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From
industrialized urban centers with a sophisticated infrastructure to charming
country hamlets, our cities and towns all have something unique to offer.
Western Cape Province
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Cape Town
Many experienced
travelers put it this plainly: Cape Town is the most beautiful place in the
world. Cape Town's city center and harbor nestled at the foot of the majestic
Table Mountain. The interesting combination of historical and modern buildings,
the relaxed lifestyle of the Capetonians, the multicultural atmosphere, the
Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, the beautiful sandy beaches, the fynbos flora on
the breathtaking Cape Peninsula and, last but not least, the beautiful
surroundings excite and amaze innumerable visitors every year.
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Hout Bay
Surrounded by
beautiful mountains this wind-protected bay is one of the most beautiful and
popular places on the Cape Peninsula. Hout Bay is the center of crayfish
catching. The little coastal village owes its lively atmosphere to the fishing
harbor. Tourist attractions in Hout Bay include Yacht harbor, boat trips to Seal
Island, freshly caught fish directly from the boats, white sandy beach,
excellent restaurants and fish 'n chips outlets, Hout Bay museum, World of
Birds, arts and crafts market on Sundays, hiking trails and the spectacular
Chapman's Peak drive.
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George
The beginnings of
the town date back to the year 1776, when the Dutch-East Indian Trading Company
established here one of its timber supplies bases. Initially George grew very
slowly, mainly because roads viable for ox wagons were missing in the hardly
accessible Outeniqua Mountains. Only with the opening of the Outeniqua Pass in
the year 1847, trade with the inland could develop and George began to flourish.
George is fast developing into South Africa's golf paradise. Three of South
Africa's "top ten" golf courses are to be found in George.
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Knysna
Knysna is
situated on a wide lagoon that is perfectly suited to all sorts of water sport.
Two impressive rocks called the Knysna Heads surround the bay. Knysna is seen as
the tourist center of the Garden Route. Following the example of Cape Town, the
town also got a little waterfront now, with a yacht harbor, restaurants,
boutiques and much more. The options for holiday activities are varied. The
lagoon is ideal for windsurfing, water-skiing, canoeing, angling and for diving.
And there are many hiking trails in Knysna and surroundings.
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Plettenberg Bay
Plett" - as South
Africans simply call this exclusive seaside resort - boasts the most beautiful
beaches of the Garden Route. They stretch over many kilometers all around the
bay. The water sport possibilities are plentiful, and in season the bay it is an
excellent place to watch whales and dolphins.
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Wilderness
The famous "Map
of Africa" viewpoint at the mouth of the Kaaimans River offers a panoramic view
of the fascinating landscape of the holiday resort Wilderness with its endless
sandy beaches, mighty breakers, meandering rivers, protected lagoons and densely
forested mountain slopes.
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Oudtshoorn
Oudtshoorn is a
region of incredible contrasts. Surrounded by natural beauty, Oudtshoorn is
situated at the foot of the majestic Swartberg Mountain range. Most gateways to
the district are stunning mountain passes. The
Swartberg
Pass, between Oudtshoorn and Prince Albert, is one of the most
sensational drives in southern Africa, declared a national monument. One of the
world's great natural wonders, the
Cango
Caves, was sculpted by nature
through the ages. Oudtshoorn is the ostrich capital of the world.
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Eastern Cape Province
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Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth - short "PE" - today has
over a million citizens and is - after Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town - the
fourth-biggest city in South Africa. The seaport is the third biggest, since PE
has become an important container terminal. Otherwise PE lives largely from the
car-manufacturing industry. In close proximity to the town centre there are very
nice beaches, particularly Humewood and Summerstrand.
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East London
East London, South Africa's only river port is set on both the
broad Buffalo River and Nahoon River with the Gonubie River flowing around it.
It is also renowned for being the Gateway to The Sunshine Coast and The Wild
Coast. East London is a bustling city set in beautiful surroundings with a
fantastic coastline, lush gardens and subtropical vegetation, which add to the
overall beauty of the city. The city is built on key industries such as motor
assembly, electronics, textiles, etc. and more recently, tourism. Its sheltered
harbor can be seen from the city's two great bridges. East London enjoys a
moderate climate, with few extremes in temperature and is generally sunny and
pleasant.
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Port Alfred
This small place
once has been a sleepy fishing village at the mouth of the Kowie river, which is
navigable for some 28 kilometers upstream. Today Port Alfred boasts a huge yacht
harbor. With man-made islands and canals a paradise especially for boat owners
was created, who from here can go either to sea or up the river. The climate in
Port Alfred is, like everywhere else at the Sunshine Coast, subtropical. Wide
and long beaches with fine sand are particularly popular with surfers. The water
temperatures lie between 18 and 24 C degrees. There are reefs which provide
excellent diving grounds.
