that they had just started a new route through Botswana. This new route uses a newly opened border crossing at Buitepos and saves a lot of time (the trip took about 21 hours). It was also cheaper than the alternate route, the cost being about R285.
Rebecca James & Sarah Lloyd - Australia (Mar 98)

Gaborone: there is at the moment no coach to Johannesburg. The only road option is mini buses.
Kristian Skjerning Kyed - Denmark (Mar 98)

Gaborone: all regular train and bus services to and from Johannesburg have stopped, making the capital more isolated than ever unfortunately. The only reliable way between the two cities is on plane, private car, or the quite dangerous Kombi (mini-van) rides.
Joseph Copeland (Mar 98)

We rented a car when we landed in Cape Town, and turned it in just before Johannesburg - it was certainly the best way for us to get around. But driving in South Africa is not for the faint hearted: trucks drive on the shoulder often and cars are expected to overtake them as soon as they come up behind them, and drivers coming the other way are expected to anticipate this and move over on their side. Which is fine unless overtaking is going on in both directions on a two lane highway! Also, it is customary to flick your lights after passing the truck to show your appreciation for his travelling on the shoulder.
Also be prepared that SA is mountainous, and you cannot expect to cover long distances quickly. Driving in the dark is not recommended.
Mary Oglivie - Canada (Jan 98)

Pretoria, warning against driving in mini-taxis: along the main roads and during the day itÆs OK, but not for long distance travelling, not at night and not as a woman. You will meet the most hilarious and wonderful taxi drivers and passengers but you could also be very unlucky.
Essellen Street has become crime riddled but is still the most alive street in the city. Do not draw money at the tellers, carry any bags or go into side streets.
Rape is incredibly rife in the city. Beware.
Fillings in Essellen Street no longer exists, nor do CafΘ Galleria, Tequila Sunrise and the Viper Room. This whole area is XXX rated and a crime haven. Walk with care.
Daniela Inderbitzin, South Africa (Mar 99)

There's a very well known credit card scam in South Africa, especially in Cape Town. ItÆs amazing how many people fall victim to it. ATMs get jammed with a piece of paper so that you canÆt retrieve your card. While getting help, your card and the cash miraculously disappears. ItÆs actually quite easy to prevent this: only withdraw cash at ATMs outside of a bank and during (not outside) office hours so that you can get help immediately, if need be. If thereÆs a queue in front, the ATM should be OK as well. Cape Town is safe during the day but not so at night. There are a lot of street kids that may try to mug you. Use common sense and be careful and you shouldnÆt encounter any problems.
Peter Buechel, Switzerland (Feb 99)

Durban: there is downtown Durban, the beach front, and a no-man's land in between. Do not visit Durban at Christmas/New Year. If you must go there, then stay well away from the beach. At this time of year, day or night, mugging and murder are simply spectator sports. I was mugged three times in the space of 10 days, and I was lucky! At other times, it seems to be fine. If you walk to the beach, use West Street rather than Smith Street, as the latter can be very intimidating.
Andrew Hamling, South Africa (Dec 98)

Never walk outside the Johannesburg station. Information directed me outside where I was mugged by four men. I was lucky that they had no knives, so I could scream and fight and they didn't get anything. This happened in a busy street, and no passer-by helped me. Even for guys, a rape alarm attached to your belt loop (so a malicious mugger can't hold it to your ear) will be useful, but the safety of using anything or fighting in any way during an armed attack is questionable. Just call a hostel and get picked up from the station.

Sodwana Bay is apparently quite crime-ridden.
Dan Stothart (Nov 98)

I noticed that someone had posted a warning about ATM fraud in South Africa; as a South African resident, I can confirm that it is a VERY common occurrence. For those of you unfamiliar with the scenario here it is: you draw money from an ATM machine and are unable to retrieve your card as it gets stuck in the slot on the way out. By the time you return with the relevant bank employee, no trace of your card exists and surprise - the next day you will be missing a couple of bucks out of your account. However, there is a way of checking if the ATM machine has been tampered with. After inserting your card, do not enter your pin number - this is very important. Instead, press the cancel trx button: the machine should either spit your card out, thus proving that the machine is ok, and if it doesn't, then at least the only thing you have lost is your card.
Mat, Thorn Tree (Nov 98)

