FODOR'S

AI ASSISTANT

Hotels News

More

Home

FODOR'S

AI ASSISTANT

Destinations

USA Europe Africa & The Middle East Asia Australia & The Pacific Canada Caribbean Mexico & Central America South America View All Destinations

Hotels Travel News

Cruises

Cruise Overview Cruise News Cruising 101 Cruise Directory

Forums

Africa & the Middle East Asia Australia & the Pacific Canada Caribbean Europe Mexico & Central America South America United States Air Travel Cruises Travel Tips & Trip Ideas Forums Help View All Forums

Trip Ideas

National Parks Best Road Trips in America Ultimate Guides

South Africa

More

South Africa

Africa and Middle East

South Africa

TRAVEL GUIDE

Loading...

South Africa

GALLERY

Everything about Africa that stirs the imagination is concentrated in its southernmost country. Lions freely roam vast game reserves such as Kruger National Park, vineyards stretch across the Cape Winelands, and mountains cascade into the sea along miles of beaches. In addition to dream safaris and romantic honeymoons, South Africa offers modern cities with thriving arts and dining scenes. South Africans are welcoming, and the country’s emergence from a turbulent past provides a dramatic history lesson and the promise of something new every time you visit.

ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES

25 Ultimate Things to Do in South Africa

Barbara Noe Kennedy

Guidebooks for Every Journey

Fodor's Essential South Africa: with the Best Safari Destinations and Wine Regions

Fodor's Essential South Africa: with the Best Safari Destinations and Wine Regions

Buy Now See All Guideboks

Find a Hotel

Fodor's Travel Award

FODOR'S FINEST

The Best Hotels in Europe

Find a Hotel

Guidebooks for Every Journey

Fodor's Essential South Africa: with the Best Safari Destinations and Wine Regions

Fodor's Essential South Africa: with the Best Safari Destinations and Wine Regions

Buy Now See All Guideboks

Top Destinations

Top Destinations

Filter By:

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay's main attractions are an excellent museum complex; several beautiful historic stone buildings (some of which are exceptionally well preserved); some of the best...

Stellenbosch

You could easily while away a week in this small, sophisticated, beautiful, and absolutely delightful town. South Africa's second-oldest municipality, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch actually...

Johannesburg

Johannesburg, or Jo'burg, Egoli ("City of Gold"), or Jozi, as it is affectionately known by locals, is the commercial heart of South Africa and the...

Table Mountain and Lion's Head

Nowhere else in the world does an area of such spectacular beauty and rich biodiversity exist almost entirely within a metropolitan area. Large swaths of...

KwaZulu-Natal and Durban

Durban isn't slick or sophisticated, but 320 days of sunshine a year entices visitors and locals alike to the vast stretches of beautiful beach that...

Cape Town

A favorite South African topic of debate is whether Cape Town really is part of Africa. That’s how different it is, both from the rest...

Knysna

Knysna (pronounced nize-nuh) is one of the most popular destinations on the Garden Route. The focus of the town is the beautiful Knysna Lagoon, ringed...

Oudtshoorn

Oudtshoorn has been famous for its ostriches since around 1870, when farmers began raising them to satisfy the European demand for feathers to adorn women's...

Franschhoek

Franschhoek (French Corner) takes its name from its first white settlers, French Huguenots who fled to the Cape to escape Catholic persecution in France in...

Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay is South Africa's premier beach resort, as the empty houses on Beachy Head Road (known as Millionaires' Mile) during the 11 months when...

Richards Bay

Founded in the 1880s during the Anglo-Zulu colonial wars, Richards Bay was named after British Rear Admiral Sir Frederick William Richards, who landed a naval...

Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park

In many ways Mpumalanga ("where the sun rises") is South Africa's wildest and most exciting province. Its local history is action packed: local wars, international...

Valley of a Thousand Hills

In the early part of the 19th century, before cars were introduced, wagons traveled from the port of Durban up along the ridge of this...

The Garden Route and the Little Karoo

This region is a study in contrasts. The forested mountain ranges of the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma that shadow the coastline trap moist ocean breezes that...

Langebaan

Probably the most popular destination on the coast, Langebaan is a great base from which to explore the region, and the sheltered lagoon makes for...

Wilderness

Wilderness is a popular vacation resort for good reason. Backed by thickly forested hills and cliffs, the tiny town presides over a magical stretch of...

Durban

Durban has the pulse, the look, and the complex face of Africa. It may have something to do with the summer heat, a clinging sauna...

Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth, or PE, may not have the range of attractions found in Cape Town or on the Garden Route, but it's a pleasant town...