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St. Francis Bay
Less than an
hour's drive west of Port Elizabeth lies the pretty holiday village of St.
Francis Bay. The architecture of the place is one of its kind in South Africa
with all the houses having thatch roofs - except for the part at the harbor
which is built in a Mediterranean style. St. Francis Bay is a paradise for water
sport enthusiasts: It boasts white sandy beaches and ideal conditions for
surfing. In season - August to October - whales can be seen in the Bay of St.
Francis. The harbor is the center for calamari fishing and a popular starting
point for deep sea fishing trips.
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Northern Cape Province
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Kimberley
The history of
the town of Kimberley started with the first diamond finds in South Africa in
1867. The hill, which had contained the first finds, was soon carried off and
the prospectors had to drive a shaft into the earth. So, over the course of
years, the deepest hole ever dug by man took shape.
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Gauteng Province
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Johannesburg
Jo'burg, as the
locals call it, is the biggest metropolis in South Africa. With its two million
citizens and another two million from nearby Soweto, the city on the
Witwatersrand is the predominant economic center of the republic. The
Johannesburg Stock Exchange, founded in 1887, is the center of the capital
markets for the whole of southern Africa. The lively metropolis offers a wide
spectrum of culture, combining European and African components.
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Pretoria
Pretoria was founded in 1855 and declared the capital of the
South African Republic, which was the Boer republic in Transvaal.
The administrative capital of South Africa, Pretoria lies about
50 km north of Johannesburg. The population is just under a million, but in
Pretoria life goes at a much slower pace than in the hectic Johannesburg.
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KwaZulu Natal Province
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Durban
The
kilometers-long beachfront has been built up to meet the requirements of mass
tourism and turned into one big pleasure park. On the "Golden Mile" the season
lasts all year long. Here one can find anything a holiday maker could ask for:
an endless beach protected by shark nets, swimming pools with fountains,
waterslides, market stalls and merry-go-rounds, shopping centers and exotic
restaurants, nightclubs and a long chain of hotels right at the
beach.
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Free State Province
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Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein, the Capital City of the Free Sate Province in South
Africa, is centrally situated roughly in the middle of the Province, as well as
in South Africa. The Judicial
Capital, sixth largest city in South Africa, lies on the main road, rail and air
links between north and south, east and west. The interior of South Africa is
quite dry, so it is not surprising that the early inhabitants chose to stay
close to dependable water sources and that many of the towns have names ending
with "-fontein", meaning spring. Not quite as aesthetic as
its name suggests, it is, nevertheless, an attractive, spacious medium-sized
city with many parks, gardens and monuments.
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Mpumalanga Province
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Nelspruit
Nelspruit is the sunshine capital of Mpumalanga and the gateway
to the many tourist and business attractions of the region. It is blessed to be
situated in the fertile Crocodile River Valley and has a mild sub-tropical
climate. The city has a population of about 230 000 residents and it is the main
shopping, service and tourist center for the region Nelspruit grew to be one of
the largest producers of tobacco, litchis , mangoes , avocados etc. Today
Nelspruit is a substantial town situated amid the orange grove. The streets are
shaded with flowering trees. This town has a very important place on the tourist
map as it is a stop over to the route to Kruger National Park.
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Limpopo Province
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Pietersburg
Pietersburg was founded in 1886 by Voortrekkers who had been
forced to abandon their camp by malaria and "hostile natives". Wide streets,
jacaranda and coral trees, colorful parks and sparkling fountains characterize
the principal town and capital of the Northern Province. In addition to its
status as a major commercial and agricultural center, Pietersburg is the
cultural hub of the region, featuring impressive art exhibitions and elegant
historical buildings. Strategically placed on the Great North Road, and halfway
between Pretoria and the Zimbabwean border, this attractive city is an ideal
base from which to explore. Winters in Pietersburg are mild with little or no
rainfall and summers are warm with a fair amount of rain.
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Northwest Province
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Rustenburg
Rustenburg was founded in 1851, Rustenburg means Town of Rest, and is named
after Rustenburg farm in Cape Town. There is a museum, built in 1841 as a
pioneer cottage. The Pilanesberg Game Reserve is north of the town, and is home
to the Sun City pleasure resort. Rustenburg Nature Reserve lies southwest
of the town on the northern slopes of the Magaliesberg.
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AmaZingwe
