South Africa

South Africa has twelve official languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, and South African Sign Language, but English is the language of business, signage, and tourism nationwide. You can travel comfortably with English alone, though a greeting in the local language is always well received, especially outside the main cities.

Prepaid SIMs (Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, Telkom) are sold at airport kiosks and malls, and registration is mandatory — bring your passport, since South African law requires ID for every SIM activation. Modern phones work fine on local networks and no other restrictions apply.

Tap water is safe to drink in cities and major towns. Pharmacies (chemists) are widely available in cities and open long hours, including weekends, and can handle most minor ailments without a prescription.

Malaria is a risk in the low-lying parts of Kruger National Park and neighboring reserves, plus parts of northern KwaZulu-Natal, especially in the wet summer months — check with a travel clinic about antimalarial tablets if your itinerary includes these areas. No vaccinations are mandatory to enter the country, though a yellow fever certificate is required if you're arriving from a country with yellow fever risk.

Visitors from the EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia, and many other countries can enter visa-free for tourism, usually for up to 90 days, with a valid passport that has at least two blank pages and at least 30 days' validity beyond your departure date. Travelers from countries without a visa-waiver agreement need to apply for a visa in advance through a South African embassy or consulate.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

Greetings matter: take the time for a proper hello and a brief exchange before getting to business, even in shops and taxis — moving straight to a request can come across as rude. Ask before photographing people, especially in townships, and never photograph police, military sites, or border posts. Bargaining is expected at craft markets and with informal street vendors, but not in shops with marked prices.

Given the country's history, avoid casual jokes about apartheid or race, and be aware that some terms considered acceptable elsewhere are loaded here — when in doubt, let your guide or host set the tone.

Public holidays can close banks, government offices, and some shops for the day, though malls and restaurants in tourist areas mostly stay open.

Shops generally run Monday–Saturday with shorter hours on Sunday, and malls stay open into the evening; small-town shops may close for an hour at lunch.

• By air: domestic flights (FlySafair, Airlink, Kulula) connect Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, and other cities faster than the long road distances between them — often the practical choice for a two-city trip.
• By train: the mainline rail network is limited and slow for regular travel; the Gautrain is the exception, a fast, modern link between Johannesburg, Pretoria, and O.R. Tambo Airport.
• By bus: long-distance coaches connect major cities and are a budget-friendly, if slow, alternative to flying or driving.

South Africa drives on the left, like the UK — a detail to keep in mind if you're renting a car and unused to it.

Breakfast is often simple — toast, cereal, or a cooked breakfast at guesthouses — while lunch and dinner both lean toward hearty, meat-forward meals. The braai, a social barbecue of grilled meat and boerewors sausage, is close to a national ritual, especially on weekends and public holidays.

Street food and snacks reflect the country's mixed heritage: biltong (dried cured meat) is sold everywhere from garages to farm stalls, while bunny chow — a hollowed loaf filled with curry — is a Durban specialty worth seeking out. Bakeries sell milk tart and koeksisters as everyday sweets.

Restaurants range from casual bistros to fine dining, and eating out is affordable by international standards. Rooibos tea and locally brewed craft beer are common non-alcoholic and alcoholic choices, alongside the country's well-regarded wine.

Major cities: Cape Town pairs mountains, beaches, and the Cape Winelands in one region. Johannesburg is the country's economic hub and a base for exploring its apartheid history. Pretoria, the administrative capital, is a short drive from Johannesburg. Durban on the Indian Ocean coast is known for its beaches and large Indian community. Gqeberha / Port Elizabeth, East London, and Bloemfontein are smaller regional centers worth a stop on a longer road trip.

Wildlife and nature: Kruger National Park is the country's flagship safari destination, with a strong chance of seeing all of the Big Five. uKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, offers dramatic mountain hiking in KwaZulu-Natal.

Wine country and coast: Stellenbosch anchors the Cape Winelands with historic estates and tastings. Knysna is a highlight of the Garden Route, with a lagoon, forests, and beaches. Sun City is a resort and casino complex built around its own artificial jungle and water park.