 Visa Regulations
Most nationalities get up to 3 months entry on arrival. Check with the Home Affairs and your travel agent whether you need to prearrange a visa. Do not show up without a visa if you are required to have one, as visas will not be issued at points of entry. If needed, you can extend your visa in South Africa. With an extension the total amount of time you are allowed to stay is 6 months. Additional information as well as Visa application forms can be found at the Department of Home Affairs , ph: +27 (0)12 810 8911
Make sure you have 2 blank pages back to back in your passport and that it is valid for at least six more months or you will be sent back! Make sure you have a return ticket available or they will send you back. If you need to pick up a ticket at the airport have the flight number and details handy and speak with the customs guy, they should check your story out and let you in (be firm). Be wary of arriving with a damaged passport as new security measures might trip up your entry.
Hotels, Apartments, Cruises, Vacations in South Africa
Useful information
Currency:
The local currency is the South African Rand (R1=100 cents), which exchanges favourably with the major international currencies. This makes South Africa an affordable destination, where five-star luxury, and many items such as food, wine and lager, can be purchased at a much lesser cost than in many global cities.
Most international traveller's cheques are accepted, however, it is advised that you bring them in a hard currency, such as US dollars or British Pounds. Currency can be exchanged at banks, forex bureaus and sometimes at hotels. Foreign tourists can have their VAT (value-added tax at 14%) refunded at the point of departure, provided they present their original tax invoices. Most major international credit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted.
Phone
South Africa's country code is 27.
Phone numbers within South Africa are of the format 0XX YYY ZZZZ.
Large cities have area codes 0XX (Johannesburg is 011, Pretoria 012, Cape Town 021, Durban 031, Port Elizabeth 041, East London 043, Kimberley 053, Bloemfontein 051) while smaller towns may have longer area codes (0XX Y for example) with shorter local numbers. 
When dialing a South African number from outside the country, one should dial +27 XX YYY ZZZZ.
Dialing within the country one should use all 10 digits, 0XX YYY ZZZZ.
To dial out of South Africa, dial 00 followed by the country code and the rest of the number you are trying to reach.
Pay phones are available at airports, shopping malls and some petrol stations. The number of pay phones in open public areas have been reduced over recent years, but you should still be able to find one when you need one. Pay phones use either coins or prepaid cards that are available at most shops and petrol stations ; coin phones are generally blue while card phones are usually green.
GSM
South Africa has an extensive GSM network, working on the same frequency as the rest of Africa and Europe . There are four cell phone providers in South Africa: Vodacom , MTN , Cell-C and Virgin Mobile .
The networks support GPRS countrywide and 3G, EDGE and HSDPA support is available in larger urban areas. 
Do not assume you will not have network coverage just because you can not see a GSM tower. Many of the towers have been build to look like trees ( Vodacom ) or other structure ( MTN ) in order to better blend into the surroundings and not be an eyesore.
Internet
There are plenty of Internet cafes and access rates are cheap.
Even cheaper and more mobile would be to buy a prepaid cell phone starter pack (less than 10 rand) and access the Internet with GPRS or 3G (2 rand per MB from MTN and Vodacom). If you intend to use your phone mostly for data, look at Virgin Mobile, they offer prepaid packages with GPRS/3G at 50 cent per MB.
WiFi
Always-On seem to be leading the way in prepaid WiFi access. Their hotspots can now be found at Cape Town and OR Tabmo airports, some City Lodge Hotels, most Mugg&Bean restaurants and various other places.
Simply connect to the access point and you will be given the opportunity to pay for access by credit card. Pricing starts at around R15 for 10 minutes or R60 for 100MB. Their support desk can be contacted on +27 (0)11 575-2505.
Electricity:
The electricity supply is 220/230 volts AC 50 HZ, with the exception of Pretoria (230 V) and Port Elizabeth (200/250 V). Most plugs have 3-pin or 2-pin. Adaptors can be purchased, but may be in short supply. US-made appliances may need a transformer. Most hotel rooms have 110 volt outlets for electric shavers and appliances. Time zone:
UTC+2
 Shopping and Tipping
Modern shopping malls, arts & crafts routes and markets, flea markets and informal vendors provide a wide variety of goods, curios, and shopping experiences. South Africa's fashion, gold and diamond jewellery, and art are sought-after. As are the traditional handcrafted items such as Zulu beadwork; carved chessboards; painted ostrich eggs; colourful woven baskets, handbags and soft furnishings; mohair or sisal rugs; traditional wooden masks and carvings; pottery and leather items. And don't forget the world-renowned Cape wines, exotic fruit liqueurs, brandy, rooibos tea, dried fruit, biltong (dried meat snacks) and chutney. Most major shopping centres and malls operate 7 days a week, but small town shops are often closed on Sunday.
TRANSPORT
By car
One drives on the left-hand side of the road in South Africa. All measurements are done using the metric system; distances on road signs are in kilometer and fuel is sold by the litre.
