Attractions

Diversity is a key feature of South Africa, where 11 languages are recognised as official, where community leaders include rabbis and chieftains, rugby players and returned exiles, where traditional healers ply their trade around the corner from stockbrokers and housing ranges from mud huts to palatial homes with swimming pools.

Economy

South Africa is the biggest economy in Southern Africa. Its an emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources;, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that is 17th largest in the world; and modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centres throughout the region. Hosting the 2010 Football World Cup has given the economy a real boost and the resulting improvements to infrastructure will be a benefit for many years to come.

Tourism

The tourist industry in South Africa incorporates a large proportion of the whole economy with visitors from around the world. A large number of foreigners own second homes, which are popular in the European winter. South Africa has an enormous amount of diversity to offer tourists from warm oceans, beautiful mountain ranges, and tropical forests to deserts. The warm climate enable an endless supply of activities like golf, surfing, sailing, safari, etc, etc.

Climate

South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the south western corner of the country to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Most of the country has warm, sunny days and cool nights. Rainfall generally occurs during summer (November through March), although in the southwest, around Cape Town, rainfall occurs in winter (June to August). Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.

Health

South Africa offers excellent health care facilities. However good medical care is very expensive and a patient generally has to prove that he will be able to pay for treatment before it is administered. It is recommended that immigrants and tourists have travel insurance or a private medical insurance that covers them in South Africa.

Travel

Johannesburg and Cape Town international airports cater for flights from all over the world. In May 2010 the new Durban International Airport will open, which will make it easier to access the Drakensburg Mountains and game reserves.

Visas

Depending on your nationality, and the purpose and duration of your visit, you may not need a visa to visit South Africa at all.

• Countries exempt from South African visas
• Countries subject to South African visa fees

You will need:

• A valid acceptable passport or travel document good for a sufficient period to cover the intended stay.
• A valid visa, if required.
• Sufficient funds.
• A return or onward ticket.
• At least two blank pages in your passport.
• Yellow fever certificates are required if the journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America.

Useful Links

• www.bucketlistadventures.co.za
• www.southafrica.info

South African Property Hotspots

Cape Town & Winelands
Magnificent natural beauty, a rich cultural heritage and world-renowned wines. A region voted one of the top international destinations in the world and is filled with natural beauty and a rich variety of stimulating activities.

Garden Route
This is the pristine stretch of coastline between Cape Town and East London. The route is one of the most magnificent, awe-inspiring stretches of land in South Africa, if not the world. Offering majestic mountains, breathtaking views, a natural garden of rich, colourful vistas, with valleys and lakes, rivers and forests, a paradise for bird-lovers and nature lovers, an eco-destination like few others in the world, with miles upon miles of beautiful, white sandy beaches.

Durban
With warm weather all year, South Africa's busiest port and beach resort is about to get much busier with the opening of the new International Airport in May 2010. Along with Durban's beautiful beaches, it is also the gateway to the Drakensburg mountains and the majority of South Africa's game reserves.

Wildlife

South Africa encompasses one of the most diverse landscapes on the entire continent, with habitats ranging from forests, to stony deserts and soaring mountains, to lush grasslands and classic African savannahs. It is home to penguins and flamingos, great white sharks and African elephants, and many more animals that will surprise and amaze visitors. There are over 700 publicly owned preserves (including 19 national parks) and about 200 private reserves, with the Kruger National Park being the largest.

Biltong

This is a kind of cured meat that originated in South Africa. Many different types of meat can be used to make it, ranging from beef through game meats to fillets of ostrich from commercial farms. It is typically made from raw fillets of meat cut into strips following the grain of the muscle, or flat pieces sliced across the grain. It is similar to beef jerky in that they are both spiced, dried meats, but differ in their typical ingredients, taste and production process. The word biltong is from the Dutch bil ("rump") and tong ("strip" or "tongue").