[Travel] South Africa any tips please.

[Mr Bridger]

12 of us went out when England played out there in a friendly in 2003 in Durban, so we decided to go to Cape Town for a few days before hand.
Booked to go shark fishing before we went, which looked great with the big boat with the seat at the back which you strap yourself into. The day came, all of us hungover from the night before but excited. We had to be at the pick up point 5.30am, sunrise was stunning over the cape.
Expecting a big boat to board, (as per the website), to host 12 of us for the day loaded with beers, we were told they had problems with the main boat, so would be split into two smaller boats.
Sailed out into a secluded bay to start with to fish for squid as bait, then went further out into ocean for the big stuff but no strappy-in seat to be seen.
Our “skipper” soon had us issued with rods and was casting for us over the side for sharks! Gulp! Soon we were all hooking some sort of long silver fish, which to be honest felt like sharks trying to haul those buggers in! and we were soon filling the freezer up.
We were out there for most of the day fishing, which was a great experience in itself, had as much beer as we could drink, but eventually cottoned on the we’d been had over and basically fishing for fish so they could sell it on to the local restaurants. Not a shark to be seen!

Also took a helicopter ride on a ‘Huey’ which had no doors on. Two rows of four on the inside, then two rows of three facing outwards at the side. We got there late so had the seats on the outside looking out, and would advise if you if a nervous disposition, do not pick these seats!
Great experience flying along just above the surf, dunes etc towards Robben Island all nicey nicey singing the Magnum them tune, then all of a sudden he goes straight up, flips to the side and starts to free fall. They do it twice, so those in the side seats are facing the ground, hurtling towards it, then facing the sky falling backwards.

Cable car up Table mountain is worth a trip as well.

TLDR- Fishing trip is great, double check what you’re fishing for!
Huey trip is great experience, sit on the inside seats.
Table mountain worth a visit.

 

[jimhigham]

Mrs H has booked our 'bucket list' holiday flights this morning, flying to Cape Town on 27th January, then we have an 11 night blank canvas.

Any ideas please?

Hotels?

Tourist attractions?

Fancy a wine tour and a safari at some point?

Thanks

Harty

It's about 2.5 hours away but Arniston, close to Cape L'Agulhas is a tiny little slice of heaven. Quiet little village at the edge of The Overburg. Stay at The Arniston Hotel if your budget runs to it. Also, nearby Bredasdorp has a lovely, welcoming little ParkRun if that's your thing.

 

[Diablo]

Franshoek for vineyards,(several big vineyards all open to public) St James Hotel Kynsa (superb, on the lake free boat tour) Garden route many options and Shamwari Game reserve.(Expensive but worth it). You`ll have saved a lot of money by then and be shocked how cheap food and drink are. Try "The Hussar Grill Camps Bay". cape town. Also must do Table mountain.

 

[Reddleman]

Not to be negative but make sure you really do your homework on where/where not to go and how you will travel there while in country. My wife has a lot of family in South Africa and crime really is a major issue. I’m sure you will have a great time, it’s a beautiful part of the world but do be careful.

 

[METALMICKY]

Not to be negative but make sure you really do your homework on where/where not to go and how you will travel there while in country. My wife has a lot of family in South Africa and crime really is a major issue. I’m sure you will have a great time, it’s a beautiful part of the world but do be careful.

Indeed. Don't want to worry Harty but...............

 

[KZNSeagull]

Sounds like you are doing a Cape holiday rather than an SA holiday, but that's fine.
Just keep your wits about you and you will be fine.
Do the Garden route, there will be somewhere along there where you can do a safari. Addo, for example, if you go that far. Whale watching in Hermanus as well.
Have fun.

 

[portslade seagull]

If time head down some of the Garden route…Knsyna is stunning and then onto Jefferies Bay.

We done the Garden route incorporating a safari lodge for 3-days. Felt totally safe as most South Africans are very friendly. Just had to workaround the load shedding where they had scheduled power blackouts which normally lasted for anything between 4 to 8hrs. The weirdest thing is when we pulled into a petrol station and were quickly swamped by four people eager to wash the car. We did try to say no but they were all uniformed up and seemed legit.
We gave them the equivalent of £5 which later a receptionist at our hotel said that's probably more than they get in a week

 

[Poyningsgull]

Give the biltong a miss!

 

[Questions]

Dave took us and the families through the stunning drive through Khayelitsha… I got out on the beach road to go and chat with some fishermen…. He screamed.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

Mrs H has booked our 'bucket list' holiday flights this morning, flying to Cape Town on 27th January, then we have an 11 night blank canvas.

Any ideas please?

Hotels?

Tourist attractions?

Fancy a wine tour and a safari at some point?

Thanks

Harty

Was there in February:-

1. Camps Bay area in Cape Town was a really good place to stay for 4/5/6 days with lots to see in the City (3 miles away) or within 10/20 miles or so.
2. If you book a trip to Robben Island, try and do it in the first few days or so and before you leave the UK. Ours was cancelled and then didn't run again until after we left the city.
3. Driving is easy but park facing the direction of traffic or risk a fine.
4. Very easy to park and wander around the Albert Waterfront area.
5. Food and wine is exceptional value.
6. Stellenbosch (2 days?) and Franschoek (2 days?) are great for wineries. It's a bit like being a child in a sweetshop though unless you know where to visit. Franschoek wine tram was good fun but don't try and do all the stops.
7. We liked Spiers winery in Stellenbosch and had a amazing lunch at Haute Cabriere in Franschoek.
8. Be prepared for seeing poverty in most towns not just the Cape Town "Flats" area around the airport.
9. Buy a sim card at the airport for your phone (£20-£25? for 14 days - Vodafone) which is a god send if you have a hire car and no Satnav or the wifi goes down during power cuts.
10. Aquilla is about a 2 hour drive North East of Cape Town, a private game reserve but very commercial. I wouldn't bother staying there but ok for a morning trip to see the big 5. We stayed at a nature reserve about an hour East of Aquilla which was amazing (although the last 23km of it was on an unsealed road) . Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve if you want 2/3 days peace and quiet in the mountains.
11. If you fly BA, you can just about get the Godfather film trilogy in during the flight (I couldn't sleep!).

