by Dominic Chadbon, 11 May 2009

Is it just me or are things pretty miserable at the moment? The recession, swine flu and corporate bailouts are all on the litany of global gloom (hell, I even heard the Osmonds are planning a comeback) but we all need a break and there is some bright sunlight at the end of the tunnel.

South Africa. Forget what the media says. Sure we have problems, but at the risk of being glib, who doesn't? (Read the British papers recently? Fancy a midnight stroll through downtown Washington?) South Africa is one of the world's best value for money holiday destinations and we'll show you why.

The Price is Right

Let's face it, people these days want more for less and South Africa delivers top quality product, service and experiences at prices that'll finally make mental arithmetic a pleasure.

Value-for-money accommodation is a South African speciality: you'll pay much less for a room at the elegant Cape Grace than you will at the comparable Dorchester or Mandarin Oriental and that's before the huge range of funky guesthouses and wholesome lodges.

Take a serene spin up to the top of the iconic Table Mountain by cable car. It'll set you back a mere $17 (£11/€13) (a day at heaving Disneyland will be another $30) or enjoy a double decker bus tour of Cape Town for less than ten quid ($14/€11) - London's is nearly 3 times more expensive, New York's over 6 times more.

The daily entrance fee to one of the world's best wildlife reserves - the magnificent Kruger National Park - is less than a rainy day at Britain's Longleat Safari Park and when it comes to the good things in life, there's no comparison: find a top restaurant back home that offers a three-course meal for two with wine for under £40 ($60/ €45) or a great bottle of wine at a retailer for £3 ($4.7/€3.6).

You get my point: South Africa is astonishingly good value for money - even in the touristy bits of it. Imagine what happens when you go off the beaten track...

Everything - under the Sun

South Africa has the lot. In what must be one of the world's most diverse - and dramatic - landscapes, you'll find a happy melting pot of cultures, environments and experiences. We've got the wildlife of Kenya, the scuba diving of the Red Sea, the cuisine of France and the majesty of the Alps.

There's never a dull day in South Africa and there's always a view - and lots of sunshine.

Getting here is easy - from Europe at any rate. It's an 11-hour flight with no jetlag, and the airlines are scrambling to see how low they can set their fares. Sure, it's a time zone affair from the States but the flight deals we're getting make up for a groggy day or two.

There's more: if your South African holiday includes an add-on to one of our Indian Ocean destinations (Mauritius, Seychelles, Zanzibar or Mozambique), it's much cheaper than if you go directly from the UK or US. These tropical destinations compare favourably to the Caribbean in terms of price and experience and there's no 6-month hurricane season.

Safely does it

South Africa has its share of social issues; it'd be disingenuous to argue otherwise. But your holiday will be incident-free if you use your common sense, listen to locals and act as you would in any holiday destination around the world.

In fact, look at the travel advice offered by the US State Department and the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office: they issue various warnings about competing holiday destinations such as Thailand, Turkey, Mexico, Sri Lanka and even Italy (no kidding!), but there's no sign of South Africa on the list - and you can drink the water straight out of the tap.

South Africans will surprise you with their friendliness, and it's not for nothing that India (embroiled in its national elections) recently moved its premier cricket tournament here (also during our elections) on the grounds of South Africa's superior infrastructure and safety record - over England...

Oh, and don't forget that the world's biggest sporting event - the FIFA World Cup - kicks off next year in, you've guessed it, South Africa. (Our 4th world cup event, by the way.)

The Real Deal

So what's the bottom line? More and more travellers are choosing destinations out of the euro/dollar countries and going to more exotic places - though they still want good infrastructure, safety and value for money. South Africa - home to world-class medical care, a superb service industry and a sophisticated banking system - ticks all the boxes so far.

People are also choosing all-inclusive deals and are looking for 'early-bird' specials (i.e. pay now, go next year) as well as last-minute bookings, both of which cut costs considerably. South Africa scores high on all counts, as our Special Deals pages will show you.

And finally, there is a growing trend towards a Return on Life rather than waiting for ever-decreasing dividends from recession-squeezed investments. Get out there, experience life and bank those travel memories.

Well, experiential travel doesn't come much more intense than South Africa: at once huge but intimate, luxurious yet budget-friendly, diverse but familiar, adventurous yet tranquil - a world of many worlds, and above all a unique African experience.

Article © Copyright 2009 Go2Africa.

Print this page |  Send to a friend