Two travellers reported that just after they departed Umfolozi Game Reserve at the Cengeni Gate, a guy by the road fired at them. The bullet hit their car but luckily didn't damage it mechanically and they were able to drive off - at fairly high speed! They say that they've since heard of an armed robbery and rape along the same road. So think twice before using the road between Ulundi and Cengeni Gate.
Lonely Planet (Nov 98)

Although they are a cheap form of transport, strong and serious warnings should be issued about the danger of using mini-bus taxis in South Africa. Many of these taxis are in bad repair, the operators cram as many people in as they can (I counted 19 in one), and they are driven erratically at very high speeds. There are many taxi accidents with large amounts of people killed or injured (as the guide correctly states, there are 10,000 killed on the roads every year). There are also taxi disputes from warring taxi federations (SALDTA and FELDTA) which involves very serious violence at taxi ranks and on the roads with innocent passengers getting caught in the crossfire. Many of my black friends refused to ride in them (one had been seriously injured in two separate accidents), preferring to travel in the buses. The violence was very prevalent around Pretoria, Johannesburg and KwaZulu/Natal but care should be taken everywhere.
Debbie McMillan - Australia (Oct 98)

Cape Town: the Loop St / Long St area is unsafe. This applies not just at night but also on Saturday afternoons and Sundays when the shops are shut. The streets are deserted and muggings are common.
Yeoville is another no-go area. The local paper which catalogues the latest unsolved crimes had long lists of rapes, robberies and murders over half of which occurred in Yeoville.
Mr D L McNamara, UK (Sep 98)

Safety in Cape Town: although I heard that Cape Town is much safer than Johannesburg, it is still not safe to walk around the place at night. I heard of many people getting mugged during daylight and at night, even when in groups, some at knife point. Do not hail taxis on the streets - get hotels/backpackers to call for you.
Caroll Everest (Sep 98)

The old Lonely Planet guide to South Africa talks about the suburban railway which runs south of Surban to Port Shepstone along the coast. It is one of the most beautifully situated lines we have ever seen, but unfortunately unusable because of the very high, and very real, chance of being robbed and/or attacked. Everybody, but everybody, advised us against using it.

We were sceptical when we first heard this as the climate of fear in South Africa we found stifling, but after we had been told for about the fifth or sixth time, we started to believe it. The appearance of the trains does not inspire confidence - they are extremely run-down and were clearly allowed to become so in the apartheid era because they were for black workers travelling into Durban to work. No whites ever used them then and now it is universally considered too dangerous to do so - even black and Indian friends advised against doing so. This is a great waste as the track is stunningly situated along fifty miles of the Indian Ocean.
Dick & Liz Turner - UK (May 98)

Beware of using ATMs in South Africa after the banks are closed. I used one in Cape Town that seemed to swallow my card. A friendly, helpful person will come and offer tips on how to get it back, whilst trying to have a peak at your PIN number. When I went to the bank the following morning, the staff told me my card wasn't there. The card slot had been stuffed with paper and my card lifted out with tweezers after I had left. They told me this was commonplace in Cape Town, and an organised gang was behind it. The ATM I had used was blocked three times the previous day!
Andy Ward (Mar 98)

As for going to Johannesburg, I would recommend everyone give it a miss. From speaking to people in general, it has become very dangerous for everyone in the last year. This includes locals and tourists. The murders, crime and amount of businesses closed down in the area was unreal. Not only the police wear bullet proof vests, but also some taxi drivers and they also had hand guns under the driver's seat. We weren't allowed to stand outside the hotel while waiting for taxis, never mind cross the street to the supermarket because this was also dangerous. Sometimes you could hear gun shots at night.

It is not advisable to travel through the Transkei region in one car. Go with a tour or with one other car. We didn't know this until we told people who were very astonished that no-one had robbed us or given us grief. It appears it's becoming dangerous to travel without backup.
Sheila Coghlan - Ireland (Mar 98)

Shark diving in Mossel Bay is a crazy thing to do. It was very interesting and a unique way to see and begin to understand these impressive sharks (we saw four massive Great Whites), but it was dangerous and the safety level was very low. The shark cage was weak - I could have made a better cage in school metal work - and it was tied on the back of the boat with rope and a thin rusty chain. It was an amazing day but the risk really must be considered - it is obviously a dangerous thing to do and the lack of safety is shocking.
M D Tinker - UK (Mar 98)

In Johannesburg you cannot emphasise enough the need to be aware of one's personal safety/security. I know cab drivers who will not drive through Hillbrow, Yeoville or Braamfontein after office hours. Without being a sensationalist, people are well advised to leave these streets to the well armed drug dealers, etc, after dark.
Helix F Union - Australia (Nov 97)

