I recently had an
opportunity to attend a training of South Africa Tourism Board and thought as I
had some misconceptions about this country, many others too may be having the
same. But what wrong I was as I came to understand the truth of this Amazing country,
hence thought of giving you an open invitation to this unique country. So to
clear all such misconceptions about this country this is my informative travel
blog for all travel aficionados……
South Africa is a
magnificient country blessed with extraordinary natural beauty and a rich
cultural heritage. Its climate runs from temperate to sub-tropical; its
landscapes range from stark desert to spectacular mountain to lush grassland
and forest; its people can be found in rural subsistence communities or in
cities as sophisticated and cosmopolitan as anywhere in the world.
Situated at the
southern tip of the African continent, South Africa has a land area of 1.3
million square kms (5,00,000 aquare miles), five times the size of Great
Britain and greater than California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona combined.
This impressive
stretch of land runs from the great Limpopo River in the north, all the way
down to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Agulhas on the southernmost coast-a
distance of nearly 2,000 kms (1,240 miles)
Washed by the bracing
Atlantic Ocean on the west and the balmy Indian Ocean on the east, South Africa
has 3,600 kms of coastline (2,236 miles), so there is no shortage of stunning
beaches for lovers of sunshine and water-sports.
A HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE:
Many visitors come to
South Africa in search of its abundant wildlife, vigilantly tended in the
country’s plenteous game reserves and conservation areas. Africa’s big
cats-lion, leopard and cheetah-still prowl the ranges of their ancestors,
together with gigantic elephant, rhinocerous and hippopotamus. The country is
also a magnet for bird-watchers, with close to 900 species.
The activity of
game-watching itself offers a range of contrasts depending on the visitor’s
tastes, from pampered luxury in the many private reserves with five-star
cuisine, to tented camps, sleeping-bags and camp-fires under the stars.
Yet wildlife exists
not only in the bushveld: South Africa’s coasts afford some of the best whale-watching
anywhere in the world, together with huge colonies of seal, penguin and
countless water-birds. For those with an interest in the wondrous world of
marine life, it was in the Indian Ocean off South Africa’s shores that the
prehistoric coelacanth, thought long extinct, was discovered still alive.
A PARADISE FOR
HOLIDAYMAKERS:
If you prefer to
sample the playgrounds of the coasts, you’ll find ocean-side resorts alive with
every kind of attraction-from fine hotels to glamorous leisure centres, from
fishing and sailing to superb surfing and board-sailing.
Consider Durban with
its wide, white beaches, its Golden Mile of non-stop entertainment and
amusement, its enticing Indian markets and emporiums. Now contrast Cape Town –
the scenic splendor of Table Mountain, the sophistication of its world-class
shops and restaurants, and its rich history dating back to the 17th century. From heady nightlife to
solitary beachcombing in secluded bays, South Africa’s coastal resorts offer a
welcome that ensures visitors keep returning.
URBAN DELIGHTS:
South Africa’s towns
have their own distinct individuality, from the colonial atmosphere of
Pietermaritzburg to the historic Boer dignity of Bloemfontein and the graceful
jacaranda-lined streets of the country’s capital, Pretoria.
Johannesburg, built in the rough-and-tough pioneer days of the Great Gold Rush, is the economic hub of South Africa. This brazen, vibrant, sprawling, commercial heart of the country is where businesses locate their sumptuous head offices and multi-million dollar deals are done.
ECHOES OF THE PAST:
A mere 20 minutes from Johannesburg’s bustling modern metropolis, the Sterkfontein Caves provide an eerie sense of time standing still. Sterkfontein is a World Heritage Site where fossils have been found dating from the era when humankind first walked upright.
No visitor should miss the prolific rock art of the early San people, still preserved in thousands of caves where they first made their home. Indeed South Africa’s caves are a treasure-house of wonders: some with signs of human habitation dating back to the Stone Age; some with geological marvels such as stalactites and stalagmites.
A DIVERSITY OF
PEOPLE:
As home to
approximately 42 million people of various races and ancestry, South Africa has
eleven official languages which besides English and Afrikaans include Zulu,
Xhosa, Sotho, Venda, Tswana, Tsonga, Pedi, Shangaan and Ndebele. These
indigenous languages are as different to each other as German and Spanish.
It’s this diversity
of tongues that gives tourists their first clue about the broad spectrum of
culture that makes South Africa the truly unique country that it is. A country
where European meets traditional, where global trends rub shoulders with
ancient customs and south welcomes north, east and west alike.
So what are you
waiting for, pack your bags and Open your mind to the warmth of a welcome, to
the beat of a unique nation, the sounds of wildlife and the whisper of warm
winds dancing off the sea. It’s a place where mountains rise, where exquisite
landscapes drift into distant horizons, where the sun melts into the warm seas.
A place where you can discover the beginning of time. It’s a place called
Mzanzi – i.e. SOUTH AFRICA………..
