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Top South Africa hotels

Cape Town Hotels: 2634 Reviews - 6071 Photos
Johannesburg Hotels: 1063 Reviews - 2179 Photos
Durban Hotels: 422 Reviews - 844 Photos
Pretoria Hotels: 394 Reviews - 700 Photos
Port Elizabeth Hotels: 92 Reviews - 170 Photos
Sun City Hotels: 311 Reviews - 834 Photos
East London Hotels: 3 Reviews - 8 Photos
Clarens Hotels: 31 Reviews - 58 Photos
Skukuza Hotels: 9 Hotels
Umhlanga Rocks Hotels: 19 Reviews - 30 Photos
Knysna Hotels: 166 Reviews - 329 Photos
Nelspruit Hotels: 14 Reviews - 44 Photos
Oudtshoorn Hotels: 106 Reviews - 234 Photos
Hluhluwe Hotels: 20 Reviews - 81 Photos
Pietermaritzburg Hotels: 29 Reviews - 48 Photos

South Africa Shopping

by CatherineReichardt

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Shopping
by CatherineReichardt
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by CatherineReichardt
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by CatherineReichardt
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by CatherineReichardt

Most Viewed Shopping in South Africa

Shopping Malls Cape Town

29 Reviews Situated between Robben Island and Table Mountain in the heart of Cape Town's working harbour, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront has become South Africa's most visited destination.. You can buy...

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Flea Markets Cape Town

10 Reviews awsome.... thats what you really need to buy from south africa... south african crafts which either made of wood or leather usually. its a must to visit if you are in capetown. also you can enjoy...

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Informal Markets Cape Town

15 Reviews Greenmarket Square markets are now an institution in Cape Town.Everyone goes there. And anything goes there. Its one of those funky places that are fun to walk around in,even if shopping is not your...

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Wire and bead sculptures are almost irresistable!

by CatherineReichardt

(work in progress)In terms of local crafts, I have yet to come across another place that offers the diversity of artforms and craftsmanship that South Africa does.My particular favourite is the wire and beadwork art, which is a deritive of the Ndebele beading tradition. Beads are threaded onto stout wire, that is then twisted into myriad shapes, from keyrings through beaded versions of local flowers such as agapanthus and proteas to a range of animal and human figures.What the craftsmen manage to conjur up from these humble materials is utterly astonishing. My personal favourite is the almost lifesize warthog that presides over our lounge - see below - and the most extreme example I have yet to come across is this figure of Nelson Mandela, that stands outside a gift store in the departure lounge at O.R. Tambo airport in Johannesburg. The artist concerned has managed to capture the...

Help with packing your bags in supermarkets

by CatherineReichardt

(work in progress)One thing that you'll note in South Africa is that because labour is still relatively cheap, anything that contains a service component tends to be cheaper than in the developed world.Another area where this becomes apparent is in the 'free' services that various business routinely offer their customers. for example, in supermarkets, you will routinely be assisted in packing your bags (in Woolworths, the cashier also does the packing, and elsewhere - such as at Pick'n'Pay supermarket above, the till is manned by a cashier and a packer). The logic is not just convenience to the consumer, but job creation, whereby two jobs are created rather than one. I won't pretend that the salaries are princely, but I think that most people would agree that it's better than no job at all. A similar logic applies at service/petrol/gas stations, where forecourt attendants will fill up...

Planetarium/Tourist Shop: Sky Guide Africa South 2012

by Moirads

One of my favourite little books to use for sky happenings this past year was the Sky Guide 2011. It went on trips to countryside where light pollution is less of a problem than in the big city and it was actually used. I looked forward to receiving the 2012 edition with some eager anticipation.Inflation has seen a small rise in price from R85 to R95, but at under R100, this is still a very reasonably priced pocket guide to the Southern African night sky.As in previous editions the monthly sky diary is supplemented by information phrased simply enough for non-scientific types like me to follow, and they include information on the sun, moon, planets, asteroids, comets, meteors, stars, deep sky, basic observing skills, seasonal start charts and a history of astronomy in Southern Africa. The information is largely different to that of the information contained in the 2011 book. This year a...

Any music store: What to buy for the little ones at home?

by CatherineReichardt

It is often difficult for parents and grandparents to find something original to buy for the kids back home - for frequent travellers in particular, YET another cuddly toy or a T shirt will probably fail to elicit an enthusiastic response.If you are looking for a gift for younger kids (say 7 and below), consider buying one (or more) of the brilliant Beautiful Creatures CDs by Ed Jordan and Alan Glass. They feature animal-themed songs that are tuneful, informative (and scientifically robust - there's even one on the correct use of collective nouns!) with a strong ecological message, and make for very pleasant listening even when you're hearing them for the 400th time! The animals they celebrate are all local, and include some weird and wonderful beasts (for example, buffaloes and bullfrogs) as well as the Usual Suspects - well, you would need to get a bit creative in your subject matter...