East London

The gateway to both the Wild Coast and Amatole, East London was built around the mouth of the Buffalo River, which forms South Africa's only...

The Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape is South Africa's most diverse province and has some of its best vacation destinations, yet it is perhaps the most glossed over...

The Western Cape and Winelands

Anchored by Cape Town in the southwest, the Western Cape is an alluring province, a sweep of endless mountain ranges, empty beaches, and European history...

Storms River

Although it's a small, isolated village, Storms River absolutely buzzes with activity. A hotel, a couple of guesthouses, and a few backpackers' lodges all cater...

Paarl

Paarl takes its name from the granite domes of Paarl Mountain, which looms above the town—paarl is Dutch for "pearl." The first farmers settled here...

Pilgrim's Rest

The charming (although very touristy) village of Pilgrim's Rest—also a national monument—dates back to the 1870s gold-rush days when it was the first proper gold-mining...

Springbok

The capital of Namaqualand is set in a bowl of rocky hills that form part of the Klipkoppe, a rocky escarpment that stretches from Steinkopf...

Kamieskroon

Another base for exploring Namaqualand in spring, Kamieskroon is the only place to stay close to Namaqua National Park—unless you’re in the park itself. The...

Upington

Home to about 74,000 residents, Upington is a thriving agricultural center on the north bank of the Orange River. In the 1870s a Koranna (a...

Hogsback

This peaceful and picturesque village is the perfect place from which to embark on some of South Africa’s best hiking trails and experience a number...

Cape St Francis

Weaving its way between beautiful nature reserves, indigenous fynbos, wetlands, plush marinas, and rolling sand dunes, Cape St Francis is a pretty beachfront eco-village at...

Sabie

As you descend Long Tom Pass, the town of Sabie (sah-bee) comes into view far below, in a bowl formed by the surrounding mountains. It's...

The Northern Cape

South Africa's largest province, the Northern Cape, is also its least populated. Covering almost a third of the country, its deserts and semi-deserts—the Karoo, Kalahari...

Augrabies Falls National Park

The Khoi, early pastoralists who lived in this area for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, called these falls Aukoerabis (Place of Great...

Elands Bay

Mention eBay auctions here, and most people will stare at you blankly. But mention the E'bay left-hand break, and you'll get nods of approval and...

Kimberly

Kimberley was born in the dust, dreams, and disappointments of a rudimentary mining camp that grew into a city of grace and sophistication in some...

Umhlanga

Umhlanga's village charm and lovely beaches have entrenched it as one of the most sought-after vacation destinations for locals and foreigners, and it has many...

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

Near the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is the malaria-free Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, at 1,000 square km (386 square miles) the largest privately owned game reserve in...

Graskop

Graskop (translation: "grass head") was so named because of the abundance of grassveld and few trees. Like so many of the little towns in this...

Barkly West

The town of Barkly West, on the Vaal River, was the site of some of the earliest alluvial diamond diggings in South Africa...

George

About 11 km (7 miles) from the sea, George is the largest town and the de facto capital of the Garden Route. Although the surrounding...

Betty's Bay

Betty's Bay, or Betty's, as the hamlet is fondly known, is worth visiting for its penguins and botanical garden. The village is made up of...

Hermanus

Pristine beaches extend as far as the eye can see, and the Kleinriviersberg provides a breathtaking backdrop to this popular resort, the Overberg's major coastal...

Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel

Drive through the small agricultural town of Malmesbury and over the Bothman's Kloof Pass to these twin towns named after Jan van Riebeeck, the 17th-century...

The Elephant Coast

The Elephant Coast is bordered in the northwest by the Ubombo Mountains, in the east by the Indian Ocean, and in the south by the...

Kleinmond

The sleepy coastal town of Kleinmond (Small Mouth) presides over a magnificent stretch of shoreline, backed by the mountains of the Palmietberg. It's a favorite...

Somerset West

Somerset West, nestled at the foot of the Helderberg Mountains, is just 30 minutes from the center of Cape Town and close to Gordon's Bay...

Montagu

Montagu bills itself as "the Gateway to the Little Karoo," and its picturesque streets lined with Cape Victorian architecture lend this some credence. Today the...

Simon's Town

Picturesque Simon's Town has many lovely old buildings and possibly the peninsula's best swimming beaches at Seaforth and Boulders, a gem that is also home...

Paternoster

Paternoster is a mostly unspoiled village of whitewashed thatch cottages perched on a deserted stretch of coastline. The population here consists mainly of fisherfolk, who...

Dolphin Coast

About an hour north of Durban, the Dolphin Coast (North Coast) lies along the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, with lifeguards and shark-netted beaches...

