Important Information/Survival guide
Hotel and transport
We will update this section soon after we block book rooms in a nearby hotel. Stay tuned! We are planning to provide transport on the day of the wedding to take you from hotel to venue and back, but to make the most of South Africa you really should book a car to travel around. Go to skscanner to compare the best prices. German and Irish drivers licences are valid in South Africa, and they drive on the left side of the road! Links: SkyScanner.net/carhire
Flights to Cape Town
You can book flights up to one year in advance. We would recommend doing that as soon as you can as prices do increase over time generally. Anything under €700 is great, and we recommend flying from Ireland with BA through London (great service but often not the cheapest) or with Turkish Airlines through Istabul. From Munich we often fly with Qatar Airways, currently the worlds no. 1 airline. There are also cheap options to fly to Cape Town from Johannesburg should you land in Joburg first (it sometimes is a lot cheaper to fly to Joburg first). Set up email alerts on SkyScanner to find the best prices. Links: SkyScanner.net
Vaccinations and shots
You don't need any vaccinations or shots for South Africa. What you will need is sun cream, even though we are having the ceremony in the Southern Hemisphere early winter time. Average temperatures are about 22 C in April. Link for weather: Weather.
Safety
Although we have never been robbed during our trips to South Africa, it is advisable to keep your wits about you when in public, make sure your doors are locked and don't leave anything important visible when you leave your car.
Currency
The local currency is the South African Rand. The Rand is very favourable at the moment, and you get great value for money in South Africa. We have often paid less than €10 for a 3 course meal with drinks. You don't need to worry about changing money before you arrive, it is easiest to simply withdraw money from the ATM machines when you arrive with your bank card. Perhaps ask your local bank if there will be any problems before you leave. Current exchange rates.
Other Hotels
We have been using Booking.com for most of our trips. They are really easy to use and very reliable. Towns that we recommend you visit are: Paarl, Montagu, Franschhoek, Fish Hoek, Hout Bay, Knysna - and anywhere else along the Garden Route! Link to booking.com.
Things to do in South Africa
Cape Point
At the tip of the Cape Peninsula 60 km south-west of Cape Town, lies Cape Point, a nature reserve within the Table Mountain National Park; a declared Natural World Heritage Site. Encompassing 7 750 hectares of rich and varied flora and fauna; abounding with buck, baboons and Cape Mountain Zebra as well as over 250 species of birds, Cape Point is a nature enthusiast paradise. Link to tourist info.
Safari
South Africa has some of the best national parks and safaris in the world. Kruger park is a must if you have time, but there are lots of places within a few hours drive of Cape Town. Link to tourist info.
Wine tasting
The Western Cape encompasses lush winelands around Stellenbosch and Paarl. It's impossible to drive more than 5 minutes without seeing another winery. Most of these have very cheap public tastings which you can pair up with a cheese and olive plate. Most offer beautiful scenery and very helpful staff who can answer all your wine related questions. Try to get at least one tasting in a day! Link to tourist info.
Stunning Beaches
South Africa is known for its great game reserves and the Big 5 -- the buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhino. But amidst the natural land-locked wonders are a series of beaches with striking turquoise waters and sparkling white sandy shores. Link to tourist info.
Hot Springs
The little town of Montagu has a wonderful hot springs resort which is perfect place to relax after you go on one of the many hikes nearby. A great place to go to take it easy. Link to tourist info.
Franschhoek
Nestled between towering mountains in the beautiful Cape winelands lies the magnificent Franschhoek Valley. This is the food and wine heartland of the country, and has some of the best restaurants in the Western Cape. Famous for its Wine Tram that takes you on a day tour of many of the local wine farms, this is a must do for your South African trip! Link to tourist info.
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. There is a cable car which brings you up in about 15 minutes, but if you are feeling adventurous you can hike up also. Bring a picnic and a bottle of wine to watch the sun set over the city of Cape Town. Highly recommended! Link to tourist info.
Garden Route
High on the must see lists of most visitors to South Africa is the Garden Route, and with good reason: you can’t help but be seduced by the glorious natural beauty. The distance from Mossel Bay in the west to just beyond Plettenberg Bay in the east is under 300km, yet the range of topography, vegetation, wildlife and outdoor activities is remarkable. The coast is dotted with excellent beaches also. Link to tourist info.
Cape Town Waterfront
The Waterfront in Cape Town has sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, Table Bay Harbour, the City of Cape Town and Table Mountain. This bustling shopping, dining and entertainment area neighbouring the Table Bay harbour is almost as synonymous with a visit to Cape Town. Lots of shopping and eating await you! Link to tourist info.