June 2010: South Africa

Posted by Stephanie on 6/01/10 • Categorized as Destination of the Month

Image by NASA

South Africa is about to take center stage as it hosts the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The first game will begin on June 11, bringing with it a ton of football fans from around the world. According to FIFA, somewhere between 430,000 and 460,000 people will travel to South Africa due to the games, which could push annual international tourism for the country to over 10 million people a year. The country has even trained workers to be travel guides in anticipation of the increased number of tourists.

The FIFA World Cup isn’t the only reason one should visit the country. In fact, unless you are a big sports fan you might want to hold off until after the event to book your airfare. Flights are expected to drop in price and crowds will be smaller, but you will still be able to take advantage of the massive investment in the tourism industry. South Africa offers numerous national parks such as Kruger and Kgalagadi, along with large cities filled with history, culture, and other interesting attractions.

The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg is a must for many tourists. “If you do only one big-city thing when you’re in or near Johannesburg, this should probably be it,” said Christopher Reynolds of the Los Angeles Times. Johannesburg is also near the countries capital, Pretoria, and the Cradle of Humankind, an important site of many important humanoid fossils.

Image by Henry Trotter

Cape Town, another big city in South Africa, has a wide array of attractions for tourists. In addition to numerous museums and galleries, the city offers great swimming, surfing, and diving opportunities. Nearby Table Mountain also has plenty to do for those who love sports, as well as a fantastic array of flora and fauna.

Robben Island is another interesting nearby attraction. Nelson Mandela spent 18 years imprisoned there, along with many other political prisoners. The island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

Traveling independently in much of Africa can be difficult, and South Africa is no exception. Tours are the best way to see wildlife or explore off the beaten path, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money. Baz Bus offers an inexpensive hop-on hop-off bus tour geared towards backpackers that connects many major attractions. Tickets start at around 1300 Rand (about $160 USD). There are also many Budget Safari options.

LINKS

General

Transportation