Robertson

Robertson was founded primarily to service the surrounding farms, and it retains its agricultural and industrial character. The town largely lives up to its mantra...

Swellendam

Beautiful Swellendam lies in the shadow of the imposing Langeberg Range. in 1745, it is the third-oldest town in South Africa, and many of its...

Kalk Bay

This small, fascinating harbor, which shelters a weathered fishing fleet, takes its name from the seashells that were once baked in large kilns near the...

Noordhoek

This popular beach community has stunning white sands that stretch all the way to Kommetjie along the aptly named Long Beach. The small bordering Noordhoek...

Tulbagh

Founded in 1743, the town of Tulbagh is nestled in a secluded valley bound by the Witzenberg and Groot Winterhoek mountains. A devastating earthquake in...

Cape Peninsula

The peninsula is a treat for any Cape Town visitor, and a round-trip drive that takes in both the False Bay coastline and the Atlantic...

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay's main attractions are an excellent museum complex; several beautiful historic stone buildings (some of which are exceptionally well preserved); some of the best...

Stellenbosch

You could easily while away a week in this small, sophisticated, beautiful, and absolutely delightful town. South Africa's second-oldest municipality, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch actually...

Johannesburg

Johannesburg, or Jo'burg, Egoli ("City of Gold"), or Jozi, as it is affectionately known by locals, is the commercial heart of South Africa and the...

Table Mountain and Lion's Head

Nowhere else in the world does an area of such spectacular beauty and rich biodiversity exist almost entirely within a metropolitan area. Large swaths of...

KwaZulu-Natal and Durban

Durban isn't slick or sophisticated, but 320 days of sunshine a year entices visitors and locals alike to the vast stretches of beautiful beach that...

Cape Town

A favorite South African topic of debate is whether Cape Town really is part of Africa. That’s how different it is, both from the rest...

Knysna

Knysna (pronounced nize-nuh) is one of the most popular destinations on the Garden Route. The focus of the town is the beautiful Knysna Lagoon, ringed...

Oudtshoorn

Oudtshoorn has been famous for its ostriches since around 1870, when farmers began raising them to satisfy the European demand for feathers to adorn women's...

Franschhoek

Franschhoek (French Corner) takes its name from its first white settlers, French Huguenots who fled to the Cape to escape Catholic persecution in France in...

Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay is South Africa's premier beach resort, as the empty houses on Beachy Head Road (known as Millionaires' Mile) during the 11 months when...

Richards Bay

Founded in the 1880s during the Anglo-Zulu colonial wars, Richards Bay was named after British Rear Admiral Sir Frederick William Richards, who landed a naval...

Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park

In many ways Mpumalanga ("where the sun rises") is South Africa's wildest and most exciting province. Its local history is action packed: local wars, international...

Valley of a Thousand Hills

In the early part of the 19th century, before cars were introduced, wagons traveled from the port of Durban up along the ridge of this...

The Garden Route and the Little Karoo

This region is a study in contrasts. The forested mountain ranges of the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma that shadow the coastline trap moist ocean breezes that...

Langebaan

Probably the most popular destination on the coast, Langebaan is a great base from which to explore the region, and the sheltered lagoon makes for...

Wilderness

Wilderness is a popular vacation resort for good reason. Backed by thickly forested hills and cliffs, the tiny town presides over a magical stretch of...

Durban

Durban has the pulse, the look, and the complex face of Africa. It may have something to do with the summer heat, a clinging sauna...

Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth, or PE, may not have the range of attractions found in Cape Town or on the Garden Route, but it's a pleasant town...

East London

The gateway to both the Wild Coast and Amatole, East London was built around the mouth of the Buffalo River, which forms South Africa's only...

The Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape is South Africa's most diverse province and has some of its best vacation destinations, yet it is perhaps the most glossed over...

The Western Cape and Winelands

Anchored by Cape Town in the southwest, the Western Cape is an alluring province, a sweep of endless mountain ranges, empty beaches, and European history...

Storms River

Although it's a small, isolated village, Storms River absolutely buzzes with activity. A hotel, a couple of guesthouses, and a few backpackers' lodges all cater...

Paarl

Paarl takes its name from the granite domes of Paarl Mountain, which looms above the town—paarl is Dutch for "pearl." The first farmers settled here...

Pilgrim's Rest

The charming (although very touristy) village of Pilgrim's Rest—also a national monument—dates back to the 1870s gold-rush days when it was the first proper gold-mining...

Springbok

The capital of Namaqualand is set in a bowl of rocky hills that form part of the Klipkoppe, a rocky escarpment that stretches from Steinkopf...

