10 tips for your first trip to South Africa
The perfect combination of natural beauty and exciting adventure, South Africa is a must-visit destination for any serious traveller. South Africa is a real cultural melting pot with its unique quirks and ways of functioning. Make your trip a smooth one with our 10 tips for the first-time traveller.
#1 – Staying in touch
One of your priorities on arrival should be buying and setting up a South African SIM card. You can then buy prepaid minutes to make local calls (handy for making reservations or contacting other members of your travel party) as well as data to use Google Maps, find great local restaurants, or stay in touch on WhatsApp. Most hotels and Airbnbs will have Wifi, so use that when you can and save your data for when you’re out and about.#2 – Money & payments
While most places accept cards, it is always a good idea to carry cash for everything from tipping to buying from street vendors and market shopping. You can draw cash directly from ATMS at the airport when landing or during your trip. If you have secured a SIM card you can download the local payment app SnapScan, which allows you to safely load your cards, for easy contactless payment at most smaller vendors and some larger ones. Remember that you will need data to use your apps.#3 – Tipping
There is a tipping culture in South Africa for service staff. At restaurants it is customary to tip a baseline of 10% to your server, with more at your discretion for excellent service.
If hiring a car you can expect to encounter car guards. For free street parking an informal car guard is someone who wears a hi-vis vest and will watch your car in exchange for a tip. You can decline the service, but you can use it and give anything from R10 as an act of charity in a country where jobs opportunities are scarce.
You also have the luxury of petrol attendants at gas stations who fill your tank with gas, clean your windscreen, and check your tyre pressure. A small tip from R5 and up is always appreciated.
#4 – Safety in South Africa
Be aware of your surroundings and keep valuables in your sight at all times. If you do this, you will most likely enjoy a safe and trouble-free vacation.
Read more about travelling safely in South Africa here.
#5 – Take control
Hire a car and stay in self-catering accommodation. Taking control of your trip is a wonderful way to stay flexible and experience more of this incredible country.#6 – Understand the slang
Throughout your travels, you may hear a few words that go right over your head! Here’s a quick cheat sheet to understand what South Africans are talking about.
Now, now – Forget the meaning of ‘now’ as you know it. In South Africa ‘now, now’ is a commonly used term that means – later/in a few minutes/sometime in the future. In short, it can mean any length of time, but really it means ‘yes yes, we’ll do that at some point’.
Howzit – Simply, hello or hi
Shame – Don’t worry if you hear this common term of endearment thrown around by South Africans. Shame does not mean bad or shameful – in South Africa’ the word is used informally to convey sympathy for another e.g “Oh shame, I’m sorry you stubbed your toe”
Robots – South Africans refer to traffic lights as robots.
Lekker – A term derived from Afrikaans, meaning: nice! Or tasty or anything good.
Petrol station – Gas station
#7 – Use Uber
Safe, reliable and affordable, make use of Uber to get around in major cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg.
#8 – Ask a local
If you are unsure of anything while travelling in South Africa from whether the place you’re thinking of going that evening is safe, or if you can drink the tap water (you can)- ask. South Africans are very friendly and helpful so when in doubt ask away.
#9 – Prepare for all seasons
The weather in South Africa can be a 4-seasons in a-day kind of climate. Even if you’re visiting in summer, pack a few items that will allow for the odd rainy, and in winter the sun can still be pretty intense, so be sure to pack a sun hat and sun protection.
#10 – Buy travel insurance
Enjoy your trip knowing that you’re covered in the event of the unforeseeable. From cancelled flights to extreme sports, look at your itinerary and make sure your insurance covers you for every eventuality.
Travelling to South Africa for the very first time can feel overwhelming. If you’re feeling unsure where to start, Let Rise & Roam create a customised itinerary for you to take the stress out of planning.
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