South Africa may be complicated, but it makes a fabulous holiday destination

As a South African living in Europe I am constantly stunned (and amused) at the impressions people have about South Africa that are wrong. Not just wrong: OUTRAGEOUSLY wrong.

About two months ago I started asking my expat friends here in Holland what they think about South Africa, what concerns them about going there on holiday, and what questions they have about the country. I also started asking people I encountered during my day: school teachers, moms at the school gate, my Dutch teacher, to really get a sense of how SA is perceived in the minds of expats who have never visited.

The Thing About South Africa is…

…it’s culturally diverse, racially sensitive, economically divided, and with 11 official languages is a linguistic tower of Babel.

Our landscapes are arid and lush, green in winter and brown in summer; our climate is tropical and Mediterranean, our winters are warm enough to swim in the ocean and cold enough to build snowmen; we have mountains and plains, sea and desert; we have exhilarating cities and depressing slums; we are gifted with bountiful natural resources but have some of the poorest people in the world.

South Africa is blessed but blighted, buzzing with life but crying in pain, united as a nation but divided as a country, reaching for a brighter future but being pulled back by our dark past.

South Africa is massively misunderstood by the international community. People watch the news and see the worst. They hear stories and believe the worst. Having grown up in SA and having lived there on and off in my adult life I am sometimes stunned at how poorly people rate South Africa as a country and particularly as a holiday destination. The misconceptions run deep.

Here are some of the questions and observations that came up time and again.

1. “All I hear about South Africa is that it is very dangerous. I feel like I’ll be murdered or kidnapped if I go there.”

This is a biggie, and it was a concern voiced by almost everyone I spoke to. Yes, crime is a massive problem in South Africa. Locals deal with it on a daily basis. Theft is the biggest problem. Car hijackings and home break-ins happen daily, it’s true. As a tourist however you will be most vulnerable to opportunistic pick-pocketing.

As with most big cities anywhere in the world, use your common sense:

Keep your wits about you.

Don’t walk around with your backpack hanging open.

Lock your hotel room.

Make use of the safe in your room to keep your valuables and documents safe.

Don’t carry large amounts of cash with you.

Don’t look clueless.

Don’t walk around dodgy areas at night.

If you are renting a car lock your doors while you are driving. Use the air-conditioning rather then opening your windows. Make sure you have theft insurance from your car hire company.

Will you be murdered or kidnapped? No.

2. “Are there military guys driving around in jeeps with big guns? Will those guys kidnap me?”

No. This is South Africa not The Congo or Somalia. We are not currently in the grip of a civil war. The only guys you’ll see in jeeps are surfer dudes, and they don’t have guns.

3. “Are there big cities like the rest of the modern world or is it still very basic with mud houses?”

Yes we have cities! Our cities are comparable to cities in the developed world. We have hi-rises, tree-lined boulevards, the biggest shopping mall in the southern hemisphere, stadiums, museums, theatres, kids play grounds, parking lots, highways, suburbs, all those first world perks. We also have Gucci, Prada and the gang, Zara, Mango, H&M, Micky D’s, KFC, and Burger King.

If you are specifically looking for mud houses, go visit Shakaland near Durban where you can have an authentic Zulu cultural experience.

Johannesburg is our largest city with a population of around 4.5 million people, roughly the same size as Turkey’s capital Ankara. Cape Town is second with about 3.7 million, similar in size to Los Angeles or Taipei. Durban comes in third with about 3.5 million people, so roughly the size of Berlin, Germany but with much lower population density and the ocean.

Johannesburg is South Africa’s largest city. Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdosremedios/

Cape Town is possibly the world’s most beautiful city

4. “Do you have wild animals roaming around?”

You mean in the streets? Um no, because that would make life pretty impossible. South Africa is lucky to have fabulous wildlife. You can see elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, rhino (sometimes), giraffe, hyena, baboons, crocodiles, hippos, birdlife. You name it, we’ve got it…in our game reserves. And no, there are no tigers in Africa.

Incidentally if you do go on safari, don’t get out of your car to pose with the lions. The last guy who did that got eaten.

See wild animals on safari…but don’t get out of your car!

5. “I’ve heard there are sharks. Is it safe to swim?”

Yes we have sharks. And yes it’s safe to swim. They are usually kept away by shark nets, but sometimes the odd one gets through. In Cape Town around False Bay its Great White territory, they feed off the seals who live there. Surfers are sometimes at risk.

Advice: be sure to swim at a blue flag beach between the flag posts. These beaches are safe and have lifeguards. Don’t swim when the water is brown with sediment. Sharks love that.

South Africa has stunning beaches like this one in Durban

6. “Does everyone eat with their hands?”

If they want to. We’re cool like that. You can too. I’d recommend BBQ ribs.

7. “Do you have normal food there?”

Do you mean burgers and fries? Pizza? Milk? Bread? Cheese? The best steak in the world? Yes, yes we do. You can also eat ostrich, kudu (a kind of giant antelope), crocodile, buffalo. You can be as adventurous or as boring as you like. We have gorgeous fruit and veg too. And allow me to introduce you to Woolworths…called Woollies by us locals. It’s our version of Whole Foods, it’s Sainsburys on steroids, it’s grocery store heaven. In fact I’ve not found a grocery store in Europe that can top it.

8. “Is South Africa a kid friendly place? I’m worried about taking my kids to a developing country.”

South Africa is extremely child friendly. Kids are welcome everywhere and many restaurants have play areas. South Africans love kids. Remember that our warm climate means that most child friendly activities include running wild and free outside under the African sun. We have endless sandy beaches, great mountain trails, wine farms where you can picnic under 400 year old French oak trees, mountain streams for swimming in, the list goes on. You can drink the tap water and there will always be something for your kids to eat from chicken nuggets to fish pie, it just depends on them. And on you.

Here is an article I wrote about visiting Cape Town with kids.

South Africa is great for kids

There is so much to do in South Africa

9. “What if I have a medical emergency in South Africa? I don’t want to end up in a rural field hospital somewhere.”

You mean like during the Second World War? Amputations with a crusty saw and a swig of whiskey?

Private medical care in South Africa is absolutely first class. The first heart transplant was carried out in South Africa by a South African heart surgeon. Every major city, and most smaller towns have numerous excellent hospitals or MediClinics. I gave birth to my son in a small town north of Durban and it was more like checking into a 5 star hotel than a busy hospital ward. I had a natural birth with excellent midwives and a doctor who listened to and honoured my wishes.

As a tourist you’ll have medical insurance, so expect excellent care.

10. “Do black and white people hate each other?”

I can understand why you would think that, it’s the rhetoric of Apartheid still ringing in your ears. Perhaps you learned about it at school. Perhaps you’ve gleaned that impression from the news. Yes, there are racial tensions in South Africa. We’ve only been a democracy for 22 years. There are bound to be some growing pains. But will you, as a guest in our country, as a tourist after the good life experience racism first hand? No. I’m willing to bet that you won’t. What you will encounter is far more diversity than just black and white. We have all colours of the rainbow, one of the largest Indian populations outside of India, and many racial, cultural and ethnic nuances that you will not even be aware of as a tourist. But the bottom line is that all South Africans have a joy for life, an energy that is fed by sun and optimism, smiles as broad as the sky and hearts as deep as the ocean. That is what you will feel when you experience South Africa.

Go on, Google it, you’ll see I’m right 😉

South Africa is a rainbow nation with a wonderful spirit

Go up Table Mountain by cable car

South Africa has breathtaking natural beauty

Do you have any doubts about visiting South Africa? Or have you been and loved it?