Going alone to South Africa

Hi! I am planning to spend a week in South Africa the next year. I am wondering which would be the best place. I have heard about the crime there and now I am a bit confused if it\'s a good decision or not. But on the other site I have already heard it\'s a nice country. Does someone know what is true? I mean about the crime not that\'s a nice country. ;-) I\'d love to see Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria or Durban. What is the best of it?
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Hi Sandi
I absolutely agree with Abby. I have been in the backpacking industry for many many years. Our Backpacking Hostels are of a very hight standard. Most of them have Travel Centres on the premises to help you with all your travel needs, car hire, day trips things to do etc. etc. I have been to most Backpacking places throughout South Africa. Herewith some hostels that i will recommend. Go to the websites and have a look. To travel through South Africa you can make use of the hop-on hop-off door to door service of the Baz Bus. It is more expensive than your normal bus services but at least you get dropped off at a hostel of your choice. www.bazbus.com. Cape Town - To be close to all the parties in Long Street have a look at the following websites - www.carnivalcourt.co.za,www.catandmoose.co.za, www.abantubackpackers.com.
Walking distance to Long Street, shops etc. www.capetownbackpackers.com. Close to the waterfront - www.stjohns.co.za, www.sunflowerstop.co.za. If you want more options just contact me ( nickname- Woza).I have info on backpacking establishments in Durban, Joburg, Garden Route, Transkei etc. etc. Great tour companies - www.bokbus.com ( 5 day Garden Route tour) - for wine tours, Cape Point tours, Shark Cage Diving etc. look at. www.daytrippers.co.za - www.sharkcagediving.co.za plus many more. For a fantastic Orange River rafting trip www.umkulu.co.za ( I just spent a fabulous 5 days on the Orange River and a had a great New Years Party with Umkulu.
I also have information on all the activities in all the other areas in South Africa and some in Neighbouring countries.
I have travelled throughout South Africa many times as well as to Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique,Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi,Zanzibar and Egypt. I love Africa and South Africa and everything and anything to do with it.
Woza
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I think Abby is right on target. We have driven in many parts of South Africa and I think common sense prevails most of the time. We once entered a small village were there was some unrest. Upon seeing a line of armored personnel carriers loaded with armed troops we departed the town and found us a better place. I never thought it a good ideal to want to get into the slums in Johannesburg. Some people did. I think you are getting yourself in a place where anything could go wrong at any minute. I try to avoid that kind of situation regardless of what country we are in. Reply to this

Hi
I live in South Africa. Its a cool safe country. Sometimes news gets blown out of proportion. Don't put yourself in risky situations like being alone at night in unfamiliar places. Cape Town centre has a international buzz - very upmarket hip vibey. Durban doesn't do anything for me - too crowded. Garden route is a mixture of travelers, hippies and upmarket touristy places - has beautiful scenery. West coast is not visited by many tourists - neglected beauty -sleepy authentic fishing villages. Joburg is a boring huge city. Kruger has game park camps and loads of animals to see.
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Sandi, I have grown up in Cape Town and travelled extensively. I still think its the most beautiful, fun, exciting and cosmopolitan city in the world. Just be as cautious as you would in any major city in the world, try not to expose too many valuables and keep an eye on your things and you will have an amazing time. The backpacking scene is one of the best in the world, enjoy the Baz Bus and the people you meet along the way will suggest where to go. Start in Cape Town, maybe do the Garden Route and definitely spend some time in the Kruger Park. Foreign friends of mine have done 3 week overland trips through southern African which they still talk about.
good luck and have a great time!!!!!! Reply to this

Definitely don't be put off going because of crime. I travelled solo in South Africa a year ago and I had a fantastic time. Be sensible, as you would in any city, don't go out on the streets alone at night, or go in areas where you don't feel comfortable, but apart from that just use common sense and have a great time. I visited Jo'berg, Pretoria and Cape Town, and did several day trips out from these places. Hostels are perfectly safe and many run good price day trips or can put you in touch with good companies. Take secure taxis if you want to spend a bit more and if you are travelling long distance then use the BazBus as it literally does a circuit of hostels. If you are happy to drive in a foreign country then hiring a car can be a good idea as it will give you more independance and the rental cars are really cheap. If not it is still possible to get about, I did my trip without a car. In places like Cape Town there is the 'CitySightseeing' bus. It does two routes, one around the city and one going a bit further out - it is a safe, easy and cheap way to get about if you don't have a car and ca't afford taxis all the time. You get the recorded history tour as you go and can hop on, hop off as and when you like. Pretoria also has a hop-on, hop-off bus (but it's not the citysightseeing company) It isn't as regular or reliable as CitySightseeing but it's good value and gets you to the main places. Apart from that look for locally based tour companies, some of them offer really reasonable day tours, especially if you want to visit the safari parks without your own transport, you can round trip transport, entrance, tour and often lunch as well - it's good value and a relaxed way to visit the parks. Enjoy your travels. Reply to this

The murder numbers Jason quotes, as well as statistics on non-fatal violent crime, make it difficult to argue that South Africa is not more dangerous than the average country. The good news is that most of that violent crime isn't aimed at tourists, and takes place in areas that a tourist is unlikely to be wandering around in, so your chances as a tourist of being a victim of violent crime in South Africa are still low on an absolute scale - even if they're higher than in most other countries.

However crime is no reason to avoid going there - it doesn't put off the 8 or 9 million tourists that visit every year. Ask for advice about no-go areas and local transport, and take the usual safety precautions that you should do in a place you don't know well.

With regards to where to go, Cape Town's a lively city and has more than enough to do to keep you occupied for a week. I haven't spent any significant time in the other 3 places, but I didn't meet anyone in South Africa - whether a local or a traveller - who had a good word to say about Joburg. But is there a reason you want to see a city rather than nature? Reply to this

Hi! I am planning to spend a week in South Africa the next year. I am wondering which would be the best place. I have heard about the crime there and now I am a bit confused if it's a good decision or not. But on the other site I have already heard it's a nice country. Does someone know what is true? I mean about the crime not that's a nice country. Wink I'd love to see Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria or Durban. What is the best of it?

Reply to this