Kamieskroon

Another base for exploring Namaqualand in spring, Kamieskroon is the only place to stay close to Namaqua National Park—unless you’re in the park itself. The...

Upington

Home to about 74,000 residents, Upington is a thriving agricultural center on the north bank of the Orange River. In the 1870s a Koranna (a...

Hogsback

This peaceful and picturesque village is the perfect place from which to embark on some of South Africa’s best hiking trails and experience a number...

Cape St Francis

Weaving its way between beautiful nature reserves, indigenous fynbos, wetlands, plush marinas, and rolling sand dunes, Cape St Francis is a pretty beachfront eco-village at...

Sabie

As you descend Long Tom Pass, the town of Sabie (sah-bee) comes into view far below, in a bowl formed by the surrounding mountains. It's...

The Northern Cape

South Africa's largest province, the Northern Cape, is also its least populated. Covering almost a third of the country, its deserts and semi-deserts—the Karoo, Kalahari...

Augrabies Falls National Park

The Khoi, early pastoralists who lived in this area for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, called these falls Aukoerabis (Place of Great...

Elands Bay

Mention eBay auctions here, and most people will stare at you blankly. But mention the E'bay left-hand break, and you'll get nods of approval and...

Kimberly

Kimberley was born in the dust, dreams, and disappointments of a rudimentary mining camp that grew into a city of grace and sophistication in some...

Umhlanga

Umhlanga's village charm and lovely beaches have entrenched it as one of the most sought-after vacation destinations for locals and foreigners, and it has many...

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

Near the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is the malaria-free Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, at 1,000 square km (386 square miles) the largest privately owned game reserve in...

Graskop

Graskop (translation: "grass head") was so named because of the abundance of grassveld and few trees. Like so many of the little towns in this...

Barkly West

The town of Barkly West, on the Vaal River, was the site of some of the earliest alluvial diamond diggings in South Africa...

George

About 11 km (7 miles) from the sea, George is the largest town and the de facto capital of the Garden Route. Although the surrounding...

Betty's Bay

Betty's Bay, or Betty's, as the hamlet is fondly known, is worth visiting for its penguins and botanical garden. The village is made up of...

Hermanus

Pristine beaches extend as far as the eye can see, and the Kleinriviersberg provides a breathtaking backdrop to this popular resort, the Overberg's major coastal...

Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel

Drive through the small agricultural town of Malmesbury and over the Bothman's Kloof Pass to these twin towns named after Jan van Riebeeck, the 17th-century...

The Elephant Coast

The Elephant Coast is bordered in the northwest by the Ubombo Mountains, in the east by the Indian Ocean, and in the south by the...

Kleinmond

The sleepy coastal town of Kleinmond (Small Mouth) presides over a magnificent stretch of shoreline, backed by the mountains of the Palmietberg. It's a favorite...

Somerset West

Somerset West, nestled at the foot of the Helderberg Mountains, is just 30 minutes from the center of Cape Town and close to Gordon's Bay...

Montagu

Montagu bills itself as "the Gateway to the Little Karoo," and its picturesque streets lined with Cape Victorian architecture lend this some credence. Today the...

Simon's Town

Picturesque Simon's Town has many lovely old buildings and possibly the peninsula's best swimming beaches at Seaforth and Boulders, a gem that is also home...

Paternoster

Paternoster is a mostly unspoiled village of whitewashed thatch cottages perched on a deserted stretch of coastline. The population here consists mainly of fisherfolk, who...

Dolphin Coast

About an hour north of Durban, the Dolphin Coast (North Coast) lies along the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, with lifeguards and shark-netted beaches...

Robertson

Robertson was founded primarily to service the surrounding farms, and it retains its agricultural and industrial character. The town largely lives up to its mantra...

Swellendam

Beautiful Swellendam lies in the shadow of the imposing Langeberg Range. in 1745, it is the third-oldest town in South Africa, and many of its...

Kalk Bay

This small, fascinating harbor, which shelters a weathered fishing fleet, takes its name from the seashells that were once baked in large kilns near the...

Noordhoek

This popular beach community has stunning white sands that stretch all the way to Kommetjie along the aptly named Long Beach. The small bordering Noordhoek...

Tulbagh

Founded in 1743, the town of Tulbagh is nestled in a secluded valley bound by the Witzenberg and Groot Winterhoek mountains. A devastating earthquake in...

Cape Peninsula

The peninsula is a treat for any Cape Town visitor, and a round-trip drive that takes in both the False Bay coastline and the Atlantic...

