A country of contrasts, with an amazing history, a beautiful climate and a diverse array of attractions. Make the most of your holiday overseas with our guide to the top 5 things to do in South Africa . We’ll help you enjoy the best the world has to offer.

Cape Town

If you’re coming to this part of the world, Cape Town is a pretty much a must. With the huge Table Mountain as its backdrop, stunning white sandy beaches, and a plethora of shopping, entertainment and culture, it’s known as the Mother City of Africa. It’s also situated in the Western Cape – which is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful regions in the world. Need we go on?

Robben Island

Visiting a prison may not be your standard idea of a holiday pursuit. But this isn’t just any prison – it’s where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life, incarcerated. Today, Robben Island is a museum and the organised tours here are excellent. Leaving from Cape Town’s V & A Waterfront, they take about four hours, including the two, half-hour ferry journeys there and back. As well as visiting the prison itself, you’ll be taken on a 45-minute bus tour around the island, with a guide providing fascinating commentary. You’ll also have the chance to meet an ex-political prisoner.

The winelands

Another of South Africa’s much-loved attractions, and an easy drive from Cape Town, the Cape winelands are known for producing some of the world’s best wine. These vineyards are also said to be some of the most scenic in the world. There are 15 different wine producing towns in the Cape area alone, so you may not get to them all. But some of the best known ones are probably Stellenbosch, which is famous for its red wines; Constantia, known for producing excellent sauvignon; and Paarl, another of Cape’s historic towns where they’ve been making wine for centuries.

Whale watching

If you fancy a bit of whale watching while you’re in South Africa (and who wouldn’t?), this is the place to do it. Also a stone’s throw from Cape Town, the resort of Hermanus is the best spot in South Africa to watch whales, and nature lovers come from all over the world to marvel at these magnificent creatures from the cliffs above. Hermanus is also great for swimming and other watersports – with kilometres of unspoilt beaches, coves and sheltered bays just waiting to be discovered.

Spot the Big Five

Finally, it just wouldn’t be right to talk about a trip to South Africa without mentioning the safaris. There are game parks scattered throughout the whole country, but many people make a bee-line for Kruger. And for good reason. It’s South Africa’s oldest, largest and most well-known wildlife conservation area. Come here to spot the ‘Big Five’, and stay in one of the park’s amazing safari lodges. Some even have their own ‘watering holes’ so you watch elephants, zebra, or even lions, taking a drink, from the comfort (and safety) of your luxury accommodation.

Wherever your South African adventures take you, make sure you have the right travel insurance – then you can just relax and enjoy the excitement and diversity of this great country.

Tags: SA Travel Insurance

This entry was posted on Monday, May 31st, 2010 at 7:41 am and is filed under Guides. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.