SOUTH AFRICA

Ball & beast, sea & sun

RECOMMENDATIONS

CLOTHING

Clothing is informal, although some formality (smart casual) is required after dark in some sophisticated places (restaurants, hotels).

Summer months (October to April) are hot, so pack light but don’t forget a jacket or jersey for too cool air conditioned places (mainly in the hotels and restaurants).

For the summer rainfall region, bring an umbrella or a raincoat.

For the game reserves, sportswear and good shoes are recommended.

For the sun, use adequate protection.

FOOD AND RESTAURANTS

Due to the large diversity of ingredients from continental to tropical, the South African restaurants offer a full range of culinary delights from international cuisine to the exotic dishes of the different peoples settling in the country.

Fiery curries spiced at your taste (hot is really hot) , tandoori meats, beryanis can be savored around Durban which has a large Indian population.

In Cape Town, some restaurants serve Malay or Indonesian cuisine as some others offer "old Cape", Dutch/Afrikaner dishes made of Karoo lamb, venison, sweet potato and pumpkin. African traditional cuisine is difficult to find out the natural settlements of the different tribes.

Seafood (freshwater or sea fish or shellfish) of high quality is available every where notably crayfish (rock lobster) and abalone caught off the Cape coasts.

Eat out, a very useful and up-dated local magazine to know where to go, what to eat and at what price.

We have particularly enjoyed:

the Oriental Palace at Durban
Located just under the turning restaurant at John Ross House. Elegant and exotic setting with panoramic view of Durban bay and harbor. Mostly dishes from northern India subtly spiced: curies, tikka, tandoori…John Ross House- Victoria Embankment, Durban Tel (031) 368 3751

The Hildebrand on the Waterfront at Capetown
Italian trattoria awarded "Ciao Italia" by the President of Italy. Open terrace on the quay near boats and seabirds. All Italian cuisine but also all types of crayfish and fish. On the Waterfront - Capetown.

The Blues at Camps Bay near Capetown
Located at the first floor with view on Camps Bay beach. The best seafood in an unformal but warm ambiance with smiling and efficient service. Crayfish, abalone, oysters. Large choice of good local wines. - Camps Bay - Capetown

South African wines

Huguenots who emigrates to South Africa in the 19th century brought in some wine plants and they settled nearby the Cape around a place now called Franshoek (which means the French corner). Nowadays South African wineries have expanded and if you want to taste some of them take a brochure at the Tourism Office of Stellenbosch and make your choice.
The young winegrowers are now going to France, Italy or Australia to learn the last techniques in winery and the results are evident: South African wines have improved and they are good, sometimes very good.
The last Sauvignon produced at Delaire, the winery in the sky as it is called, because of his location on sloppy hills at a few minutes from the center of Stellenbosch has especially convinced us. Mrs. Bev Ashby who?s the managing director of the winery can be very proud of his wine maker Beuwer Raats: he made the finest white sauvignon we ever tasted. Even in France.

INFORMATION

DOCUMENTATION
Out of the promotional documentation one can get from the South African Tourist Board (Satour), airline companies or Tour Operators, we suggest :

• Traveller’s Guide to South Africa by Peter Joyce is a functional guide dedicated to practical aspects of travel within South Africa. Therefore it is companion for every visitor. In English only.
• Eat out a very useful South African magazine for visitors. Restaurants are classified regions by region with full address and short descriptions of the class and the special.
• The Larry Gould Guide to Golf in "the Cape, Kwazulu-Natal" Larry knows everything and everybody in golf in South Africa and he has written well documented and very useful guides on golfing in the country. He gives not only an appreciation on the golf courses but also a lot of information on the area: hotels, restaurants, points of interest.

Entry documents
Valid passport for all visitors.

Health Requirements
International Certificate of Vaccination for visitors coming from or passing through a yellow fever zone.

Phone:
International Phone :ephone code for South Africa is 27.

Currency
The national monetary unit is the rand (symbol: R).
No restrictions on the amount of foreign currency travellers may bring in.

Climate
Weather patterns are subject to sharp regional variation influenced by ocean currents, altitude, winds and land. It can be cold to freeze in the winter nights (July and August) and suffocating heath in the summer (December and January) in the inland. And Kwazulu-Natal has more a tropical climate with perennial heavy showers and Cape Town has winter precipitation. But mainly, South Africa is blessed with a great deal of sunshine.

TOURIST INFORMATION
www.southafrica.net

HOTELS ET RESORTS

SUN INTERNATIONAL
has sales offices in many countries
web site: www.sun.international.com

The Palace at Sun City
Sun City - POB 308- South Africa 0316
Phone: 27.1463.73000
Fax 27.1463.73111

Zimbali Lodge
POB 404 - Umhlali - South Africa 4390
Phone: (0322) 538 1007
Fax (0322) 538 1019

The Table Bay Hotel
POB 50369 - Waterfront 8002
Cape Town - South Africa
Phone: (021) 406 5000
Fax : (021) 406 57 67

Steenberg Country Hotel
POB 10802, Steenberg Estate, Constantia Valley
7945 Cape Town - South Africa
Phone:  27 21 713 2222
Fax 27 21 713 2221
e-mail: hotel@iafrica.com

Prince’s Grant Lodge
POB 4038 - Kwa Dukuza 4450, Kwazulu,
Natal - South Africa
Phone: 27 324 482 0005
Fax 27 324 482 0040
e-mail: pglodge@saol.com

GAME RESERVE

Kapama Lodge
POB 912-031 - Silverton 0126 South Africa
Phone: 27 12 804 4840 - Fax 27 12 804 4842
e-mail: gentour@iafrica.com
Web site : www.kapama.co.za