Johannesburg

Johannesburg, or Jo'burg, Egoli ("City of Gold"), or Jozi, as it is affectionately known by locals, is the commercial heart of South Africa and the...

Durban

Durban has the pulse, the look, and the complex face of Africa. It may have something to do with the summer heat, a clinging sauna...

Cape Town

A favorite South African topic of debate is whether Cape Town really is part of Africa. That’s how different it is, both from the rest...

Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay is South Africa's premier beach resort, as the empty houses on Beachy Head Road (known as Millionaires' Mile) during the 11 months when...

Stellenbosch

You could easily while away a week in this small, sophisticated, beautiful, and absolutely delightful town. South Africa's second-oldest municipality, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch actually...

Oudtshoorn

Oudtshoorn has been famous for its ostriches since around 1870, when farmers began raising them to satisfy the European demand for feathers to adorn women's...

Wilderness

Wilderness is a popular vacation resort for good reason. Backed by thickly forested hills and cliffs, the tiny town presides over a magical stretch of...

Langebaan

Probably the most popular destination on the coast, Langebaan is a great base from which to explore the region, and the sheltered lagoon makes for...

Franschhoek

Franschhoek (French Corner) takes its name from its first white settlers, French Huguenots who fled to the Cape to escape Catholic persecution in France in...

East London

The gateway to both the Wild Coast and Amatole, East London was built around the mouth of the Buffalo River, which forms South Africa's only...

Knysna

Knysna (pronounced nize-nuh) is one of the most popular destinations on the Garden Route. The focus of the town is the beautiful Knysna Lagoon, ringed...

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay's main attractions are an excellent museum complex; several beautiful historic stone buildings (some of which are exceptionally well preserved); some of the best...

Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth, or PE, may not have the range of attractions found in Cape Town or on the Garden Route, but it's a pleasant town...

Richards Bay

Founded in the 1880s during the Anglo-Zulu colonial wars, Richards Bay was named after British Rear Admiral Sir Frederick William Richards, who landed a naval...

Springbok

The capital of Namaqualand is set in a bowl of rocky hills that form part of the Klipkoppe, a rocky escarpment that stretches from Steinkopf...

Kimberly

Kimberley was born in the dust, dreams, and disappointments of a rudimentary mining camp that grew into a city of grace and sophistication in some...

Somerset West

Somerset West, nestled at the foot of the Helderberg Mountains, is just 30 minutes from the center of Cape Town and close to Gordon's Bay...

Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel

Drive through the small agricultural town of Malmesbury and over the Bothman's Kloof Pass to these twin towns named after Jan van Riebeeck, the 17th-century...

Cape St Francis

Weaving its way between beautiful nature reserves, indigenous fynbos, wetlands, plush marinas, and rolling sand dunes, Cape St Francis is a pretty beachfront eco-village at...

Elands Bay

Mention eBay auctions here, and most people will stare at you blankly. But mention the E'bay left-hand break, and you'll get nods of approval and...

Betty's Bay

Betty's Bay, or Betty's, as the hamlet is fondly known, is worth visiting for its penguins and botanical garden. The village is made up of...

Upington

Home to about 74,000 residents, Upington is a thriving agricultural center on the north bank of the Orange River. In the 1870s a Koranna (a...

George

About 11 km (7 miles) from the sea, George is the largest town and the de facto capital of the Garden Route. Although the surrounding...

Nieu Bethesda

...

Hogsback

This peaceful and picturesque village is the perfect place from which to embark on some of South Africa’s best hiking trails and experience a number...

Graaff-Reinet

...

Gqeberha

...

Barkly West

The town of Barkly West, on the Vaal River, was the site of some of the earliest alluvial diamond diggings in South Africa...

Hermanus

Pristine beaches extend as far as the eye can see, and the Kleinriviersberg provides a breathtaking backdrop to this popular resort, the Overberg's major coastal...

Bot River

...

Pilgrim's Rest

The charming (although very touristy) village of Pilgrim's Rest—also a national monument—dates back to the 1870s gold-rush days when it was the first proper gold-mining...

Paarl

Paarl takes its name from the granite domes of Paarl Mountain, which looms above the town—paarl is Dutch for "pearl." The first farmers settled here...

Sabie

As you descend Long Tom Pass, the town of Sabie (sah-bee) comes into view far below, in a bowl formed by the surrounding mountains. It's...

Kleinmond

The sleepy coastal town of Kleinmond (Small Mouth) presides over a magnificent stretch of shoreline, backed by the mountains of the Palmietberg. It's a favorite...

Graskop

Graskop (translation: "grass head") was so named because of the abundance of grassveld and few trees. Like so many of the little towns in this...