Book or TV documentary series: The South African Story with Archbishop Tutu

by Moirads

This book, according to the back cover is “based on the 10-part documentary television series of the same name. “The South African Story with Archbishop Desmond Tutu” is a travelogue with a difference. Created by veteran journalists Roger Friedman and Benny Gool, and taking in all the country's nine provinces, it is a colourful tapestry which brings together the vibrancy and warmth of the diverse people of South Africa and the spectacular beauty of their land.”Desmond Tutu is one of South Africa's most famous citizens, a Nobel Prize winner and once neighbour of fellow Nobel Prize laureate, Nelson Mandela, in Vilikazi Street, Soweto. He has lived and worked in South Africa all his life. He is passionately patriotic and he is wonderfully inspirational and entertaining.Richly illustrated with sumptious photographs the order in which he deals with the provinces, and the sub-title for each of...

Save 14% on your shopping!

by CatherineReichardt

Want to extend your spending money? Well, you'll be delighted to know that visitors can claim back the 14% Value Added Tax (VAT) on purchases exceeding R250 each that they export out of the country! This does not apply to services (such as accommodation and meals), but if you've been a good tourist and donated liberally to our Gross Domestic Product, then this can add up to a sizeable amount. But, as you might expect, it's not quite as easy as that ...The VAT refund can only be claimed at airports and ports of departure from the country - follow the signs for the VAT Administration Offices. Bear in mind that in order to claim the refund, you will need to present the following documents:* original tax invoices* a VAT refund control sheet (pick up one of these from immigration on your way in, where they are on display* a foreign passport* the items on which VAT is being reclaimed. This is...

Any reasonable sized supermarket: A taste of South Africa

by CatherineReichardt

Shoprite, Checkers, Pick'n'Pay and Woolworths (in order of increasing price) are probably the most widespread supermarket chains I think that one of the most interesting things to do in a new country is to wander round a supermarket (and peer surruptitiously into fellow shoppers' trolleys) to see what the locals eat! It's also a great way to buy cheap and original gifts, especially for the foodies you left behind at home.So, what do you buy if you're looking to bring home a taste of South Africa? These are some of the things that South African expats hanker after (even if they seldom touched them when they were at home) - just be warned that some of these are acquired tastes!* biltong, a dried, seasoned uncooked meat much like beef jerky (and, in my unconverted opinion, the texture of boot leather and the taste of spiced, salted cardboard) - which is eaten as a snack. Beware that many...

"Fine book shops everywhere": Life in South Africa is most amusing

by Moirads

Well, this tip is not so much about book shops as about some of the humour annuals that get put out. Two delightful books of humour are the "Madam & Eve" series by Stephen Francis and Rico, neither of whom are South African, and the "Zapiro" political cartoons. The new annual are released in October each year. The 2011 Madam & Eve is entitled "The Pothole at the End of the Rainbow" and the Zapiro one is "The Last Sushi". It draws its title from a very, very expensive party Kenny Kunene threw at the end of 2010 at which sushi was eaten of the naked body of a young woman. It created a huge furore.Both books are published by www.jacana.co.za, famous for "We publish what we like", a play on the words of Steve Biko who wrote "I write what I like". I particularly recommend the Madam & Eve books as they are very accessible. The recommended selling price is R145.00

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Lots of shopping malls.....

by nora_south_africa

Thanks to the favourable exchange rate, South Africa is a shopper’s paradise for international visitorsBrooklynmall(Gauteng)Canalwalk (Cape)Eastgate Shopping Centre (Gauteng)Fourways Crossing (Gauteng)Gateway (Kwazulu-Natal)Hyde Park Shopping Centre (Gauteng)Menlyn Park Shopping Mall (Gauteng)Panorama Flea Market (Gauteng)Randburg Waterfront (Gauteng)Sandton City (Gauteng)Somerset Mall (Cape)The Mall of Rosebank (Gauteng)Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (CapePppppplease check my link included for more info.

Menlyn Park Mall

by shekaago

Very large and modern mall (over 300 shops) where you'll find everything from clothing, books and cosmetics to electronics and home furnishings. There are several places to exchange money, a few restaurants and even a movie theatre. It is like most any major mall in the US with a few minor differences. Unlike most malls in the States (except for those in downtown urban areas) there is a fee for parking. The movie theatre also assigns you a seat when you purchase your ticket. Fairly inexpensive compared to American shops.

Top 3 Hotels in South Africa

Cape Grace Hotel Cape Town

5 Reviews and 582 Opinions Rooms are very nice, and service is spendid. However, the hotel is simply too expensive.

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The Westcliff Hotel Johannesburg

5 Reviews and 301 Opinions Being a local, I have never stayed here (and probably couldn't afford to!) - having visited business...

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Skukuza Restcamp - Kruger National Park Kruger National Park

9 Reviews and 155 Opinions Skukuza is the largest of the rest camps in Kruger and the park's administrative headquarters. While...

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