Cape Town, important visitor information

Climate

South Africa has many different climactic regions because of its size, but generally the summers (December to April) tend to be hot and sunny while winters (May to November) are usually mild. The Cape has cold, wet winters and it is known to snow in the mountains. The weather is friendliest between November and May, except for the strong winds of the South Easter that usually hit certain places such as Camps Bay in December and January.

Language:

The country has eleven official languages. These include English (which is widely spoken), Afrikaans, Zulu, Sotho and Xhosa.

Health:

Travellers are required to have a yellow fever vaccination certificate if they are arriving from infected areas. Other than that, no particular vaccinations are needed. The risk of malaria exists in the low-lying regions of the Northern Province and Mpumalanga (including the Kruger National Park ). Travellers are advised to take precautions when visiting these areas.

HIV/AIDS is widespread. Water out of the tap is safe in urban areas; elsewhere, it's recommended that you sterilise your water as outbreaks of cholera are known to happen periodically in the less developed districts of rural South Africa , specifically in the Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Northern KwaZulu Natal provinces. The occurrence of food poisoning is not commonplace. While medical services in South Africa are good, private hospitals deal on a cash-only basis so it's best to have medical insurance. Public hospitals are not recommended.

Safety:

The country has a high crime rate, though most incidents are related to petty theft. In the townships, crimes of opportunity are fairly rampant, and travellers need to keep these risks in mind and take necessary precautions. These include keeping doors locked when driving and avoiding being caught walking alone in isolated areas such as city streets and remote beaches at night. Hikers have been victimised while on Table Mountain so it's best not to travel there alone. Exercise extra caution when using ATMs, or when carrying valuables. It is worth mentioning that South African authorities give a high priority to protecting tourists against crime.

Communications:

South Africa 's international access code is +27. Outgoing calls are made by dialling 09 followed by the code of the country you are calling (for example, 0944 for the UK ). International phone cards are not usable in South Africa . GSM is the mobile phone service standard, and pre-paid SIM cards are available. Internet access is offered in many internet cafes.

Back to Top