To get a car in South Africa there are basically three options, you can hire a car, buy one or use the so-called buy-back option. Hiring a car is fairly easy and bookings can be made online and in all major cities. Buying a car takes a bit more work ( Roadworthy license, registering the car, insurance ), but there is a lively used car market in South Africa. The third option is a combination of both, as you buy a car with a guarantee that the rental company will buy-back your car at the end of the contract. Most cars in South Africa have manual transmissions and the selection of second-hand automatics may be limited.
The roads within South Africa, connecting most major cities, and between its immediate neighbors are very good. There are many highways connecting the cities and larger centers, including the N1 running from Cape Town through Johannesburg and Pretoria up to Harare , Zimbabwe , the N2 running from CapeTown to Durban , which passes through the world-famous Garden Route near Knysna , and the N3 between Duran and Johannesburg . 
Many of the major highways are toll roads with emergency assist telephones every couple of kilometers. All the large fuel companies have rest stops every 200km to 300km along these highways where you can full up, eat something at a restaurant, get takeaways, do some shopping or just stretch your legs. Restrooms at these facilities are well maintained and clean. Most (but not all) of these rest stops also have ATMs. Toll roads generally have two or more lanes in each direction.
Some of the main roads have only one lane in each direction, especially where they are far from urban centers. It is customary to flash your hazard lights once, after passing a truck or other slow vehicle that has moved onto the hard shoulder to let you pass. This is considered a thank you and you will most likely receive a my pleasure response in the the form of the slow vehicle flashing its headlights once.
South Africa has a high rate of traffic fatalities, and you may want to avoid driving at night except in urban areas. Watch out for unsafe drivers (minibus taxis), poor lighting, and pedestrians (who are the cause of many accidents, especially at night). When driving outside of the major cities you will often encounter animals, wild and domestic, in or near the roadway. The locals tend to herd their cattle and goats near the road. If you see an animal on or by the road, slow down, as they are unpredictable. Do not stop to feed wild animals!
Make sure you understand the road signs. A special kind of crossing is the 'four way stop' where the car that stops first has right of way. You will not encounter many traffic circles, but when you do, take special care as the general attitude of South African drivers is that traffic circles do not constitute a traffic management roadway structure, and do not use their indicators in a safe and predictable fashion. In general, South Africans tend to speed excessively and are prone to selfish or aggressive driving behavior, such as tailgating and hooting. On multi-lane roadways, the principle of keep-left, pass right, is often not adhered to.
Fuel stations are full service with lead free petrol, lead replacement petrol and diesel available. Pump attendants will offer to wash your windscreen and check oil and water in addition to just filling up the car. It is usual to tip the attendant approximately R5. Almost all fuel stations are open 24 hours a day.
Speed limits are clearly indicated. Generally speed limits on highways are 120km/h, major roads outside buildup areas are 100 km/h, major roads within build up areas are 80km/h and normal town roads are 60 km/h.
Speed law enforcement is usually done by portable or stationary, radar or laser cameras. Fines will be sent to the registered address of the vehicle you are driving. Non camera portable radar and laser systems are also used and you may be pulled over for speeding and given a written fine.
Should you find yourself waiting at a red traffic light late at night in an area where you do not feel safe, you can cross over the red light after first carefully checking that there is no other traffic. If you receive a fine due to a camera on the traffic light you can normally have it wavered by writing a letter to the traffic department or court explaining that you crossed safely and on purpose, due to security reasons. Do not make a habit of this. When stopped at a traffic light at night always leave enough room between your car and the car in front of you so you can get around them. It is a common hijacking manoeuvre to box your car in. This is especially prevalent in the suburbs of Johannesburg. 
South Africa currently does not have a merits system and does not share traffic violation information with other nations.
The N1 between Gauteng and Cape Ton and the N3 between Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal can become very busy at the start and end of Gauteng school holidays, due to many people from Gauteng spending their holidays at the coast. If you are planning on using these two highways, it is wise to try and avoid the two days after schools break up and the two days before they open again.
The N3 normally have a Highway Customer Care line during busy periods, ph: 0800 203 950, it can be used to request assistance for breakdowns, accidents or general route information.
License requirements
If your drivers license is in any of South Africa's 11 official languages ( i.e. English ) and it contains a photo and your signature integrated into the license document, then it is legally acceptable as a valid drivers license in South Africa. However, some car rental and insurance companies may still insist that you provide an International Driver's Permit.
It is generally best practice to acquire an International Driver's Permit in your country of origin, prior to starting your journey, regardless of whether your license is legally acceptable or not.
Usefull links
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National Roads Agency , has latest toll tariffs and road condition reports.
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Shell has a very good route planner and street level maps. Well worth spending some time there planning your trip before you hit the road.
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South African Automobile Association , ph: +27 (0)83 843 22
By bus
There are scheduled bus services between Cape Town , Johannesburg , Durban and other cities (with stops in between), as well as connections to neighboring countries. The main bus companies are:
Booking for the above can also be done via Computicket .
Smaller services include City Bug and Lowveld Link .
An alternative is the Baz Bus . It offers a regular hop-on-hop-off service on some of the most interesting routes for the tourist ( Cape Town to Durban via the Garden Route ; Durban to Johannesburg via Swaziland ; Durban to Johannesburg via the Drakensberg ). Baz Bus picks you up and drops you off at many hostels along the route, so you don't have to hang around at a downtown bus stop at night.
