South Africa

South Africa has been billed as 'a world in one country', and any visitor who has experienced its delights, from the jumble of Johannesburg, the northern city built on gold mines, to the sophistication of Cape Town in the south, to the sunny laid back beaches of Durban in the east, is bound to agree.

Throughout the second half of the 20th century South Africa was regarded by most of the world as a pariah state where the ruling white minority passed a range of draconian laws to subdue and enslave the black majority. All this changed in 1994 with the release from prison of world-renowned freedom fighter and icon of the oppressed, Nelson Mandela. A new age of democracy was ushered in, and South Africa was suddenly revealed to the world in her beautiful true colours: a rainbow nation with a kaleidoscope of cultures and a host of attractions to enthral and entrance visitors.

A decade later tourists are flocking to sunny South Africa in droves, particularly to the Western Cape with its magnificent scenery, beautiful beaches, majestic mountains and green winelands.

The Republic, comprising the southern tip of Africa and surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, offers a taste of the African experience with the chance to visit traditional tribal villages, game reserves and sprawling townships. At the same time it also offers all the pleasures of a first world holiday experience, with luxury hotels, sophisticated shopping, exciting theme parks and clean beaches. Have breakfast in a New York-style deli; lunch in an African shebeen; cocktails on a sunset cruise; and dine in style in a fine British colonial restaurant. This is all possible in a South African city.

It is not only cultural diversity that makes South Africa magical. The country has a wealth of animal and plant life scattered across its varied climactic zones from desert to snow-covered mountains, forests to grasslands and mangrove swamps. Historically, too, there is plenty to discover, from the fossils of ancient hominids, to the pioneering spirit of the Dutch 'voortrekkers' and the settlement of the Eastern Cape frontier by the British colonialists.

Climate

South Africa is a large country and has diverse climactic regions, but in general the weather is sunny and hot in the summer months (December to April), and mild during winter (May to November). Winters in the Cape are cold and wet, and snow falls on the mountain ranges here and in Natal. Gauteng and the northern areas experience thunderstorms regularly during evenings in the summer months, and winters are usually warm during the day and cold at night.

Money

South Africa's currency is the Rand (ZAR), which is divided into 100 cents. Money can be exchanged at banks, bureaux de change and the larger hotels. ATMs are widely available (there is a daily limit for cash withdrawals) and major international credit cards are widely accepted, except in petrol stations where cash is required. Visitors should be vigilant when drawing cash from ATMs, as con artists are known to operate there. Travellers cheques and some foreign currencies are accepted at larger hotels and shops, but commission is charged, otherwise all commercial banks will exchange them.

Passport Visa

Passports should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the period of intended stay. An onward or return ticket is required and evidence of sufficient funds. Note that visitors to South Africa must have at least oneblank (unstamped) visa page in their passport, each time entry is sought; this page is in addition to the endorsement/amendment pages at the back of the passport. However nationals of countries that require a visa before travelling to South Africa, must have twoblank pages in their passport - one for issuing a visa prior to departure and one for stamping at the port of entry when entering South Africa. Immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.

Entry Requirements

• United States nationals need a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond intended travel, but no visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days. Passports and passport replacing documents of all non-South African nationals must contain at least one unused visa page. The South African Immigration Authorities do not accept loose leaf temporary travel documents. Visitors are required to show proof of funds as well as all onward tickets and travel documentation for their next destination.
• British nationals need a passport valid for 6 months beyond the date of intended travel, but no visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days if passport is endorsed British Citizen including Guernsey, Jersey and Isle of Man, British Dependent Territories Citizen, or British Overseas Territories Citizen (Virgin Islands). Those whose passports state British National (Overseas) may stay up to 30 days without a visa. All others require a visa. Passports and passport replacing documents of all non-South African nationals must contain at least one unused visa page. The South African Immigration Authorities do not accept loose leaf temporary travel documents. Visitors are required to show proof of funds as well as all onward tickets and travel documentation for their next destination.
• Canadian nationals need a passport valid for 6 months beyond the date of intended travel, but no visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days. Passports and passport replacing documents of all non-South African nationals must contain at least one unused visa page. The South African Immigration Authorities do not accept loose leaf temporary travel documents. Visitors are required to show proof of funds as well as all onward tickets and travel documentation for their next destination.
• Australian nationals need a passport valid for 6 months beyond the date of intended travel, but no visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days. Passports and passport replacing documents of all non-South African nationals must contain at least one unused visa page. The South African Immigration Authorities do not accept loose leaf temporary travel documents. Visitors are required to show proof of funds as well as all onward tickets and travel documentation for their next destination.
• Irish nationals require a passport valid for 30 days beyond intended travel, but no visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days. Passports and passport replacing documents of all non-South African nationals must contain at least one unused visa page. The South African Immigration Authorities do not accept loose leaf temporary travel documents. Visitors are required to show proof of funds as well as all onward tickets and travel documentation for their next destination.
• New Zealand nationals require a passport valid for 30 days beyond intended travel, but no visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days. Passports and passport replacing documents of all non-South African nationals must contain at least one unused visa page. The South African Immigration Authorities do not accept loose leaf temporary travel documents. Visitors are required to show proof of funds as well as all onward tickets and travel documentation for their next destination.

Health

Health regulations in South Africa require that travellers from areas infected by yellow fever must carry a vaccination certificate; otherwise no vaccination is required. There is a malaria risk in the low-lying areas of the Northern Province and Mpumalanga (including the Kruger National Park), as well as north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal, and precautions are advised when travelling to these areas. There is a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Tap water is safe in urban areas but sterilisation is advisable elsewhere, as there are periodic outbreaks of cholera in the poor communities of rural South Africa, particularly in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo provinces. Drug-resistant TB has been reported throughout the country. Food poisoning is rare. Medical facilities in South Africa are good, but medical insurance is strongly advised as private hospitals expect cash upfront and public hospitals are best avoided.

Embassy Consulates

• South African Embassy, Washington, United States: +1 202 232 4400.
• South African High Commission, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7451 7299.
• South African High Commission, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 744 0330.
• South African High Commission, Canberra, Australia (also responsible for New Zealand): +61 (0)2 6272 7300.
• South African Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 661 5553.

Foreign Embassies

• United States Embassy, Pretoria: +27 (0)12 431 4000.
• British High Commission, Pretoria: +27 (0)12 421 7500.
• Canadian High Commission, Pretoria: +27 (0)12 422 3000.
• Australian High Commission, Pretoria: +27 (0)12 423 6000.
• Irish Embassy, Pretoria: +27 (0)12 342 5062.
• New Zealand High Commission, Pretoria: +27 (0)12 435 9000.