Montagu

Montagu bills itself as "the Gateway to the Little Karoo," and its picturesque streets lined with Cape Victorian architecture lend this some credence. Today the...

Swellendam

Beautiful Swellendam lies in the shadow of the imposing Langeberg Range. in 1745, it is the third-oldest town in South Africa, and many of its...

Paternoster

Paternoster is a mostly unspoiled village of whitewashed thatch cottages perched on a deserted stretch of coastline. The population here consists mainly of fisherfolk, who...

Simon's Town

Picturesque Simon's Town has many lovely old buildings and possibly the peninsula's best swimming beaches at Seaforth and Boulders, a gem that is also home...

Robertson

Robertson was founded primarily to service the surrounding farms, and it retains its agricultural and industrial character. The town largely lives up to its mantra...

Kamieskroon

Another base for exploring Namaqualand in spring, Kamieskroon is the only place to stay close to Namaqua National Park—unless you’re in the park itself. The...

Storms River

Although it's a small, isolated village, Storms River absolutely buzzes with activity. A hotel, a couple of guesthouses, and a few backpackers' lodges all cater...

Umhlanga

Umhlanga's village charm and lovely beaches have entrenched it as one of the most sought-after vacation destinations for locals and foreigners, and it has many...

Tulbagh

Founded in 1743, the town of Tulbagh is nestled in a secluded valley bound by the Witzenberg and Groot Winterhoek mountains. A devastating earthquake in...

Kalk Bay

This small, fascinating harbor, which shelters a weathered fishing fleet, takes its name from the seashells that were once baked in large kilns near the...

Johannesburg

Johannesburg, or Jo'burg, Egoli ("City of Gold"), or Jozi, as it is affectionately known by locals, is the commercial heart of South Africa and the...

Durban

Durban has the pulse, the look, and the complex face of Africa. It may have something to do with the summer heat, a clinging sauna...

Cape Town

A favorite South African topic of debate is whether Cape Town really is part of Africa. That’s how different it is, both from the rest...

Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay is South Africa's premier beach resort, as the empty houses on Beachy Head Road (known as Millionaires' Mile) during the 11 months when...

Stellenbosch

You could easily while away a week in this small, sophisticated, beautiful, and absolutely delightful town. South Africa's second-oldest municipality, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch actually...

Oudtshoorn

Oudtshoorn has been famous for its ostriches since around 1870, when farmers began raising them to satisfy the European demand for feathers to adorn women's...

Wilderness

Wilderness is a popular vacation resort for good reason. Backed by thickly forested hills and cliffs, the tiny town presides over a magical stretch of...

Langebaan

Probably the most popular destination on the coast, Langebaan is a great base from which to explore the region, and the sheltered lagoon makes for...

Franschhoek

Franschhoek (French Corner) takes its name from its first white settlers, French Huguenots who fled to the Cape to escape Catholic persecution in France in...

East London

The gateway to both the Wild Coast and Amatole, East London was built around the mouth of the Buffalo River, which forms South Africa's only...

Knysna

Knysna (pronounced nize-nuh) is one of the most popular destinations on the Garden Route. The focus of the town is the beautiful Knysna Lagoon, ringed...

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay's main attractions are an excellent museum complex; several beautiful historic stone buildings (some of which are exceptionally well preserved); some of the best...

Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth, or PE, may not have the range of attractions found in Cape Town or on the Garden Route, but it's a pleasant town...

Richards Bay

Founded in the 1880s during the Anglo-Zulu colonial wars, Richards Bay was named after British Rear Admiral Sir Frederick William Richards, who landed a naval...

Springbok

The capital of Namaqualand is set in a bowl of rocky hills that form part of the Klipkoppe, a rocky escarpment that stretches from Steinkopf...

Kimberly

Kimberley was born in the dust, dreams, and disappointments of a rudimentary mining camp that grew into a city of grace and sophistication in some...

Somerset West

Somerset West, nestled at the foot of the Helderberg Mountains, is just 30 minutes from the center of Cape Town and close to Gordon's Bay...

Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel

Drive through the small agricultural town of Malmesbury and over the Bothman's Kloof Pass to these twin towns named after Jan van Riebeeck, the 17th-century...

Cape St Francis

Weaving its way between beautiful nature reserves, indigenous fynbos, wetlands, plush marinas, and rolling sand dunes, Cape St Francis is a pretty beachfront eco-village at...

Elands Bay

Mention eBay auctions here, and most people will stare at you blankly. But mention the E'bay left-hand break, and you'll get nods of approval and...

