Australia and Africa – apart from the awesome alliteration advantages these terrific territories offer to writers, they both boast wonderful wildlife and cool cultures.
And South Africa is proving a particularly popular vacation pick for travelers from Down Under – according to StatsSA, Aussie visitors accounted for 5.3 per cent of all visitors to the Rainbow Nation in the year to May 2019, placing them sixth in the top 10.
If you’re an antipodean planning a South African trip in 2020, congrats on a wise choice, but it’s also smart to grab some pro advice too – these 10 fair dinkum SA travel tips for Aussie adventurers will keep you right.
- Visit Cape Town
Be sure to visit Africa’s mother city, because it might just be the most beautiful metropolis in the world. Take a look at capetown.travel for more information on everything from sundowner cocktails at Camps Bay to the Table Mountain cable car.
- Sail to Robben Island
Robben Island is where freedom fighter Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for much of his life sentence – organize a humbling boat trip there by booking at robben-island-tickets.com.
- Marvel at Maboneng
Johannesburg has always been Cape Town’s tough and uncompromising cousin. But it’s undergone a cultural renaissance recently, and hipster neighborhood Maboneng is the funky jewel in its crown – grab some tips at Gauteng.net.
- Durban Delights
Sunny Durban is where many South Africans choose to spend their holidays. There are plenty of plush hotels, but the Quarters Hotel Florida Road is a charming colonial-style delight – find deals at quarters.co.za.
- Go Wild at Kruger
If you want to see lions, elephants, zebra and more up close and personal, all of this is possible when you go on safari at Kruger National Park – it’s a mind-blowing bucket-list adventure to satisfy the whole family.
- Take care of travel insurance
Don’t leave for SA without ensuring that you’ve got the appropriate type of travel insurance. You’ll find a fab deal on comparethemarket.com.au.
- Get the best currency conversion rate
You’ll usually get lots of bang for your buck with the South African rand, but consult a currency converter site like xe.com to keep an eagle eye on conversion rates and bag yourself the best deal.
- Tour the Cape Winelands
South African wine is rightly famous the world over – the grapes are grown amidst the stunning verdant scenery of the the Cape Winelands and you can arrange a personalized tour at springbokatlas.com.
- Book Your SA flight
Carriers like Qantas, Etihad, South African Airways and Virgin Australia fly from Down Under to SA, so browse skyscanner.com.au to save money on your flights.
- Reserve your airport parking
When you’re embarking on long-haul flight, getting to the departure hub in your own car is much more pleasant than public transport – find Australian airport parking deals at Looking4.com for peace of mind.
That’s our list! Share your own Australia to SA travel tips in the comments section.