If you're really in a pinch, you can use minibus taxis . They are poorly maintained and rarely comply with safety standards. They also require patience as they make many detours and changeovers at the taxi rank (hub) where the driver will wait for passengers to fill up the bus. But they cover many routes not covered by the main bus service and are quite cheap (25 cents per kilometer per person on the main routes).
By train
Spoornet is the national rail operator. There are budget passenger services between major South African cities (known as Shosholoza Meyl ) as well as a Premier Class service between Johannesburg and Cape Town .
Spoornet Central Reservations (for both Shosholoza Meyl and Premier Class) can be contacted as follows :
To book tickets, phone Central Reservations on one of the numbers given above and make your booking. You can pick up and pay for the tickets later at any train station.
There are also commuter trains in larger cities ( Johannesburg , Pretoria , Cape Town , Durban , Port Elizabeth and East London ) ; these are run by MetroRail . Most services are perfectly safe, but certain routes are overcrowded and not always safe.
 Mid-range
Splurge
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Blue Train , ? +27 (0)12 334-8459 ( Cape Town:+27 (0)21 449 2672, UK: +44 1403 24 3619, central Europe:+44 2089 245126, USA:+1 305 864 4569 , BlueTrain@Spoornet.co.za ). This world famous luxury train operates between Pretoria and Cape Town .
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Rovos Rail , ? +27 (0)12 315-8242.Offers luxury rail travel throughout Southern Africa . Destinations include Cape Town , Pretoria , Durban , George , Swakopmund in Namibia , Vic Falls in Zimbabwe and Dar es Salaam in Zanzibar .
By motorhome
With the abundance of caravan parks available in South Africa, motorhomes are becoming ever more popular with international visitors. It gives you the freedom to move around as well as a place to stay wherever you are.
A number of companies offer motorhomes rentals
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Maui , 173 Tulbagh Road, Pomona, Kempton Park, Johannesburg , +27 (0)11 396-1445 ( maui@iafrica.com , fax : +27 (0)11 396-1757 ).
Hitchhiking in South Africa is not so hard, but most people will think you are catching a ride with the local taxis and thus expect you to pay. I suggest you tell them you are looking for a free ride before climbing aboard. The main issue is crime : some drivers may hijack you and your belongings. Don't hitchhike at night.
HEALTH
Malaria is found only in the Lowveld of Mpumalanga (incl. the Kruger National Park) and Limpopo (north-eastern areas and near the Zimbabwean and Mozambican borders) and on the Maputaland coast of KwaZulu-Natal (north-east as far south as the Tugela River). Malaria risk is highest October-May. Although the incidence of malaria is rare, it would be best to take adequate precautions if you choose to visit these areas. In addition to malaria prophylaxis, insect repellants and mosquito nets can be effective. Medical facilities equal the best in the world and in many medical disciplines, South Africa is a global leader. A large network of hospitals offer excellent service, but make sure you have adequate health insurance.
SAFETY
Most parts of the country can be safely visited by tourists, provided they take basic common-sense precautions e.g. not walking alone in deserted areas at night, not flashing photographic equipment or jewellery and, in traffic, maintaining a safe following distance. Most major cities run organized crime prevention programmes and Basic Safety Tip guidelines are available at hotels and tourism information offices. If you are in doubt as to the safety of a particular area or attraction, contact the National Tourism Information and Safety Line on 083 123 2345. This number may also be used for assistance in replacing lost documents or reporting incidents.
 People
Those who are practiced in North American racial terminology should understand that familiar words have different meanings in South Africa, and the rules for what terms are polite or not are different.
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If you wish to refer to South Africans of solely African ancestry, " black " (the term used under apartheid ) is still considered appropriate. It might help to practice thinking "black South African" instead of "African American". (Indeed, many black South Africans scoff at the term "African American", claiming that there is very little of Africa residing within the average "African American".)
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The term " coloured " is neither synonymous with "black", nor offensive; it refers to a cultural group with both white and black ancestors from the early colonial period.
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Although the majority of white South Africans speak Afrikaans , that is not their ethnicity; call them " white " or "white South African". A typical white South African considers himself as "African" as any person born in the United States considers himself "American"; most have family who have lived in South Africa for generations and the only continent they can call home is Africa.
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The fourth racial category left over from the apartheid system is " Indian " ( from India ).
In general, it is wise to avoid racial or political remarks while in South Africa, because the country's very diverse cultural disposition means that "putting your foot in it" is easy. 
South Africa is now in its second decade since the end of apartheid , but it is always easier to change laws than people. You will occasionally still hear overtly racist remarks, from any race group in South Africa, not only white South Africans. This is more common from the older generation than the younger ones. The best thing to do is simply ignore it; leave the responsibility for enlightening lectures to other South Africans, who know the subject at least as well as any foreign traveler.
Interracial marriages are becoming quite common, and except for possibly some of the older generation, people no longer take offense if you and your partner are not the same colour.
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