 

[maffew]

I went around 25 years ago and backpacked around from Jo'burg to Durban then down to Cape Town. I imagine you'll be staying in far nicer places than I did at the time but as others have said keep your wits about you even in city centres and think about hiring a guide or taking organised tours if travelling by road.

Robben Island, Table Mountain are "must visit" places, I've got good memories of Kruger National Park and I loved the Drakensberg Mountains. It's a beautiful country and I hope you have a great time.

Out of interest how did you backpack around? Transport wise..

 

[maffew]

Give the biltong a miss!

Do not give the biltong a miss!!

 

[METALMICKY]

Do not give the biltong a miss!!

No sorry disgusting stuff. My mate's dad used to love it. Not unsurprisingly the surname is Botha!

 

[Happy Exile]

Out of interest how did you backpack around? Transport wise..

Met some people - sometimes South Africans, sometimes other backpackers and tourists who had cars - and buddied up and got lifts for exploring and some of the longer journeys, sometimes via two or three stops in places, got some quite challenging buses / coaches a couple of times. Had family near Jo'burg who took me into Kruger for a couple of days, and met a friend living near Durban with a car for a bit of the journey south to Cape Town too. Don't want to put the OP off and I'm sure he'll travel very differently but I've never felt so exposed travelling anywhere as much as I did in South Africa. I've gone off the beaten track in Central and South America as well as parts of India and something about South Africa just felt very different. I genuinely don't think I ever felt properly relaxed the whole time I as there - like one couple who gave me a lift and got lost. This is pre-sat nav and smartphone and seeing their slow panic as they realise they don't know where they are, and it's getting dark, and it's not like they can just drive around and find their way because it's simply not safe to do so between wildlife and crime. Just grim. Another time I stayed with an older couple, very rural, who very kindly put me up for the night, and the first thing they did was show me the panic room and how to get in, and as we sat and watched TV in the evening the guy was checking in with neighbours via walkie-talkie to make sure they were all safe - wildlife, break-ins and fires all recent issues. A couple of hours later we hear shooting and go outside, and he's asking the private security what's going on, and it turns out one of the neighbours has got hammered and is shooting snakes and rodents. Stunning - thunder and lighting too far away to hear on 3 sides of us, incredible landscape, Andrea Bocelli blasting out of the TV - but totally surreal and like a Louis Theroux moment. An experience I don't regret at all, but definitely a bit 'different'.

 

[fisons]

SA20/20 cricket is on around that time, probably be a game at Newlands to take in with a drink or two if you can persuade Mrs Harty (or send her off shopping).

The MI Cape Town team play at Newlands and are at home in the T20 on Wednesday 29 January and Sunday 2 February. You will need to book tickets which are about £5 or £6 each

 

[portlock seagull]

Get self up to the Battlefields of KZN Harty! Easily the most interesting part of SA.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Get self up to the Battlefields of KZN Harry! Easily the most interesting part of SA.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Note the bottle.

 

[portlock seagull]

View attachment 191399

Ahh, the Saddle where ‘Burt Lancaster’ was killed

 

[maffew]

Met some people - sometimes South Africans, sometimes other backpackers and tourists who had cars - and buddied up and got lifts for exploring and some of the longer journeys, sometimes via two or three stops in places, got some quite challenging buses / coaches a couple of times. Had family near Jo'burg who took me into Kruger for a couple of days, and met a friend living near Durban with a car for a bit of the journey south to Cape Town too. Don't want to put the OP off and I'm sure he'll travel very differently but I've never felt so exposed travelling anywhere as much as I did in South Africa. I've gone off the beaten track in Central and South America as well as parts of India and something about South Africa just felt very different. I genuinely don't think I ever felt properly relaxed the whole time I as there - like one couple who gave me a lift and got lost. This is pre-sat nav and smartphone and seeing their slow panic as they realise they don't know where they are, and it's getting dark, and it's not like they can just drive around and find their way because it's simply not safe to do so between wildlife and crime. Just grim. Another time I stayed with an older couple, very rural, who very kindly put me up for the night, and the first thing they did was show me the panic room and how to get in, and as we sat and watched TV in the evening the guy was checking in with neighbours via walkie-talkie to make sure they were all safe - wildlife, break-ins and fires all recent issues. A couple of hours later we hear shooting and go outside, and he's asking the private security what's going on, and it turns out one of the neighbours has got hammered and is shooting snakes and rodents. Stunning - thunder and lighting too far away to hear on 3 sides of us, incredible landscape, Andrea Bocelli blasting out of the TV - but totally surreal and like a Louis Theroux moment. An experience I don't regret at all, but definitely a bit 'different'.

Yeah, just did wonder as you covered a lot of the country. I did a lot of asia, central America, and there's fairly well established back packing routes. SA not so (I lived there for 7 years), there's little to no public transport and hitch hiking is a no no. I know there's backpackers and hostels in CT, Durban, PE, but getting between provinces without a car or plane isn't really something easily done/possible! Fair play