Betty's Bay

Betty's Bay, or Betty's, as the hamlet is fondly known, is worth visiting for its penguins and botanical garden. The village is made up of...

Upington

Home to about 74,000 residents, Upington is a thriving agricultural center on the north bank of the Orange River. In the 1870s a Koranna (a...

George

About 11 km (7 miles) from the sea, George is the largest town and the de facto capital of the Garden Route. Although the surrounding...

Nieu Bethesda

...

Hogsback

This peaceful and picturesque village is the perfect place from which to embark on some of South Africa’s best hiking trails and experience a number...

Graaff-Reinet

...

Gqeberha

...

Barkly West

The town of Barkly West, on the Vaal River, was the site of some of the earliest alluvial diamond diggings in South Africa...

Hermanus

Pristine beaches extend as far as the eye can see, and the Kleinriviersberg provides a breathtaking backdrop to this popular resort, the Overberg's major coastal...

Bot River

...

Pilgrim's Rest

The charming (although very touristy) village of Pilgrim's Rest—also a national monument—dates back to the 1870s gold-rush days when it was the first proper gold-mining...

Paarl

Paarl takes its name from the granite domes of Paarl Mountain, which looms above the town—paarl is Dutch for "pearl." The first farmers settled here...

Sabie

As you descend Long Tom Pass, the town of Sabie (sah-bee) comes into view far below, in a bowl formed by the surrounding mountains. It's...

Kleinmond

The sleepy coastal town of Kleinmond (Small Mouth) presides over a magnificent stretch of shoreline, backed by the mountains of the Palmietberg. It's a favorite...

Graskop

Graskop (translation: "grass head") was so named because of the abundance of grassveld and few trees. Like so many of the little towns in this...

Montagu

Montagu bills itself as "the Gateway to the Little Karoo," and its picturesque streets lined with Cape Victorian architecture lend this some credence. Today the...

Swellendam

Beautiful Swellendam lies in the shadow of the imposing Langeberg Range. in 1745, it is the third-oldest town in South Africa, and many of its...

Paternoster

Paternoster is a mostly unspoiled village of whitewashed thatch cottages perched on a deserted stretch of coastline. The population here consists mainly of fisherfolk, who...

Simon's Town

Picturesque Simon's Town has many lovely old buildings and possibly the peninsula's best swimming beaches at Seaforth and Boulders, a gem that is also home...

Robertson

Robertson was founded primarily to service the surrounding farms, and it retains its agricultural and industrial character. The town largely lives up to its mantra...

Kamieskroon

Another base for exploring Namaqualand in spring, Kamieskroon is the only place to stay close to Namaqua National Park—unless you’re in the park itself. The...

Storms River

Although it's a small, isolated village, Storms River absolutely buzzes with activity. A hotel, a couple of guesthouses, and a few backpackers' lodges all cater...

Umhlanga

Umhlanga's village charm and lovely beaches have entrenched it as one of the most sought-after vacation destinations for locals and foreigners, and it has many...

Tulbagh

Founded in 1743, the town of Tulbagh is nestled in a secluded valley bound by the Witzenberg and Groot Winterhoek mountains. A devastating earthquake in...

Kalk Bay

This small, fascinating harbor, which shelters a weathered fishing fleet, takes its name from the seashells that were once baked in large kilns near the...

The Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape is South Africa's most diverse province and has some of its best vacation destinations, yet it is perhaps the most glossed over...

The Western Cape and Winelands

Anchored by Cape Town in the southwest, the Western Cape is an alluring province, a sweep of endless mountain ranges, empty beaches, and European history...

The Garden Route and the Little Karoo

This region is a study in contrasts. The forested mountain ranges of the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma that shadow the coastline trap moist ocean breezes that...

Valley of a Thousand Hills

In the early part of the 19th century, before cars were introduced, wagons traveled from the port of Durban up along the ridge of this...

Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park

In many ways Mpumalanga ("where the sun rises") is South Africa's wildest and most exciting province. Its local history is action packed: local wars, international...

KwaZulu-Natal and Durban

Durban isn't slick or sophisticated, but 320 days of sunshine a year entices visitors and locals alike to the vast stretches of beautiful beach that...

The Northern Cape

South Africa's largest province, the Northern Cape, is also its least populated. Covering almost a third of the country, its deserts and semi-deserts—the Karoo, Kalahari...

The Elephant Coast

The Elephant Coast is bordered in the northwest by the Ubombo Mountains, in the east by the Indian Ocean, and in the south by the...

Dolphin Coast

About an hour north of Durban, the Dolphin Coast (North Coast) lies along the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, with lifeguards and shark-netted beaches...

