General Information

South Africa is one of the most diverse and interesting countries in the world. Tourists flock to South Africa for its natural beauty, wildlife and sunshine. South Africa's immensely varied terrain supports a rich diversity of animals, birds, and plant-life and offers an incomparable range of experiences.

Whether you're in South Africa on safari or to enjoy the beaches, breathtaking drives, whale-watching or unspoiled wilderness, SA-Venues.com strives to help you experience the very best that the country has to offer, including finding the ideal Cape Town accommodation or the perfect accommodation in South Africa for your holiday.

Need to know

Visiting South Africa

South Africa is located on the southern tip of the African continent, bordered by northern neighbours Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It encompasses the independent mountain kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland and is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the warm Indian Ocean on the east - giving the country its spectacular range of biodiversity.

South Africa enjoys a temperate and pleasant climate, with warm sunny days most of the year. The seasons of the southern hemisphere are opposite to those in the northern hemisphere so our Summer runs from November to February, when most of the country is characterised by warm to hot weather.

South Africa is a year-round destination so when you visit depends on what you intend and prefer to do. The best time for game viewing is in early spring (August to October). The southern right whales can be seen off our coasts from June to the end of October, and the humpback whales from August to December. Holiday-makers stream out of the cities from mid December to late January and resorts and national parks are heavily booked during these times (so we advise you book your accommodation in South Africa for these holiday periods early, to avoid disappointment).

Proudly South African

The People and Languages

South Africans have been referred to as the 'rainbow nation', a title which illuminates the country's cultural diversity. The population of South Africa is one of the most complex and diverse in the world. Of the 45 million South Africans, nearly 31 million are Black, 5 million White, 3 million Coloured (a term used peoples of mixed African, Asian and White descent) and 1 million Indian. The population density is 32.9 people per sqkm.

There are 11 officially recognised languages, most of which are indigenous to South Africa.

English is spoken everywhere you go. English is the language of the cities, of commerce and banking, of government and official documents. All our road signs and official forms are in English and at any South African hotel, Bed and Breakfast or Guest House the service staff will speak English. Other languages you can expect to hear are Xhosa, Zulu and Afrikaans. In the following section, you will also find commonly used phrases in these languages (to get you started) and, so you don't get too confused, a list of popular 'South Africanisms'. Find out more, go to South Africa languages and culture.