Why travel to South Africa?
Because it is one of the most beautiful countries on the planet. I believe that with zeal. South Africa does not receive enough credit for its amazing natural beauty. The coast, the mountains, the deserts—even Kruger is beautiful. And Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Because it has some of the best wildlife viewing in the world. Kruger National Park is one of the most remarkable wilderness destinations in the world. There are tons of animals, from elephants to giraffes to zebras, lions and rhinos, and they are very concentrated. Safari guides say you shouldn’t plan on seeing the Big Five — leopards are still the hardest-but it’s much easier here than some of the other safari hotspots in Africa.
Because adventure activities are extraordinary. New Zealand may have a reputation for being the world capital of adventure, but South Africa has A LOT to offer (and it’s affordable here too). Bungee jumping from the bridge in Storms River, cage diving crocodile in Outdshoorn, paragliding on the coast of Lion’s Head in Cape Town, cage diving with great white sharks in Mossel Bay, jumping on one of the swings—the horror stories of the world—in the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Is South Africa Safe?
There are many fears about South Africa, especially in my home country, the United States. If you look at the news of the American cable, you would think that it is a hotbed of car thefts and thefts, and that apartheid ended yesterday.
This, of course, is exaggerated—bbut as soon as you arrive and see that each house has built a huge fence around it, it can bother you a little. Then you talk to middle-class South Africans and listen to how much they talk about their security systems, and that will bother you more.
South Africa has a high crime rate, including harsh crimes such as rape and execution. Much of it is localized (especially in those districts where no tourists will go). Here is GOV.UK (the UK government’s travel advice website, which I find less alarming than the US website) with what they have to say about South Africa:
South Africa has a very high level of crime, including rape and execution. The risk of harsh crime for visitors traveling to major destinations is usually low.
The South African authorities attach great importance to the protection of tourists, and the tourism police are on duty in several large cities. The risk of crime is increasing in the urban areas of South Africa, especially in the central business districts of the big cities and the townships on the outskirts of the big cities. A higher state of consciousness is required when traveling to these areas. As a rule, most matters of harsh crimes and executions occur in remote and remote areas of the cantons. Consult a reliable guide when visiting a canton.
And there are edge matter-in 2012, when I was on the blue train, one of the most luxurious trains in the world, the peasants opposited by throwing stones at the train and smashing the windows of some cabins. No one was hurt, although the glass broke all over my friend’s cabin. I was in the shower and missed everything.
One thing I find on my travels is that so many people associate the conflicts of the 90s with today. Colombia is a prime example of this-people assume that the medicine wars and kidnappings of the 90s are still in full swing. Thus, many people, especially older generations (i.e. their parents), have not heard much about South Africa in the news since the end of apartheid, and these images have burned in their minds.
In the past decade, only two stories about South Africa have received mainstream coverage in the United States: the death of Nelson Mandela and Oscar Pistorious’s execution of his girlfriend. Not exactly stories that extol the beauty of the country.
Because wine is one of the best in the world. South Africa is actually my favorite wine country! If you don’t think you’re a Chardonnay fan, try the South African chardonnay with its magical notes of vanilla. Chenin blanc and Pinotage are two local highlights, and it’s foolish to see how inexpensive bottles are.
Because it is extremely affordable. South Africa is an affordable country to start with, and in addition, the local currency has taken some blows in recent years. You can visit South Africa and have an extraordinary, adventurous trip for much less than what a trip to Australia or New Zealand would cost.