Noordhoek

This popular beach community has stunning white sands that stretch all the way to Kommetjie along the aptly named Long Beach. The small bordering Noordhoek...

Cape Peninsula

The peninsula is a treat for any Cape Town visitor, and a round-trip drive that takes in both the False Bay coastline and the Atlantic...

The Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape is South Africa's most diverse province and has some of its best vacation destinations, yet it is perhaps the most glossed over...

The Western Cape and Winelands

Anchored by Cape Town in the southwest, the Western Cape is an alluring province, a sweep of endless mountain ranges, empty beaches, and European history...

The Garden Route and the Little Karoo

This region is a study in contrasts. The forested mountain ranges of the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma that shadow the coastline trap moist ocean breezes that...

Valley of a Thousand Hills

In the early part of the 19th century, before cars were introduced, wagons traveled from the port of Durban up along the ridge of this...

Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park

In many ways Mpumalanga ("where the sun rises") is South Africa's wildest and most exciting province. Its local history is action packed: local wars, international...

KwaZulu-Natal and Durban

Durban isn't slick or sophisticated, but 320 days of sunshine a year entices visitors and locals alike to the vast stretches of beautiful beach that...

The Northern Cape

South Africa's largest province, the Northern Cape, is also its least populated. Covering almost a third of the country, its deserts and semi-deserts—the Karoo, Kalahari...

The Elephant Coast

The Elephant Coast is bordered in the northwest by the Ubombo Mountains, in the east by the Indian Ocean, and in the south by the...

Dolphin Coast

About an hour north of Durban, the Dolphin Coast (North Coast) lies along the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, with lifeguards and shark-netted beaches...

Noordhoek

This popular beach community has stunning white sands that stretch all the way to Kommetjie along the aptly named Long Beach. The small bordering Noordhoek...

Cape Peninsula

The peninsula is a treat for any Cape Town visitor, and a round-trip drive that takes in both the False Bay coastline and the Atlantic...

Table Mountain and Lion's Head

Nowhere else in the world does an area of such spectacular beauty and rich biodiversity exist almost entirely within a metropolitan area. Large swaths of...

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

Near the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is the malaria-free Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, at 1,000 square km (386 square miles) the largest privately owned game reserve in...

Augrabies Falls National Park

The Khoi, early pastoralists who lived in this area for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, called these falls Aukoerabis (Place of Great...

Table Mountain and Lion's Head

Nowhere else in the world does an area of such spectacular beauty and rich biodiversity exist almost entirely within a metropolitan area. Large swaths of...

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

Near the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is the malaria-free Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, at 1,000 square km (386 square miles) the largest privately owned game reserve in...

Augrabies Falls National Park

The Khoi, early pastoralists who lived in this area for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, called these falls Aukoerabis (Place of Great...

See All Destinations Hide All Destinations

All Destinations
Expand All Collapse All

Cape Town

Durban

Johannesburg

KwaZulu-Natal and Durban

Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park

The Eastern Cape

The Garden Route and the Little Karoo

The Northern Cape

The Western Cape and Winelands

Cape Town

KwaZulu-Natal and Durban

The Garden Route and the Little Karoo

Durban

Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park

The Northern Cape

Johannesburg

The Eastern Cape

The Western Cape and Winelands

Cape Town

Johannesburg

Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park

The Garden Route and the Little Karoo

The Western Cape and Winelands

Durban

KwaZulu-Natal and Durban

The Eastern Cape

The Northern Cape

Recent Forum Posts

Recent Forum Posts

B
OUTSTANDING trip to South Africa/Zimbabwe
Bakerstreet started Sep 24, 2025 |Last reply Feb 14, 2026 View Post 5 replies 1070 views View Post
P
Safari: South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Phyllis3 started Dec 24, 2025 |Last reply Dec 27, 2025 View Post 3 replies 743 views View Post
S
South Africa
Sraggio started Sep 28, 2025 |Last reply Oct 3, 2025 View Post 4 replies 895 views View Post
B
Choosing a Safari in South Africa or Tanzania. Bucket list one time only
BrummyKay started Jan 28, 2025 |Last reply Aug 18, 2025 View Post 22 replies 13849 views View Post

SEE ALL POSTS

Guidebooks

Guidebooks

Our worldwide travel correspondents bring you the best and most up-to-date coverage of over 7,500 global destinations.

Shop Now

Fodor's Essential South Africa: with the Best Safari Destinations and Wine Regions
For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel...

View Details

Fodor’s Travel
Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use. Copyright © 2026 by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands.
Fodor’s is a registered trademark of MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy |Manage Preferences |Your Privacy Choices