South Africa: In the Country

Accommodation

Hotel reservation websites: The Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA)

Rules For Eating Out: Some restaurants remain close on Sundays or Mondays. ‘Liquor stores' are open weekdays 0900-1800 and Sat 0900-1300. Supermarkets are permitted to sell wine but not beer or spirits. No alcohol can be sold from shops on a Sunday.

All restaurants and bars/cocktail lounges have waiter service and you pay your bill at the end.

It is customary to tip waiters; normally 10-15% of the bill amount, if service is not included. By law, hotel rates do not include a service charge.

Food Specialties: South Africans like to get take out. This has resulted in the development of a wide range of restaurants that only offer take out services. Cape Malay cuisine, which is often fruity and sweet, can be found in Cape Town, whereas the cuisine on the KwaZulu-Natal coast has Indian influences. Mozambique peri peri spicy chicken and shrimp are popular all over the country. Braais (barbeques) are also hugely popular. Meat is a well-loved staple in South Africa, although most restaurants, even in small towns, offer a couple of vegetarian dishes.
Drinks: The legal drinking age is 18. Some of the most common drinks in South Africa are:

• Umqombothi: a home-brewed sorghum beer.

• Excellent local red and white wines (including Chardonnay), sherries and brandies.

• Rooibos: a red-leafed tea grown in the Western Cape.

• Amarula Cream: a sweet creamy liqueur made from the fruit of the Marula tree.
Table Manners: South Africa is a diverse country, so table manners depend on who you are dining with. however, here are some of the general etiquette tips:

- do not cut bread rolls. Instead, break them into small bite-sized pieces on a side plate.

- don't leave food on your plate when you're done eating.

- cross your knife and fork on your plate to indicate that you are still eating.

- place your knife and fork closely together next to your plate to indicate that you are done eating.

Urban transport services: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa
Golden Arrow Bus Services in Cape Town

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
Cape Town (CPT)	22km / 15.5 miles	ZAR 200 / 20-40 min	-	-	Available
Durban Intl (DUR)	60km / 37.3 miles North of Durban	ZAR 400 / 25 min	-	-	Available
Johannesburg Intl (JNB)	21 km / 13 miles	ZAR 273-363 / 30 min	ZAR 109 / 45 min	-	Available
Pretoria - Wonderboom National Airport (PRY)	11 km / 7 miles N of Pretoria city centre and 64 km / 40 miles NNE of Johannesburg.	ZAR 200	Available to Pretoria: StarLine Bus #162	-	Available
Lanseria Intl (HLA)	30 km / 19 Miles NNW of Johannesburg, 35 km / 22 miles SW of Pretoria.	Available	-	-	Available

Name	Type	Domestic Flights	International Flights
South African Airlines	Major	Yes	Yes
Airlink	Major	Yes	Yes

National Roads Organizations: South African National Roads Agency Limited
Automobile Association of South Africa
Department of Transport
South Africa 's Road Safety

Time zone

Type of Climate: South Africa experiences pleasant and sunny summers, mild winters, with occasional snow fall in the mountain ranges of the Cape and Natal and in lower-lying areas. There are heavy rains along the southern coast from June to September.
Hotel reservation websites: South African Weather Service

Climate

Domestic Currency: South African Rand
ISO Code: ZAR
To Obtain Domestic Currency: It is possible to exchange foreign currency at banks, hotels, shops and restaurants. ATMs are readily available. Traveller’s cheques are also widely accepted. Travellers should preferably carry cheques in Pounds Sterling or U.S. Dollars.
Possible Means of Payment: MasterCard and Visa are preferred. American Express and Diners Club are also widely accepted. ATMs are readily available in towns and cities, including in shopping malls and petrol stations, and accept all international debit and credit cards.

To Find a Cash Machine Where You Need, Use the ATM locator

Official Language: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu.
Other Languages Spoken: Fanagalo, Hindi, Sotho, Tsotsitaal, Venda.
Business Language: English and Afrikaans.

Telephone Codes: To Make a Call From South Africa, Dial 00
To Make a Call to in South Africa, Dial +27
Mobile Telephone Standards: GSM
National Mobile Phone Operators: Vodacom, MTN (Mobile Telephone Network) and Cell C.

Internet Suffix: .za
National Internet Access Providers: There are many ISPs operating in the country. For details, visit: Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) of South Africa.

Any Comment About This Content? Report It to Us.