South Africa is a popular destination on travel bucket lists, and a quick glance at what the country has to offer can help you understand why. It’s a beautiful country combining the charm and adventure of rural Africa with bustling urban destinations and pristine coastline. There’s an international flavor to much of the country given that it attracts visitors from all over the world, and the truth is it’s pretty easy to enjoy yourself there. Even so, we’re going to point to some of the highlights you should be sure to check out if you’re fortunate enough to travel there.
A Resort In Cape Town
Cape Town tends to be the main draw for people who are traveling to South Africa, and it’s largely because of what the city looks like. Looking up images of the city, one gets the image of a cliff-side party town up against the water on the southern tip of Africa. It seems all at once impossibly exotic, wildly attractive, and intriguingly luxurious. It’s also the last point that you can really explore by staying at a resort, and you may recall that we’ve actually highlighted the best one before. The One & Only Cape Town suites are about as good as it gets, and are well worth their hefty price tags if you’re going all the way to South Africa for a vacation.
A Horseback Safari
When you look up fun activities to enjoy in South Africa, you don’t get your typical vacation checklist. There are a lot of wild things to try in the country, and one that you won’t find in a lot of other African destinations is a horseback safari. One list of awesome South African activities noted that you can try this at the Isimangaliso Wetlands, and the experience is like nothing else. You can ride horses alongside wild wildebeests and giraffes for an up close and personal view of African wildlife.
Kiteboarding Lessons
Kiteboarding is becoming one of the trendier watersports in the world, and some of the beaches near Cape Town are particularly well known for it. Destinations like Langebaan, Bloubergstrand, and Cannon Rocks are all noted as good spots to give it a try, though you may need to cough up a bit of cash to have some lessons if you’ve never tried this sport before. It’s tricky to get the hang of, but it’s a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. This is also a great opportunity to try one of the better spots in the world for the sport.
A Casino Visit
Casinos rarely pop up as factors in travel decisions anymore, and it’s easy to understand why. Online versions of casino games have become incredibly sophisticated, and offer a wide range of classic games to play. This includes everything from traditional slots and card games to games like roulette, which has been enjoyed by casino goers all over the world for generations. With so many options available at their fingertips, it’s no surprise that real life casinos have fallen by the wayside, but ignore visiting one at your own peril. Throughout the world there are still casinos worth seeing in person, and a few of them are located right in South Africa. The Sun City Resort outside of Johannesburg is truly a sight to behold, built like a palace sticking up in the middle of the bush, and filled with all the fun and amenities of a classic casino.
Diving Expeditions
Cape Town boasts a lot of great scuba diving activities, including both reef and wreck dives. But that’s not all you can find there. You can also find dives that put you in close proximity to friendly seals. If you really want to give yourself an adrenaline rush, you can sign up for a dive where you’ll be in an underwater cage swimming with the sharks. These activities aren’t necessarily unique to South Africa or Cape Town, but many find the diving at this destination to be particularly good.
A Tabletop Mountain Hike
Last but not least, you should also make time for a hike up Tabletop Mountain, which is the cliff-like plateau that looms over Cape Town. This is a manageable hike for those inclined to try it, and we’re not talking about monstrously high altitudes. It’s definitely something to try, if only to enjoy the view from the top. It’s truly a sight unlike anything you can see elsewhere in the world.
Guest blog by Philip White
