Some other posts
OhPinchy
Posts: 31
South Africa - any recommendations?
Myself and the other half are lucky enough to be going to South Africa for 3 weeks in September and we'd love any adivce or recommendations for what to do, where to go, where to stay etc.
We've heard SA is cheap, but everywheres cheap compared to Dublin so what does that mean...how cheap? We'd like to stay in comfort, not luxury, so whats the going rate for hotels, food etc?
Also we'd be on for ANY adventure sports so do AAMers out there have any advice on where to do that stuff down there and how much etc.?
Any good travel sites with forums on this stuff out there cos I haven't found many? Nice one
AidanC
Registered User
South Africa
SA is a lot cheaper than Diblin, particularly outside of Cape Town. You would pay less than 10Eur for a huge steak for example.
In Cape Town I'd recommend a restaurant called "Five Flies", fairly swanky but worth a visit. Also a music bar called "Mama Africa" nearby was very entertaining.
Around 4 days will see a lot of Cape Town. We took a taxi to Constantia, an historic vinyard about 20 miles from Cape Town. The taxi driver waited for 2.5 hours to take us home, and it cost us 30Euros, including a decent tip. Probably would have cost 3 times that at home.
A drive down the garden route to Port Elizabeth is well worth it, loads of nice beach places to stop off.
To see wild life, you can choose between Kruger (with it's malaria) or somewhere like Shamwari (very good for a day trip, but expensive, especially if staying overnight)
If driving, as I assume you would, don't let your petrol go too low, as garages aren't as numerous as in Ireland. Also, be aware that not all roads are tarmac'd. This can be off putting, especially at night !
EvilDoctorK
Posts: 29
Re: SA with kids
Car Rental - it's relatively cheap - probalby around R250 / 30€ per day is as good as you get for a decent car (distances are quite large if you're travelling to the Garden Route etc. so it's worth paying a little extra for a decent car). Car Rental is really necessary I would have said .. you'll pay a lot in Taxis etc. otherwise as walking/public transport isn't really a viable option. Roads are good and driving is generally reasonably sensible (I would avoid night drives outside of urban areas)
Petrol - around 75% the price of here (it's around R4.60 a litre)
Hotels - fairly expensive in Cape Town (if it looks cheap check the location!) .. lots cheaper outside Cape Town (there are great B&Bs in many towns)
Restaurants - probably 1/2 the cost of here ... in Cape Town a good dinner with wine for two in a place like Five Flies will cost you around R400 .. so €50 or so .. (I liked "Beluga" better than Five Flies but both are decent)... there's a very good selection of restaurants in Cape Town and standards are generally very good.
Grizzly
Unregistered User
Capetown...Is it safe?
Thinking of going to Capetown for a holiday. The trouble is I keep hearing horror stories about South Africa. I would be interested in hearing from anyone with "firsthand" travelling experience to Capetown on places and things to avoid or times to stay in the hotel rather than venture out- or is this safety thing an urban legend.
Barry
Unregistered User
Cape Town
Grizzly,
I've been there twice in the last 5 years. I know at least 25 people who have been there during this time period also.
Not one has mentioned a harsh word, never mind an incident of any sort.
That said, like all major cities there are areas you don't go into on your own or late at night. The city centre is best avoided on foot at night. Gets taxis from a to b to be absolutely safe.
Don't be concerned overall on the security issue - but don't be stupid about it either. Cape Town is a wonderful place with magic food and lots to do - best holiday I've ever had!
Regards,
Barry
PMU
Unregistered User
Cape Town
I visited South Africa last December, and stayed in the waterfront Holiday Inn in Cape Town. Then I travelled around. Simply put, if you are on your guard, do not have expensive cameras, jewellery, etc. on view I’d say that downtown Cape Town (at least in daylight) is no more dangerous than downtown Dublin (at any time). But you do need to be on your guard. Ask in your hotel and they will update you on the security situation. There is a ‘hop-on hop-off’ bus that takes you around the main sites, and you can spend a good evening or two visiting the bars and restaurants along Long St. The Waterfront is a bit of a tourist ghetto but does have a very good aquarium. Many of the hotels run shuttle buses there. Hiring a car (be sure to tip the attendant when you have your tank filled) would be a good idea, as taxis are relatively expensive. If you do wish to visit a township I would strongly advise that you go with one of the companies listed in the Lonely Planet and do not go on your own. That being said I found Cape Town good fun for about two / three days so I would suggest that you hire a car and travel around. South Africa is a great place and I would definitely recommend it. Staying in Cape Town you will just miss so much, so travel around. Just be that little bit extra on your guard.
elderdog
Registered User
You may not be thinking in terms of ...
Motor accidents with this question
But do be aware that the fatal motor accident stats for RSA make very grim reading.
eDog
Elcato
Violence in South Africa
www.geocities.com
Cahir
Registered User
Re: Violence in South Africa
Waterfront was fine.
Didn't feel particularly safe in Capetown. Asked a family member to hold my bag one day while I put on more suncream. Then asked for my bag back and some little local kid who had been following screamed that he wasn't going to take my effing bag and a lot more abuse on top of that. Had to go into a shop to get rid of him. Gave me a bit of a fright.
Dr Moriarty
Registered User
Re: Violence in South Africa
Same thing happened to me in Galway last year, Cahir...
Dr. M.
EvilDoctorK
Posts: 31
Re: Violence in South Africa
Cape Town doesn't feel that secure yes i would agree ... all the "24hr Armed Response" signs etc. for sure show that there are problems.