The Umfolozi/Hluhluwe National Park was an excellent place to view game close up. Although we didn't see any elephants, lions, leopards or cheetahs (they had been seen a couple of days prior to our arrival), there were plenty of rhinos, giraffes, zebra, wildebeest (gnu), impala and baboons. We also saw a wild dog.
Beverley Carolan (Nov 98)

The two days we spent in the Kruger Park were a great laugh, but the night drive was the highlight of the trip. It was unbelievable watching a leopard eating its prey 20 metres away in a tree, as was coming across one of Kruger's biggest prides of lions only seconds after a toilet stop - scary! We could tell it was really special because our tour guide, Megan, was as excited as we were.

Another highlight was whale watching in Hermanus. They are intelligent creatures and will not breach until the second after you have put your camera down. In September, it is impossible to miss the whales as they are so numerous.
Gerard Doherty (Nov 98)

I have just been on a great visit to the Premier Mine in Cullinan, close to Pretoria. It's really worth your while as they conduct tours of an operating mine, so it's the real thing. The village is also very nice with good restaurants, an interesting museum and curio shops. So check it out.
Ulrich Meyer (Sep 98)

Pretoria: a new museum not mentioned in the guide is the African Window, at 149 Visagie St (between Bosman and Schubart). It's open daily from 9am to 5pm and costs R5 (R2 for concessions). It calls itself a 'centre for the preservation and communication of the heritage and culture of all South Africans' and I found it to be absolutely superb. It has good permanent cultural exhibitions, space for temporary exhibitions and an internet cafΘ (R10 per half hour) in the shop.
Hannah Lewis, UK (Aug 98)

I'm writing from the bank of the Umtentu River about two days hike south of Port Edward. I wanted to mention the first leg of the hiking trail from Port Edward to Port St Johns is more or less closed due to the condition of the huts along the track. I started to walk the trail by myself without a tent and found it virtually impossible due to the lack of accommodation. Having said this, it is possible to do if you have your own tent. I ended up returning to Port Edward and hooking up with a fabulous new adventure group - Amadiba Adventures. They are a purely non-profit organisation working with the local communities along the coast and are based in Durban. I ended up doing a six day horse trail with them, camping along the way in some of the most spectacular scenery I've seen so far in South Africa. If you're into completely getting away, camping, no gimmicks and great people, then I'd recommend the horse trail. It's a must and the local Xhosa people involved with the project are fantastic. Transport is provided from Durban and they are full of helpful suggestions. I can't rave about them enough. Contact Simon or Travis.
Helen, New Zealand (Jul 98)

The newly opened Aquarium in Cape Town is definitely worth a visit. It is divided into nine sections and shows life of both the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans. There is lots of information provided by different types of media. There is also a touch pool where you are invited to touch certain animals and there is always an assistant near to help you with questions. You should not miss the feeding of the predators; it's spectacular. Divers go into the basin and feed the fish while an assistant comments on what's happening.
Maren Kirchhoff - Germany (Mar 98)

Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens, Cape Town: on Sunday afternoons at about 5pm there is an open-air concert - blues, jazz or whatever. Before Christmas there are carols by candlelight. Note that even in summertime you will need a blanket in the early evening!
Sietske Op Het Veld - Netherlands (Mar 98)

Robben Island has now been opened properly as a tourist site/museum. It is a truly amazing experience - you are shown round by guides who were all prisoners themselves and who therefore add real perspective to what they tell you about the way of life in days gone past. My hosts in Cape Town knew that if you want to go on the tour, you need to queue early in the morning to get tickets. They arrived at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront at 7am and there was already a queue! But the effort of getting up early is well worth it.
Karen West - UK (Jan 98)

Soweto: if you want to go into Soweto, don't just book the first tour operator you find, but try to find someone who lives there. We spent our last day in SA touring Soweto with Shadrack Motau, a native Sowetan who works for the Soweto Heritage Trust, and we had the most memorable day of our holiday. He is an inexhaustible source of information and stories about Soweto then and now, and shows the 'real' Soweto better than any non-native guide might be able to. In the afternoon tours you are taken to his favourite shebeen and you can have a chat with local people. Address: 9th Floor, Standard Bank Centre, 5 Simmonds St, Johannesburg 200.
Jelle Buma - Netherlands (Dec 97)