However in having said this I've never had a problem there - though I would say I certainly am more careful when there than over here.
I certainly wouldn't let it put you off going there anyway.
Homer
Frequent poster
Hotels in Cape Town
I'm planning to go to South Africa for a week at end February.
I would welcome any suggestions as to hotels to stay in and the best way to book them. I've visited a number of websites and the variation in prices is astonishing.
Regards
Homer
Cahir
Registered User
Re: Hotels in Cape Town
I stayed in a converted prison on the waterfront almost a year ago. Very good value for money but two rooms share a bathroom (it was ok for us as we were taking up two rooms). I think it cost 355Rand per room per night (€35 at the time). I can't think of the name of it at the moment but it'll come to me later and I'll post it then.
To be honest if I were you I wouldn't spend the entire time in Capetown - it's really touristy - you may as well be in Spain. We were there for 5 days of our holiday and I think that was more than enough. The wine regions are good and Hermanus is a good spot for Kyacking with whales & sharks!!
For a real African experience go to Namibia - was there in March 2002 and it was one of the best holiday experiences ever and even cheaper than South Africa (which is cheap enough itself).
Cahir
Registered User
Re: Hotels in Cape Town
Ok the hotel was the Breakwater Lodge
[broken link removed]
beenThere
Unregistered User
Hotels in Cape Town
Check out
www.portfoliocollection.com for a list of accommodation in South Aftica from the highest to the lowest. When I was there I rented a mobile phone at the airport and booked my accommodation as I went along. I think after 2 weeks the cost of rental and all my calls came to about 65 irish pounds. Well worth the money. The accommodation in these books is really good.
Homer
Frequent poster
Re: Hotels in Cape Town
Thanks for the replies
A friend suggested we should spend 4 days in Cape Town and 3 in Franschhoek. Does this sound like a good idea?
If we decide to try Namibia instead, what's the best way to get there?
Regards
Homer
Cahir
Registered User
Re: Hotels in Cape Town
Franschoek is really nice but a bit quiet - my sister got married in a vineyard there last year! We all stayed at the vineyard - parents in a B&B type place and us young 'uns in a cottage on the grounds. Think it was called L'auberge or something like that. Will try to remember.
Namibia was more fun and we got there with Air France via Paris and Jo'burg. We booked through Usit as we're under 26 but you can also book through Clubtravel or Ray Tracey travel. We had hoped to fly with British Airways (through Heathrow & Jo'burg) but they were booked out. From Jo'burg you get a south african airways flight to the capital of Namibia, Windhoek. The total cost of the flights was around €750 each including taxes.
We then hired a car and drove from Windhoek to Swakopmund on the coast and spent most of the time there. Went to the only Namibian vineyard, a really brilliant lodge where we went on a proper African Safari (i.e. not the glossy touristy version), camping in a leopard park, camping at the foot of the Brandenburg mountain (think that's how it's spelt), sandboarding and quadbiking on the Namibian sand dunes, drinking beer that cost about 30c per bottle, went to a protected seal area where they go every year to have babies - amazing but very smelly!
A couple of downsides - the Namibian men are lecherous (aren't most men though!!!) and when you travel to the really poor small towns it can be quite intimidating.
Also, when we went quadbiking we saw Angelina Jolie making a movie and that evening we saw some of the other actors and crew in a restaurant. One of the actors was Irish but I always forget his name - don't think he's all that popular.
EvilDoctorK
Posts: 32
Re: Hotels in Cape Town
Franschoek has great food and is in the heart of the winelands (it's probably a nicer place to stay than Stellenbosch or Paarl)... however apart from this there's not a lot to do there.. it's certainly worth a night or two but not much more unless you're really really into food and wine!
BillK
Frequent Poster
Posts: 225
Re: Recommendations for a 'Garden route' itinerary
Arrived home on Saturday from a 3 week trip to South Africa.
Flew into Cape Town and picked up a hirecar and rented a cell phone. Rented the car from here in UK as generally, if you hire locally, the "free" mileage is very limited and I got unlimited mileage booking via Holiday Autos. Vodacom, which I used, and another telcom company have outlets in the same area as the carhire outlets.
Booked all accommodation myself using the Portfolio books - contact
[email protected] We stayed at Green Gables in Strand which was excellent, in terms of comfort, cost and food. Our hosts, Marion & Gerry Arrow made us at home from day one. Check out
www.greengables.co.za to see the rooms and suites available. Highly recommended!
Next stop was at Wilderness where we stayed at "Anchorage". Beautiful setting and comfortable, though smallish, rooms. A bit clinical after Green Gables which maybe coloured our views, but a great setting by the river with lots of birdlife to watch from the balcony. [broken link removed]
Went to Graaf Reinet for our next stop, to a hotel, The Drostdy, we have stayed at three times previously. Beautiful little town, though grown since we last saw it in 1998. Have to say that the suite we had there had gone down hill since our last stay being scheduled for refurbishment. Talked to the manager and presented him with a list of problems we had identified and after looking at the room with us he waived the accommodation charges some Rand 1680.
Grahamstown next where we stayed with Mary Birt at Petworth Place. Great place, great hostess but a little bit scatty as I had to point out that we had stayed for two nights rather than the one she was charging us for! ([broken link removed]) From there back to Wilderness and on to Strand.
Average cost of accommodation, on a B&B basis was R550 per couple per night. Drove a total of 2400 miles or thereabouts during the 3 weeks so was glad we had hired a Camry.